Store Associates

Microsoft said on Friday it will permanently close all of its 83 store locations and will instead focus on its e-commerce business, where customers can visit for support, sales, training and more. The decision comes after Microsoft temporarily closed stores in March due to the spread of the coronavirus. Microsoft said the thousands of workers from these stores have…

Target is raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour beginning July 5, CNBC reported. The retailer will also be giving hourly employees a one-time bonus of $200. Target temporarily raised its wages by $2 an hour in March as the COVID-19 pandemic began, so this announcement makes the raise permanent. This raise will be for hourly…

The COVID-19 crisis is proving to be a catalyst for change across all dimensions of retail. Some of this transformation was already underway for some specialty brands. They were on a path to building a more direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) business. However, what the pandemic ultimately underscores for them and others is that retail can’t go back…

We’re living in an unprecedented time — and it’s drastically affecting retail employees. After all, none of us expected to live through a global pandemic that would uproot economies around the world. Retail employees are working harder than ever, and many must also deal with reduced hours, layoffs, or furloughs. That makes it all the…

At the dawn of a new decade, retailers are finally making headway in catching up to the demands of digital-era consumers. According to Zebra’s 12th annual Global Shopper Study, which analyzes data culled from over 6,000 customers, store associates and retail executives, shopper satisfaction is up overall. Retailers are recognizing that future success hinges on…

The coronavirus pandemic has transformed the retail experience overnight. Suddenly, the standard for fulfillment is contactless delivery and curbside pickup. There’s also an overwhelming consumer demand for essential items, such as groceries, toilet paper, gloves, masks and hand sanitizer — a demand so great that not even an e-commerce behemoth like Amazon.com, which was forced…

As major events and policies unfold daily, COVID-19 has left retailers rapidly responding to real-time changes. But in companies’ efforts to act as swiftly and strategically as possible in the wake of the pandemic, hourly workers have been severely impacted. To better understand and help hourly employees, our team conducted a study to see how…

Starbucks announced that it will provide "catastrophe pay" to baristas in the U.S who have been exposed to the coronavirus, CNBC reported. The coffee chain will pay employees for up to 14 days if they have tested positive for coronavirus, or are exposed to or in close contact with someone who has coronavirus. Starbucks employees…

Amazon.com confirmed today that it's launching a new business line selling the technology behind its cashier-less convenience stores to other retailers. In addition, Amazon told Reuters it has signed “several” deals with customers it would not name. The technology, which Amazon calls Just Walk Out, enables shoppers to enter a store, grab merchandise, and go. Here's how it works: In…

A recent article in The New York Times looked at life in retail during the recent holiday selling season. It centered on a busy Manhattan store of a big, well-regarded apparel chain and one of its merchandising managers. I wasn’t surprised to read the retailer equipped employees with several apps to expedite sales and keep…