Wed.Jan 03, 2024

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Rethinking Returns: Innovative Strategies for Retailers to Drive Growth in 2024

Retail TouchPoints

Long viewed as a necessary evil, the retail returns process is emerging as an unexpected avenue for growth and customer engagement. In the rapidly expanding ecommerce market, projected to reach $3 billion in 2023, a significant 20% to 30% of online purchases end up being returned. This substantial return rate highlights a vital opportunity for retail leaders: by revamping the often-overlooked returns process, retailers can unlock a new avenue for driving customer satisfaction and business growth

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Apple Shares Drop to Lowest in 7 Weeks After Barclays Downgrade

Retail Wire

On Tuesday, Apple fell by almost 3.6% to a low that has not been experienced in seven weeks after Barclays downgraded the shares due to concerns that demand for its devices will still be fragile in 2024.

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Asda Hires First Digital Chief, Expands Efforts to Encourage Girls to Consider Careers in Tech

Retail TouchPoints

UK supermarket chain Asda is fortifying its digital foundation both for the present and the future. The company has appointed Morrisons executive Matt Kelleher as its first Chief Digital Officer and plans to double the number of workshops it hosts this year in partnership with Girls in Data , an organization that encourages girls to consider careers in technology.

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RIP: The late Terence Conran’s once high-flying Habitat is no more

Inside Retail

Europe-based home furnishing chain Habitat has shut down all of its operations, just a month after collapsing into receivership. The company’s trustees have initiated a final liquidation due to the lack of cash flow and a recovery plan. As a result, all of the chain’s 25 stores in France will close and 383 employees will lose their jobs. The fate of five other shops in Barcelona, Geneva, Madrid, Milan and Zurich is unclear.

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Is Your Business AI-Ready? Find Out with Orium’s Maturity Model

Generative AI is poised to redefine B2B, but scaling AI success in this space isn’t without obstacles. From fragmented data sources and complex buyer journeys to operational inefficiencies, the road to AI-powered growth can be challenging. To achieve a competitive edge, understanding your organization’s AI-readiness is essential. Orium's Data & AI Maturity Model provides a quick, actionable way to assess your starting point.

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Ground Beef Recall: Over 7,000 Pounds May Be Contaminated With E. Coli

Retail Wire

Over 7,000 pounds of ground beef may be contaminated with E. coli. The meat was shipped to four states and was set to be dispensed to restaurants.

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How fashion turned the tennis court into a runway

Inside Retail

The 2024 Australian Open is gearing up to serve a fashion-forward Grand Slam by partnering with sportswear giants, high-fashion brands and luxury labels. This year’s Australian Open will be sponsored by the likes of Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, New Balance and Rolex – positioning tennis as a rival with the races for sport’s most fashion-forward event.

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Penhaligon’s opens flagship store in Sydney

Inside Retail

British fragrance retailer Penhaligon’s has opened a flagship store at the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney. The new store features a full range of Penhaligon’s collections including Portraits, British Tales, and Trade Routes, as well as in-store exclusives such as the Potions & Remedies line-up, Russh reported. This location also offers scented soaps, body care, candles, trinkets, and lip balms.

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The Body Shop Assortment Certified as 100% Vegan

Retail TouchPoints

All of the products sold by The Body Shop have officially been certified as having 100% vegan formulations by The Vegan Society. This marks a major milestone for the socially conscious beauty retailer, which was founded in 1989 with the goal of making cruelty-free beauty more common and accessible. In 2021, The Body Shop set a goal of making all of its products 100% vegan; at the time, 60% of its products already carried The Vegan Society certification.

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Despite a muted outlook for 2024, the Retail Think Tank outlines key growth opportunities and predictions for next years’ winners and losers

Retail Focus

While the retail sector outlook for 2024 is expected to be muted, hampered by ongoing macroeconomic challenges, weakened consumer demand and low economic growth prospects, retailers mustn’t let stagnation stifle innovation and future opportunities, the KPMG/RetailNext Retail Think Tank (RTT) , an independent board of retail experts, warns. With the UK economy set to tread water in 2024, the RTT expects this will impact growth within the retail sector.

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The retail contest between CBDs, malls and online is set to reshape our cities

Inside Retail

Retail activity has been a defining facet of cities since antiquity. The Greek Agora and Roman Forum may be viewed as the original CBDs – central business districts, or what urban planners call activity centres. Retail spaces have evolved over time. Urbanisation, mass production and the rise of conspicuous consumption led to the high street and CBD dominating the retail landscape across the Western world from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century.

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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Amanda Adams, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

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Pitney Bowes, PackageHub Launch Returns Drop-Off Network

Retail TouchPoints

Pitney Bowes and PackageHub have debuted a no-box, no-label returns drop-off network at nearly 1,000 locations nationwide, with the promise of hundreds more launching soon. These new returns locations augment the existing network of 30,000 postal locations where Pitney Bowes currently offers no-label returns. Online retailers that currently use the Pitney Bowes return service and its platform partners will gain immediate access to the new network, with no additional integration required.

Returns 147
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Exclusive Valentine’s Day Stanley Cups Are Causing a Ruckus at Target

Retail Wire

As we approach the second month of the year, love is definitely in the air, and so is the frenzy for Target's limited-edition Valentine's Day Stanley Cups.

ATS 147
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Why Fendi’s collab with Pokémon signals a big year for anime in retail

Inside Retail

Even though 2024 just started, trend researchers are already predicting what will be hot and not in the world of fashion and beauty for the year ahead. One notable recent trend that’s predicted to carry into 2024 is the incorporation of anime into limited-edition collections by mid-tier and luxury brands alike. In December 2023, Fendi announced its collaboration with Pokémon and Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara’s streetwear collective Fragment.

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A Recap of Workforce Layoffs, From Google to the Banking Industry

Retail Wire

The turnover from 2023 to 2024 was marked by significant layoffs within the global work landscape, fueled in part by artificial intelligence.

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Is Your Brand AI-Ready? Find Out with Orium’s Maturity Model

Generative AI is reshaping retail, but achieving true AI success isn’t simple. Many brands face hurdles—underdeveloped data strategies, limited AI-ready infrastructure, or lack of seamless integration across systems. As you explore how AI can boost efficiency and transform customer experiences, understanding your business’s readiness is key. Orium's Data & AI Maturity Model offers a clear starting point.

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How a doctor turned a Twitter joke into a retro-inspired apparel brand

Inside Retail

Founded in 2022, Queensland Football Club is a fake footy club with a very real line of merchandise that has taken on a life of its own. Created by Ken Sakata as a diversion during the Covid pandemic, Queensland Football Club aims to elevate sportswear by manufacturing products locally in Australia using high-quality materials. The brand was included on Inside Retail ’s most recent list of the 20 Coolest Retailers in Australia.

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GM’s US Vehicle Sales Soar Despite Supply Chain Distress

Retail Wire

In a remarkable display of resilience and robust sales strategy, GM saw a commendable surge in its U.S. vehicle sales in 2023.

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Meet Effect Beauty, the start-up driving sustainability in the beauty industry

Inside Retail

An emerging Australian brand is not only set on redefining beauty standards but is also leading the charge in sustainability and cost efficiency within the beauty industry. Effect Beauty Co. was founded by Taneia Hill (pictured), an entrepreneur with a passion for beauty and a commitment to environmental responsibility, with the aim of providing women with a sustainable and affordable solution for enhancing their natural beauty.

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US Debt Milestone Hits $34 Trillion for the First Time

Retail Wire

For the first time in history, our national debt has soared past the $34 trillion mark, according to the latest data from the Treasury Department.

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NEWS: SML RFID Delivers 98% Inventory Accuracy to Gina Tricot

I’m getting in touch with the news that fashion retailer, Gina Trictot, has achieved 98% inventory accuracy thanks to its partnership with SML RFID. Please see the full press release below, including exclusive quotes.

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Sainsbury’s crowned Christmas winner as grocery sales hit £13bn

Retail Gazette

Sainsbury’s has been named as the big winner over Christmas as grocery sales surpassed the £13bn mark in December for the first time. The supermarket chain saw its sales jump 9.3% in the four weeks to 24 December, achieving its highest market share since December 2020 at 15.8%, according to analysts at Kantar. Consumers spent £13.7bn in the run-up to Christmas, the research noted, with average household spending up 6% to £477 across the month.

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Air Canada Is North America’s Most Delayed Airline of 2023

Retail Wire

Canada’s premier airline, Air Canada, has recently earned an unenviable title: the carrier with the most delayed flights in North America.

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The Body Shop becomes first global beauty brand to receive 100% vegan certification

Retail Gazette

The Body Shop has become the first global beauty brand to achieve 100% vegan product formulations across all lines. The beauty retailer has had its ranges – skincare, body care, haircare, makeup and fragrance – certified by The Vegan Society as 100% vegan just two years after it set itself the target. To celebrate the accreditation, The Body Shop has launched its ‘ Not Yes!

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Reckitt Benckiser Recalls Baby Formula Due to Potential Contamination

Retail Wire

Reckitt Benckiser, manufacturer of infant formula Mead Johnson Nutrition, has recalled certain units of its hypoallergenic baby formula powder as a precautionary measure due to concerns over bacterial contamination.

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Mastering E-commerce Strategies to Drive Growth in B2B Distribution

B2B distributors and wholesalers: this webinar is for you! Discover the game-changing potential of composable commerce—a flexible, modern approach to e-commerce—and explore the strategies and technologies transforming the B2B landscape. Learn how to create custom digital experiences for your business from the leaders at Orium , commercetools , and Contentful as they walk through real-world examples, providing actionable insights on how to future-proof your business, integrate new opportunities s

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5 Retail Trends to Watch for 2024

RIS News

The top five trends to watch in 2024 will explore technologies and opportunities that will continue to transform the retail industry. These are noteworthy items that have been hot topics among industry experts and could have a significant impact on 2024.

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Starbucks Will Let Customers Use Reusable Cups

Retail Wire

The coffee giant is working to reduce its waste output by half by the year 2030.

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Mamas & Papas set for record year after stellar Christmas

Retail Gazette

Mamas & Papas profits and sales soared across the golden quarter as the brand said it was on course for a record year. The nursery brand’s EBITDA rocketed 50% year-on-year during the 13 weeks to 31 December as sales rose 17%. The performance followed a record Black Friday, which saw year-on-year sales increase 18% over the three-week period.

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SportsShoes.com Enters Global Partnership with Parkrun

365 Retail

SportsShoes.com has recently established a significant global partnership with parkrun , a community event network. This collaboration positions SportsShoes.com as parkrun’s exclusive retail partner in the UK and extends support to the global parkrun community, particularly in the procurement and distribution of parkrun merchandise. This partnership is a milestone for SportsShoes.com , representing its largest retail alliance to date.

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eCommerce in 2025: How Customer Experience Drives Online Retail Success

Speaker: Jennifer Wright and Nick Barron

2025 is right around the corner, and with it comes a new wave of consumer expectations, competitive pressures, and operational challenges. Success lies in finding the balance between operational flexibility and creating experiences that keep customers coming back. The future of retail belongs to those who can stay ahead of shifting customer preferences and marketing trends. 🔮 In this session, we’ll dive deep into what it takes to keep customers engaged and your operations nimble, no matt

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Early Findings Show Moderate Growth Downturn in 2023 Holiday Sales, Despite Strong Consumer Spending

RIS News

Another holiday season is behind us, and retailers will now begin reflecting on their performance. Some early results show U.S. retail sales during the 2023 holiday season grew by 3.1% year-over-year, falling short of predictions and the previous year's figures.

Consumer 107
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Kimco Closes Acquisition of RPT Realty

Shopping Center

Jericho, N.Y. — Kimco Realty has closed the acquisition of RPT Realty. The acquisition includes 56 open-air shopping centers comprising 13.3 million square feet of gross leasable space, adding to Kimco’s… The post Kimco Closes Acquisition of RPT Realty appeared first on Shopping Center Business.

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Retailers took back $743B in returns last year, with $101B lost to fraud: NRF

Retail Dive

E-commerce has led to more returns, which many retailers are working to mitigate, per a report from the National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail.

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Aldi slashes food waste by almost 60% and sets new 2030 target

Retail Gazette

Aldi has cut food waste by 57% since 2017, meaning it has hit its 2030 target eight years early. The discount retailer had pledged to halve food waste by 2030, in line with the Courtauld 2030 commitment but has now revised the target and as it looks reduce food waste by 90% by 2030 against a 2017 baseline. Aldi has slashed waste by working with food distribution companies such as Company Shop Group to redistribute surplus.

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How to Maximize Amazon Sales and Crush the Competition

With over 9 million sellers on Amazon, online marketplaces are more crowded than ever. Whether you’re looking to fine-tune prices in real-time or align strategies across channels, this guide provides the tools to understand how to maximize sales and secure a lasting competitive edge. Download now to transform your pricing strategy and drive holiday success.