Today on Total Retail
January 15, 2020 at 10:08 am
“Alexa, stop the alarm.” “Alexa, play the news.” “Alexa, remind me to buy bread.” Even though it has only been a few years since I bought an Amazon Echo, Alexa has already become an integral part of my life. When I read PYMNTS’ annual How We Will Pay study, in collaboration with Visa, I found out…
January 14, 2020 at 12:24 pm
Away co-founder Steph Korey, who stepped down as CEO following reports of her role in creating a toxic culture, is back at the helm of the luggage startup. The original plan was for lululemon COO Stuart Haselden to take over yesterday and, in a way, he has. Haselden will now be co-CEO along with Korey. In an…
January 14, 2020 at 12:35 pm
Yesterday at the 2020 National Retail Federation Big Show in New York City, Total Retail's Joe Keenan sat down for an interview with Jennifer Williams, vice president, retail services at Perry Ellis International. Williams discusses Perry Ellis' Life Ready application, its initial rollout in wholesale partner Dillard's stores over the past year, and the brand's partnerships with…
January 14, 2020 at 11:33 am
In March, we examined the impact of “rogue” mobile browsers that look like Chrome (but aren’t) on retailers’ digital performance, their user experiences, and their bottom lines. Now, new data looks at the performance of three Chromium-based browsers — Google Chrome, Samsung Internet, and the Miui Browser by Xiaomi — and how they stack up…
January 14, 2020 at 11:28 am
There are many reasons an online order may fail to be completed, from bad weather to back-ordered product. And there’s always the chance the package ended up on your neighbor’s doorstep instead of yours. Whatever the reason, when a customer fails to receive their order, the cost adds up fast. The yearly cost of failed…
January 14, 2020 at 10:18 am
Over the past 20 years, the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry has evolved rapidly, and that progression will not slow down as we enter a new decade. CPG trends that took off in 2019, such as self-care, plant-based products and CBD, will continue to grow. Self-care is already a $9.9 billion industry in the U.S.,…
January 13, 2020 at 7:59 am
Online mattress company Casper Sleep on Friday filed regulatory paperwork to take the company public, according to a CNBC report. Casper Sleep would be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “CSPR.” In the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Casper said it plans to use the proceeds to fund…
January 13, 2020 at 11:49 am
In episode 229 of Total Retail Talks, Executive Editor Joe Keenan interviews Drew Chamberlain, director of operations and customer experience at JO-ANN Stores, a specialty retailer of crafts and fabrics. Listen in as Chamberlain discusses JOANN's recent partnership with customer service platform Gladly, why the craft retailer felt the need to invest in new technology,…
January 13, 2020 at 7:49 am
Every marketer has done painstaking research to understand where mobile makes an appearance along the customer journey. They understand that customers always have their phones, and always expect a personalized, relevant interaction on mobile. Mobile commerce is set to grow 29 percent in 2019, however, our research shows that mobile lags far behind on-site and…
January 13, 2020 at 7:31 am
As pressure mounts to differentiate with superb customer service via interactive channels, more brands are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to help deliver that service at scale. Technology researcher Gartner predicts that by 2021, seven out of 10 companies will rely on AI to boost productivity. Consulting firm McKinsey found that 47 percent of companies…
