Today on Total Retail

COVID-19 has changed the way retailers do business now and into the future. Today’s consumer essentially has three core demands: make my life easier, make my life better, and make my life more fulfilling. Retailers are responding to these consumer requirements with more urgency in the wake of COVID-19. The pandemic-induced shift to much higher…

In episode 293 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Chase Fisher, founder and CEO of Blenders Eyewear, a direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) lifestyle eyewear brand specializing in fresh, vibrant and affordable eyewear. Listen in as Fisher discusses the origin of Blenders Eyewear, his professional and personal background as a semi-pro surfer, and the first steps…

Lee Delaney, president and CEO of BJ’s Wholesale Club, passed away unexpectedly last week, due to presumed natural causes, the company announced Friday. He was 49. Bob Eddy, executive vice president, chief administrative and financial officer, has been named interim CEO by the board of directors, effective immediately. Additionally, Christopher J. Baldwin, chairman of the…

As vaccine distribution moves us closer to a post-pandemic life, businesses are still navigating the economic uncertainty. Retail leaders understand that consumer buying patterns have changed in ways that are likely to persist once the virus is under control. Retailers know they’ll need to adapt to stay a step ahead of competitors and increase profits…

To say that 2020 was a historic year defined by life-altering challenges and disruption would be an understatement. Businesses across every industry faced, and continue to face, hurdles they’d never imagined. Specifically, changes in consumer behavior in response to the pandemic and resulting economic recession put increased strain on the retail industry. For instance, decreasing…

Best Buy is testing a new annual membership program that comes with perks like tech support, free shipping, and extended warrantees on smartphones or other purchases. The consumer electronics retailer said in a corporate blog post Wednesday that the program is available at some stores in Iowa, Oklahoma and eastern Pennsylvania. Later this month, it will expand…

In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Melissa Campanelli and Kristina Stidham discuss the retailers with the best omnichannel gift card programs, as featured in the latest report from Total Retail’s sister brand, NAPCO Research, and Blackhawk Network. The 2020 Merchant Gift Card Omnichannel Evaluation report provides a comprehensive review of the state of…

Thousands of companies today, large and small, are realizing the importance of building trust and giving customers a voice through functions such as customer consent and preference management. Regulations such as GDPR and CCPA, as well as customer backlash related to poor customer experiences, has forced much of this shifting environment for brands today. Why…

The retail world was rocked this past year with pandemic-led surges in demand for e-commerce and at-home delivery. While many retailers were successful in making the pivot or ramping up their delivery cycles to meet capacity, it certainly didn't come without its challenges. The interesting aspect to the surge in e-commerce we experienced this past…

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…