Sat.Dec 30, 2023 - Fri.Jan 05, 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

Returns 278
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Retail trends that shaped the holidays in 2023

Retail Dive

From new marketing techniques to consumers spending despite inflation, here are the big takeaways from the latest holiday season.

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Understanding Economy Pricing: Is It the Right Strategy for Your Business?

Wiser

Companies continually grapple with the best approach to set prices that would not only cover costs but also attract and retain customers. One such approach to consider is economy pricing. Adopting certain pricing strategies could mean the difference between a thriving business and one that struggles to keep its doors open. The question that arises, however, is whether economy pricing is the right fit for every business.

Consumer 145
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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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5 Tips for a Winning Category Management Strategy in 2025

Category Management is a cornerstone of a successful retail strategy. While it promotes collaboration between manufacturers and retailers to optimize category performance, challenges persist in its effective implementation due to hurdles in communication and collaboration across teams and partners, and more. In this guide, we outline five essential strategies for success in 2025 that will touch on all the essential pieces of a successful strategy and implementation.

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Luxury Retail Phygitalisation: Blending Tradition and Technology in the Digital Age

Retail Focus

Ghalia BOUSTANI. Senior Retail Consultant at Univers Retail | Published author | Visiting lecturer. Luxury retail has undergone a significant transformation driven by digital technology and changing consumer expectations. The term ‘phygitalisation’ is used to describe the fusion of physical and digital realms to create a seamless and enhanced customer experience.

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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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China’s Manufacturing Slump Continues into December

Retail Wire

China's manufacturing scene experienced a significant pullback in December, marking its third consecutive month of contraction and underscoring the persisting lethargy in the world's second-biggest economy.

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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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JD.com Wins Antitrust Suit in China; Alibaba Fined $140 Million

Retail TouchPoints

JD.com has won a lawsuit against rival Alibaba Group in the High People’s Court of Beijing, which fined Alibaba 1 billion yuan ( $140 million) for engaging in monopolistic practices. JD.com had sued Alibaba and its ecommerce divisions, Zhejiang Tmall Network and Zhejiang Tmall Technology, for practicing “choosing one of two” behaviors — essentially saying to suppliers that if they sold to JD.com, they would not be allowed to sell on Alibaba.

Marketing 325
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Starbucks US to accept reusable cups at drive-thrus

Inside Retail

Starbucks Coffee Company has started accepting reusable cups for beverages pre-ordered online and at its drive-thrus at all company-operated and participating licensed stores across the US and Canada. Starbucks is a founding member of the NextGen Consortium, which aims to accelerate sustainable and circular solutions and reduce single-use plastics in food service packaging.

ATS 290
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What Your Financial Statements Are Telling You—And How to Listen!

Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker

Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.

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Rising Fast-Food Prices Spark Nationwide Concern

Retail Wire

The nation has witnessed a widespread uptick in fast-food prices, primarily attributed to the escalating operational costs, especially labor.

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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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Deloitte Shares Loyalty Trends and Best Practices for 2024

Retail TouchPoints

To drive customer retention and loyalty, most brands and retailers continue to rely on purchase discounts ( 77% ) and loyalty program points ( 61% ), according to Retail TouchPoints research. However, a Deloitte survey reveals that consumers’ loyalty program preferences and expectations are evolving. While financial benefits are still top of mind — largely thanks to inflation pressures and tightened household budgets — consumers are increasingly seeking services and experiences that truly reflec

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‘This place enables curiosity’: Inside Levi’s Eureka Innovation Lab

Inside Retail

Levi Strauss & Co’s Eureka Innovation Lab is located on a quiet, dead-end street near Coit Tower in San Francisco. Unassuming from the outside, the brick warehouse is a hive of activity within. Sewing machines whir, washing machines thump and lasers beep as they precisely cut holes into raw denim. Hundreds of jeans in every shade of blue hang on the walls and mysterious trunks covered in stickers from around the world are stacked wherever there’s room, while jazz music plays in the backgroun

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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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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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.

ATS 128
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Why Personalization Can Survive the Loss of Third-Party Cookies

Retail TouchPoints

Personalization is at something of a crossroads. The New Year saw a key step in the coming deprecation of third-party cookies, which have been one of marketers’ most powerful tools for tracking online activity for many years. A small group ( 1% ) of Google Chrome users are now eligible for Tracking Protection , which restricts the use of these cookies by default.

Consumer 306
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Generative AI is supercharging retail, what does this mean for consumers?

Inside Retail

AI is a non-negotiable for retailers. As the driving force behind a new era of hyper-personalisation, efficiency and sustainable retail experiences, its impact on the way we shop cannot be understated. So as more and more retailers integrate the benefits of AI into their growth strategy, what will be next for this transformative technology? And how will it shape the way we shop?

Consumer 266
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SEO vs. PPC: Which Strategy Is Best for Your Business?

When it comes to driving traffic and growing your online presence, businesses often ask: SEO or PPC—what’s the better choice? This guide breaks down the key differences between search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, highlighting their pros, cons, and best use cases. Whether you’re looking for long-term organic growth or immediate visibility through paid ads, we’ll help you determine which strategy—or combination of both—is right for your business.

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AMC Hits Record Low and Struggles To Improve

Retail Wire

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc.'s stock is plummeting. The company's shares marked a record low yet again this Thursday, closing at a meager $5.30, down by 5%. This makes it the fourth day in a row of losses for the movie theater chain.

ATS 264
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Party City balloon supplier Anagram exits bankruptcy

Retail Dive

In a deal with a group of investors, the balloon manufacturer will operate as an independent company and continue supplying Party City.

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Virginia Costco Workers Vote to Join Teamsters Union

Retail TouchPoints

Costco workers in Norfolk, Va. have voted to join the Teamsters Local 822, with the union calling this its first organizing victory at the wholesale retailer in two decades. The 238 -worker group will join more than 18,000 Teamsters at Costco nationwide. Successful unionization efforts in the retail industry have been relatively rare, but they may pick up steam this year following a strong year for labor in 2023, with successful strikes by the United Auto Workers against the Big Three carmakers

Wholesale 299
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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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AI for Commerce: Foundations, Aspirations, and Hype

AI is rapidly transforming digital commerce, but how do you separate real opportunities from hype? Moderated by Orium, AI for Commerce: Foundations, Aspirations, and Hype , experts from Bloomreach , commercetools , Contentstack , and Fluent Commerce explores where AI is already delivering results and where its potential is still unfolding. This masterclass dives into proven AI applications, emerging innovations , and the gaps between promise and reality in commerce.

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Apple Lawsuit Settled Over iTunes Gift Card Scams

Retail Wire

Apple is settling a lawsuit that accused the tech giant of allowing fraudsters to exploit its iTunes gift cards and pocket a portion of the stolen funds.

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Buller and Rice salon is a showcase of plant-based materials

Dezeen

East London hair salon Buller and Rice has opened a new venue with an interior design palette that includes seaweed, algae, cork and mushroom leather. Buller and Rice Wanstead is a salon that doubles as a lifestyle store, selling products ranging from homeware to wine. Company founders Anita Rice and Stephen Buller designed the interior themselves, filling it with bespoke creations from designers and makers including Natural Material Studio 's Bonnie Hvillum and Copenhagen-based Jonas Edvard.

Shopping 127
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TikTok Taps Peloton for New Fitness Content Hub

Retail TouchPoints

TikTok and Peloton are teaming up to launch a new fitness hub on the social media platform — #TikTokFitness — marking the first time that Peloton will produce bespoke social content for a partner outside of Peloton-owned channels. Within the new space on TikTok, Peloton will have its own dedicated hub — #TikTokFitness Powered by Peloton — that will include select live Peloton classes (with and without equipment required), original Instructor series, ongoing creator partnerships, Peloton class cl

Shopping 295
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Global first: The Body Shop offers fully vegan product formulations

Inside Retail

The Body Shop has earned the title of being the first global beauty brand offering 100 per cent vegan product formulations certified by The Vegan Society. Back in 2021, just 60 per cent of the cosmetic brand’s products already carried the Vegan Society trademark. The retailer has been campaigning against animal testing in the cosmetics industry since 1989. “We were the first beauty company to fight against animal testing in cosmetics.

Shopping 260
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Staying Ahead of UFLPA Enforcement: Best Practices for Retail Supply Chains

Speaker: Ethan Woolley, Director at Kharon

This webinar will explore how companies can proactively address compliance risks–rather than reactively responding to–UFLPA enforcement actions. Ethan Woolley will provide insights into the latest CBP enforcement trends, entity list updates, and industries under increased scrutiny, with a look at potential shifts under the Trump administration. Ethan will also explore how predictive data and strategic due diligence can help organizations stay ahead of regulatory challenges and strengthen complia

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SpaceX Accused of Unlawful Dismissals and a Toxic Work Culture

Retail Wire

SpaceX, the renowned rocket and satellite manufacturer, is under scrutiny as a U.S. labor agency accuses it of illegally terminating eight employees.

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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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Lost Goods or Lost Sales? How Connected Systems can Help Solve Retail’s Most Persistent Dilemma

Retail TouchPoints

With retail crime rising across the United States, many retailers are frustrated by the challenge of curbing the effects of organized and ad-hoc theft. As a result, they’re ramping up their use of physical and visual deterrents — often in the form of locked cases — in the hopes that hardening targets will remedy the issue. It’s a natural response, and it’s guided by sound logic.

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New regulations make it harder to access vapes. Here’s what’s changing

Inside Retail

This year the Australian government is introducing a series of measures to restrict the availability of vapes, starting today. The new reforms address loopholes in the current laws that allow easy access to highly addictive, flavoured, cheap, and harmful vaping products that are marketed to kids. Vaping products will still be available through a prescription for anyone using them to quit smoking.

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The GTM Intelligence Era: ZoomInfo 2025 Customer Impact Report

ZoomInfo customers aren’t just selling — they’re winning. Revenue teams using our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform grew pipeline by 32%, increased deal sizes by 40%, and booked 55% more meetings. Download this report to see what 11,000+ customers say about our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform and how it impacts their bottom line. The data speaks for itself!