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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Modernizing the Frontend Experience on Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Unlock agility, boost performance, and gain control over your Salesforce frontend with the latest masterclass from Composable.com : Modernizing the Frontend Experience on Salesforce Commerce Cloud Featuring experts from Algolia, Ember, Netlify, and Stripe, this masterclass focuses on practical strategies for optimizing your Salesforce Commerce Cloud storefronts using modern composable commerce integrations.

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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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More Trending

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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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Website Security Essentials: Protect Your Site and Strengthen Cybersecurity

In a digital-first world, website security is non-negotiable. This comprehensive guide explores the critical importance of securing your site against hackers and vulnerabilities like SQL injection, XSS, and malware. Discover tools like SiteLock for threat monitoring and CodeGuard for seamless backups, ensuring robust protection for your data and operations.

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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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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.

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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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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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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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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.

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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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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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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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Master Off-Page SEO: Boost Traffic, Build Trust, and Drive Conversions

Off-page SEO is the key to building trust, attracting qualified traffic, and boosting conversions. This guide explores how to leverage backlinks, guest blogging, social media, and influencer marketing to expand your website’s reach and authority. Discover the synergy between on-page and off-page SEO, ensuring your site is optimized for success. Learn how to create valuable content, engage with online communities, and track your progress to fine-tune your strategy.

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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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Unwrapping loyalty: 3 powerful tactics for post-holiday success

Retail Customer Experience

January offers retailers another enticing opportunity to make gains with shoppers at a time when competitors are taking their eye off the ball.

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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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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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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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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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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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Halsey’s Gen Z-focused beauty brand AF94 partners with Ulta Beauty

Retail Dive

The makeup brand launched on Ulta’s website on Dec. 24 and will head to select stores beginning Jan. 14.

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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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Turn Your Website Into a Money-Maker: Tips for Small Business Success

Your website can be more than just a digital presence—it can be a thriving profit center. Discover proven strategies to monetize your website, whether you sell physical products, digital downloads, or services. Learn the importance of user-friendly design, high-quality content, and tailored marketing to meet audience needs and boost engagement. Explore options like e-commerce, affiliate marketing, and subscriptions, and use analytics to optimize for success.

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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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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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Shiseido to acquire Dr. Dennis Gross

Retail Dive

The deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter, could accelerate Shiseido’s growth in the Americas.

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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