Professional Development

Wayfair announced on Wednesday that it posted its strongest quarter of sales growth since the pandemic as the furniture retailer continues to win over customers and take market share. The company said it saw double-digit revenue growth in the U.S., reaching about $3 billion, an 11.4 percent increase from the year prior. Wayfair CFO Kate…

The chief information officer of SharkNinja explains how the product design and technology company is using AI and cultural hacks to drive growth.

Nearly every leader is holding two feelings at once: genuine excitement about what artificial intelligence can unlock, and a nagging sense that their organization is already behind. The common advice is to move fast and forget about stability. That sounds bold, but it’s backwards. The strongest predictor of successful AI adoption isn’t the tech rollout.…

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…

A shopper has been holding the same item for two minutes. Her free hand has been busy the whole time: a ring turned, a sleeve straightened, a hand at the wrist. Then it goes still, and both hands come back to the item. She has just decided. It's the clearest signal on your floor all…

In episode 514 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Lorenzo De Plano, co-founder and CEO of ALP, the leading direct-to-consumer (DTC) nicotine pouch brand, valued at over $1 billion. Listen in as De Plano discusses the genesis and growth of the company (2:15), why launching DTC first provided a sandbox to test and…

The future of retail won't just be shaped by artificial intelligence. It will be shaped by the perspectives building it. That matters because retail serves one of the most diverse customer bases in the world, yet the people shaping AI don't always reflect the customers or employees they'll ultimately serve. Women are responsible for 85…

Target on Tuesday announced it has appointed its first ever chief artificial intelligence officer in its latest bet to capitalize on the AI boom, reports CNBC. The company named Chandhu Nair as its chief AI officer and senior vice president and also announced Purvi Shah as the company’s senior vice president of user experience. Nair…

Retailers that add dozens of seasonal associates in the runup to the holiday season are compressing months of onboarding risk into days. I-9s have to be promptly collected, minors lawfully scheduled, and local regulations respected across all store and warehouse locations during a time when managers are stretched to the breaking point. The mistakes that…

Best Buy has announced new leaders appointed to its executive team. As a part of its CEO transition, this appointments position the consumer electronics retailer to accelerate its strategic priorities to 1.) advance as a retail, media and advertising, and technology company, 2.) expand and grow its reach, 3.) elevate the customer experience and 4.) be…