October 3, 2026
 

 WEEKEND EDITION

Welcome to this issue of the Total Retail Report: Weekend Edition, a recap of what you may have missed this past week on myTotalRetail.com. Have a great weekend!

 
 

Build-A-Bear Workshop's CEO on Balancing Tradition With Reinvention

In this episode of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Chris Hurt, president and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, a beloved multigenerational brand focused on its mission to “add a little more heart to life,” known for its stuffed animals. Hurt discusses his career start at Polo Ralph Lauren and American Eagle Outfitters, and the…

 

4 Tips for Fine-Tuning Your Last-Mile Strategy Before the Holidays

by Sheila Berry

Black Friday/Cyber Monday are less than months away. That means promotions are mapped, inventory is inbound, fulfillment systems are in motion, staffing plans are set, and carrier allocations are made. The season’s strategies have taken shape, but there’s still time to fine-tune last-mile execution. The beginning of fall marks the closing window retailers have to…

 
 

The Automated Dispatcher vs. The Empowered Planner: Why Agentic AI is the New 'Best Buddy' for Retail Leaders

by George Ninikas

Retail leaders aren’t short on enthusiasm for artificial intelligence, but they are short on certainty about how to use it. A recent poll of supply chain and logistics professionals found that only 29 percent are currently deploying AI to support real, operational decisions. The largest group, 37 percent, describe themselves as actively exploring how AI…

 
 
 

Merchandising in the Age of AI: From Insight to Action

Join us for an interactive discussion on how leading retailers are using AI to transform merchandising. We’ll explore today’s biggest merchandising challenges — from forecasting and assortment to allocation, pricing, and scenario planning — as well as the practical applications of AI to help planners make smarter decisions, faster.

 
 
 
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When Bad Actors Look Legit, Retailers Need More Than AI

by Dan Frechtling

Retailers engaged in online commerce with third-party sellers are generally well equipped to catch clear violations, such as a prohibited product, a known bad actor, or an obvious policy breach. Technology can typically catch these violations, often before a seller even begins transacting on a platform. The problem, however, is that bad actors are becoming…

 

AI, SEO and E-Commerce: Finding the Balance

by Eugène Ernoult

For decades e-commerce marketers built their playbooks around one goal: rank and then click. Artificial intelligence has rewritten that playbook and retail brands are noticing. Shoppers are increasingly asking product- or service-related questions to AI agents/chatbots/search fields that get answered before they reach a website. That’s not a shift in tactics, but a shift in…