Store Associates

E-commerce in the grocery industry was already climbing in the past few years, with 23 percent of U.S. households shopping for groceries online in 2017. Today, however, a growing number of households have picked up the online grocery habit throughout COVID-19, with 43 percent saying they’re likely to continue with this even after the pandemic…

The retail industry is among those most impacted by the societal changes the pandemic has created. Retailers have been catapulted into an era that's heavily reliant upon online shopping and curbside pickup. Under the current circumstances, up to 64 percent of consumers have reported that they don’t feel comfortable engaging in routine activities outside of…

COVID-19 has shone a light on a common issue many retailers face: disjointed communications, particularly from company headquarters to brick-and-mortar store teams. With the safety of employees and customers depending on stores receiving timely information (e.g., safety policies and protocols) and taking immediate action, communication has become even more critical. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic…

In 2020, retail workers proved to be essential to the economy and society at large. Yet, it's not always clear whether they’re considered essential to employers’ future business plans. If retailers want to compete in an industry that — pandemic or not — is shifting more toward digital, they need to first invest in their…

The events of 2020 have forever altered the ways we live, work, eat and shop. As people come to rely on e-commerce for groceries, household essentials and medicine, there's a renewed pressure on retailers to deliver in lighting speed, enable easy returns, and provide a full product profile. This, coupled with the growing trends of…

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, frontline employees have been referred to as heroes — and rightly so. Retail and grocery store associates have been the backbone of communities, ensuring businesses could stay open during the crisis. Despite an appreciation of frontline employees, however, businesses are letting them down during this crisis. Frontline employees do not…

Prior to the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers were investing in stores by rightsizing their real estate footprints and reshaping the store experience around customer engagement. Now retailers are challenged with maintaining the same level of engagement, while also providing a contactless, safe experience and managing social distancing. Putting a mobile device into the…

Launching new in-demand products across a national retail chain during a global pandemic isn't an easy task. In this video, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan talks with Lane Mansell, vice president and general manager, Rocky Mountain region at AT&T Mobility, about how the company's retail arm is bracing for one of its largest product releases, the launch of the…

Holiday shopping in the COVID era will be unlike anything modern retailers and consumers have experienced. With deals beginning in October and extending through December, U.S. retailers are downplaying the importance of Black Friday. Instead, they're focusing on making every day of the 2020 holiday season count. When it comes to the impact of COVID-19,…

Retail has undergone seismic shifts since the outbreak of COVID-19, when we radically changed the way we behave outside our homes — and whether we ever even leave our homes at all. Brick-and mortar retailers have had to radically restructure their operations, from click-and-collect options to refocusing on online shopping. As states gradually open back…