Today on Total Retail

Macy's posted its strongest fiscal first-quarter comparable sales performance in four years on Wednesday, as the legacy department store’s turnaround continues to show progress. Led by the 200 so-called reimagined stores Macy’s has upgraded, comparable sales grew 3 percent overall during the quarter and 1.6 percent at its namesake banner. At Bloomingdale’s, comparable sales grew…

There's a belief embedded in retail marketing culture that organic traffic is essentially free. It shows up in merchant budget presentations, agency pitches, and omnichannel strategy decks. The logic seems airtight: search engine optimization (SEO), social media, product review communities, and content marketing cost nothing to place, ergo they cost nothing to run. But “no…

Most retailers still think of RFID as a counting tool. The ones gaining ground have figured out it's something else entirely. I've spent the better part of two decades working in retail technology — including in IT at lululemon, at Avery Dennison, and as a vice president of supply chain at PVH — and the…

While overall customer satisfaction scores in the retail sector are improving steadily year-over-year, recent data reveals that only 23 percent of customers feel fully satisfied with post-purchase support services. There are a variety of reasons why customers would need post-purchase support — e.g., returning an item, confirming a payment went through, tracking their shipment, etc.…

More shoppers are starting their buying journey by asking an artificial intelligence assistant instead of typing into a search bar. They ask ChatGPT which running shoe suits flat feet, or have Gemini compare two coffee makers. The AI answers in a few sentences, names a handful of products, and the shopper moves on, often without…

Amazon.com announced Monday that its annual Prime Day event will return June 23–26, bringing millions of exclusive deals to Prime members across more than 35 categories. The four-day shopping event kicks off at 12:01 a.m. PDT on June 23, with deals available on the Prime page and the Amazon Shopping app. Members can save on…

Artificial intelligence is changing how customers shop, with AI-driven e-commerce sales estimated to be over $144 billion by 2029. Now, retailers are looking for innovative ways to embed automated solutions across the customer journey. While consumers are willing to use AI — and some having done so already — its full value is not being…

International retailers have spent the past year navigating a trade environment defined by constant change. Tariffs shifted with little warning. Customs requirements tightened across major markets. Carrier conditions fluctuated week to week, forcing e-commerce teams to adapt in real time while still meeting customer expectations for fast, reliable delivery. Many brands anticipated some level of…

For decades, promotions have been set in advance. Brands plan offers, retailers load them, and shoppers either see them or don't. The structure leaves little room to adjust for who is buying, what is in the basket, or whether the offer makes financial sense in that moment. Artificial intelligence can now decide which promotional offer…

Artificial intelligence is changing where and how buyers discover retail brands. Shoppers who once searched across product pages, marketplaces, reviews and buying guides are increasingly turning to AI-powered search engines and shopping assistants to compare options and narrow decisions. For retailers, that creates a new visibility challenge: the moment of intent is moving into environments…