Today on Total Retail
January 14, 2021 at 6:00 pm
Apparel retailer Christopher & Banks, which caters to women over 40, is the latest clothing chain to file for bankruptcy protection amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Minneapolis-based company announced Thursday it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Christopher & Banks said in a press release it "expects to close a significant portion, if not all, of its brick-and-mortar stores." Hours after the bankruptcy…
January 14, 2021 at 7:03 pm
In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Melissa Campanelli and Kristina Stidham discuss an article recently published on Total Retail titled, “Bracing for the Returns Avalanche,” authored by Andrew Hogenson of Infosys Consulting. Hogenson discusses the influx of product returns that retailers are currently dealing with following the 2020 holiday season, especially considering…
January 14, 2021 at 4:56 pm
California’s Proposition 24, which expands the state’s consumer privacy law, was passed by voters on Nov. 3, 2020. Starting January 2023, the new law, called the California Consumer Privacy Rights Act (“CCPRA”) will take effect and allow consumers more control over how businesses collect and use their personal information. Today, advancements in technology allow retailers…
January 14, 2021 at 4:18 pm
While we've entered a new world of commerce, there’s no question that retailers are ready for any challenge that comes their way in the year ahead. When the COVID-19 global pandemic temporarily closed shop doors, retailers became experts in adapting. They quickly implemented digital tools and new ways of selling, all without the luxury of…
January 14, 2021 at 1:53 pm
The retail sector has been faced with many challenges and obstacles over the past several years. One of the greatest of those challenges being radically shifting consumer demand alongside higher expectations. Due to this ever-changing landscape, department stores have struggled to maintain success with their traditional models. In fact, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,…
January 14, 2021 at 3:00 pm
The future of selling requires retailers and brands to anticipate customer and channel demand shifts. The problem is companies admit they're not quite ready. According to a recent Forrester study of footwear and apparel brands and retailers, fewer than one-third of brands believe they're fully prepared to act on demand shifts in their market, and…
January 13, 2021 at 7:46 pm
Starbucks is creating a new $100 million fund aimed at investing in community development projects and small businesses in areas populated by people of color, CNBC reported. The investment, titled Community Resilience Fund, is part of a broader initiative to increase Starbucks commitment to racial and social equality. The company endowed $1 million in neighborhood…
January 13, 2021 at 7:24 pm
The world of commerce is continually changing and evolving as a direct impact of technological advances. In 2020, we learned how much technology can shape our experiences and how important it is to use it correctly to make customer journeys frictionless. Consumer expectations shift quickly, and everything in retail changes rapidly. In fact, I would…
January 13, 2021 at 5:59 pm
In this clip from the December 2020 Women in Retail and Total Retail Virtual Exchange, Ron Thurston, vice president, stores at INTERMIX and author of "RETAIL PRIDE," shares with moderator Rachel Williamson, chief strategic retail advisor of Running Great Stores, LLC, what advice he gives to people considering a career in retail. Thurston notes that retail is…
January 13, 2021 at 5:40 pm
Most brands know they must improve customer experience (CX) or risk losing customers. However, digital CX isn't about providing more content or using technology to streamline transactions. A digital experience needs to be a human experience. And human experiences are built on conversations — authentic ones between two people. A conversational platform lets brands reach…
