Today on Total Retail

Home Depot announced Tuesday that it will open three distribution centers in the Atlanta area over the next 18 months to keep up with rising customer expectations for fast order deliveries, which have only been amplified since the pandemic. Home Depot has scrambled to meet customers’ demand for speed and convenience. It began rolling out curbside…

As social distancing measures remain intact across the country, contactless shopping has become the consumer’s lifeline. With curbside pickup surging 208 percent in April, consumers flocked to a variety of services such as DoorDash, Instacart, Shipt, and Walmart Grocery for their shopping needs. With essential items top of mind and convenience being a close second,…

In today’s high-tech, high-touch world, shopping in a brick-and-mortar store is as old school as it gets, right? Think again. From the nearly ubiquitous self-serve checkout stations at grocery stores to new cashier-less store technology, in-store automation technology is transforming nearly every aspect of the traditional retail experience. Retail automation isn’t a new concept, but…

As the coronavirus pandemic forced brick-and-mortar stores around the world to shut their doors this spring, some retailers turned to livestreaming to engage their customers. Many found the experiment a resounding success. Case in point: InTime, a Chinese department store operator owned by Alibaba, leaned into livestreaming to boost its activity during the country’s lockdown. InTime saw…

Uncertain and unsteady are two words often used to describe the current state of the U.S. retail industry. This fact is compelling companies to adapt to an ever-changing marketplace in real time, which for some savvy brands has included avoiding spending unnecessary cash on advertising and tapping into one particularly stable marketing effort where they…

Lord + Taylor, one of America's oldest department stores, has filed for bankruptcy, joining a growing list of stores slammed by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, Tailored Brands, the parent company of Men's Wearhouse and JoS. A. Bank, also filed for bankruptcy. Lord + Taylor, which was sold to rental clothing company Le Tote last…

Around the world, many companies, including retailers, restaurants and personal care businesses, are loosening or even lifting COVID-19-related lockdown measures in one way or another. The New York Times recently reported while all 50 U.S. states have started reopening, substantial variations exist, while much of the public remains anxious about the potential for a second…

While retail industry innovation efforts may be paused during this unprecedented time of social distancing and economic turmoil, a study involving blockchain, radio frequency identification (RFID), and global data standards provided a glimpse into the potentially remarkable capabilities of emerging technology to help solve supply chain challenges. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the Auburn University…

Dotcom Distribution’s annual e-commerce consumer study took an interesting turn this year. Historically, the study explores online shoppers’ evolving behavior pertaining to various areas, including purchasing, packaging, shipping, returns, omnichannel, and sustainability. That remains true; however, because the initial survey data was collected prior to COVID-19-related shutdowns, an additional round of data was collected in…

In episode 258 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Evan Marshall, co-founder and chief technology officer of Plain Jane Hemp, a CBD brand selling smokable hemp products. Listen in as Marshall discusses the inspiration behind starting the company, why launching via an e-commerce site was the right choice for the brand, and the…