2024

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The Role of Communication in Streamlining Retail Security Operations

Retail TouchPoints

In 2024, retail crime is up – old-fashioned shoplifting by itself has risen 24% through the first half of the year, according to the Council on Criminal Justice. Never before has retail security been more important than today. From spotting suspicious persons on the premises to coordinating a response to threats, communication is key to keeping merchandise, employees and patrons safe and secure.

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The Benefits of a Mobile POS for Retail Stores in 2025

M19 Retail

The Benefits of a Mobile POS for Retail Stores In the fast-evolving retail environment, where customer expectations continue to rise, delivering quick, personalized service is no longer optional; it’s essential for business growth and customer retention. Mobile POS systems (mPOS) have emerged as a powerful tool for retailers to meet these expectations while simultaneously streamlining operations, enhancing flexibility, and driving sales.

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5 Simple Ways To Elevate Customer Perception Without Breaking The Bank

Retail Minded

When you’re on a budget, every small method of improving customer experience counts. Quality doesn’t have to mean expensive; you can make thoughtful, affordable upgrades to give you an edge and impress your customers without spending more than you can afford. Here are 5 simple, budget-friendly ways to boost how customers perceive your brand and add a touch of luxury to your products or services.

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Why Launching in Retail is Important for Product Startups

Retail Bound

Starting a product-based startup is no easy feat. In addition to having a great product, you need to build a strong brand, create a smooth customer experience, and generate enough buzz to get people talking. And that’s just the beginning. Once you’ve got all of that sorted, you still need to actually get your product into the hands of customers.

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5 Ways You Can Win Faster with Gen AI in Sales

Incorporating generative AI (gen AI) into your sales process can speed up your wins through improved efficiency, personalized customer interactions, and better informed decision- making. Gen AI is a game changer for busy salespeople and can reduce time-consuming tasks, such as customer research, note-taking, and writing emails, and provide insightful data analysis and recommendations.

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Leveraging User-Generated Content (UGC) for Brand Growth: A Case Study

365 Retail

In today’s hyper-connected digital landscape, user-generated content (UGC) has emerged as a powerful force in shaping brand perception and driving business growth. From social media posts and reviews to photos and videos, UGC offers a unique blend of authenticity and credibility that resonates deeply with consumers. For retailers, leveraging UGC is no longer optionalits essential.

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Australia’s best retailers at returns: Bed Threads, The Iconic, Oroton

Inside Retail

Bed Threads, The Iconic, and Oroton ranked ahead of other retailers in November for overall returns experience in the Online CX Index, Australias first and only online retailer performance platform powered by real data. The Online CX Index, a partnership between Inside Retail and Humii, covered the returns experience for November, from customer re-packaging and returning a product to receiving their refund.

Returns 278

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Domino’s Pizza Stake Purchased by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Group

Retail Wire

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Group has purchased a huge stake in Domino's Pizza, and the investor's reasons for the purchase may be surprising.

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Scheduling Transparency, Safety are Retail Workers’ Biggest Concerns this Holiday Season

Retail TouchPoints

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but for a sizeable portion of the U.S. workforce the holiday shopping season can be the most strenuous and stress-filled time of year. As consumers furiously stock up on everything they need for under the tree and around the table, retail workers — who make up more than one quarter of the U.S. labor force — find themselves literally on the front lines of the holiday madness.

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As Gen Z Enters Prime Spending Years, Brands Sharpen Their Pitch

Retail TouchPoints

They’ve been shaped/scarred by not one but two global economic traumas — the Great Recession of 2008-2009 and the COVID pandemic — and they’ve grown up with social media playing an increasingly large (and loud) role in shaping culture, including how these consumers shop, research and purchase products and services. They’re Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012 and comprising 20.69% of the U.S. population — just a bit fewer than Baby Boomers ( 20.93% ) and the largest current group, millennials ( 21.

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Has Amazon Finally Cracked the Code for Grocery Retailing?

Retail TouchPoints

In 2020 my beloved local Fairway went under, and for five years the store space has languished, sitting dark and empty alongside several other shuttered chains: Modells , Subway (although somehow the Kohls has survived). However, one month ago the lights turned back on with bright green flag chains strung across the parking lot and a large banner, Amazon Fresh announced that it was now open for business.

Checkout 278
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The Evolving Retailers Fulfillment Strategy: Meeting Demands with Agility

Speaker: Becky Parisotto

Fulfillment is no longer just about getting products from point A to point B – it's about crafting seamless, scalable, customer first experiences. Flexible fulfillment strategies are more important than ever for those aiming to stay ahead and build resilience as retail enters a new era in 2025. Learn how to optimize fulfillment processes, tackle complex, multi-vendor orders, and create seamless customer experiences – from white-glove delivery for high-value items to quick-ship solutions for ever

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How AI Assistants are Already Reshaping Shopping

Retail TouchPoints

2024 is set to go down in history as the year of the AI assistant. Amid all the ongoing furor around new artificial intelligence applications, when it comes to actual utility for both brands and consumers, the cream that has risen to the top appears to be AI-powered agents. Amazon was one of the first retailers to launch an AI shopping assistant, but others swiftly followed.

Shopping 274
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4 Ways Retailers can Connect with Gen Z

Retail TouchPoints

Retailers have to start understanding Gen Z. Theyre in their late teens to mid-20s and have far more purchasing power than we give them credit for. Theyll reach $12 trillion by 2030. Theyve grown up with devices in hand, and social media is their base of operations. But reaching them requires more than flashy social campaigns or discounts theyre more resilient to being marketed to as well as ham-fisted attempts to study them.

Returns 273
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How Network Detection and Response Can Protect Retailers from Cybercrime

Retail TouchPoints

The past year has been brutal for big retailers when it comes to cybercrime. Breaches have compromised customer records, disrupted online sales and caused network outages that impacted customer deliveries. It’s not as though these companies had no defenses. They did. The alarming reality is that hackers are adopting new methodologies to overcome traditional defensive technologies – and are succeeding.

Checkout 284
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Generative AI in a New Retail Era: 3 Areas to Focus on for Immediate Impact

Retail TouchPoints

According to Cognizant’s recent study with Oxford Economics, generative AI is expected to have a $1 trillion impact on the economy by 2032. In particular, generative AI is revolutionizing the shopping landscape to create more personalized and memorable experiences for consumers. As retailers come to terms with the boundless potential of generative AI, Cognizant has identified three key areas where this technology will make the most significant and immediate impact: commerce, marketing and custom

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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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Rethinking Retail Returns

Retail TouchPoints

Welcome to the world of retail returns, an expensive, cumbersome yet essential part of the industry. The number of returns is growing and managing them is critically important to maintaining margins and customer satisfaction. Consider these facts: total returns amounted to $743 billion in merchandise in 2023 and in 2022; approximately 16.5% of all purchased goods were returned to retailers.

Returns 300
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SVP Reveals How Tractor Supply Assesses Tech to Power ‘Legendary’ Service Experiences

Retail TouchPoints

A key aspect of Tractor Supply Company s brand mission is providing legendary customer service. That means investing in technology that both directly and indirectly supports them as they browse and buy across channels. Whether customers decide to shop online, use the mobile app or are face to face with an associate, Tractor Supply offers a number of tools that enable inventory visibility, seamless service and fast checkout.

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Calpak Embarks on a New Retail Adventure: Physical Stores

Retail TouchPoints

When Edward and Judy Kwon founded Calpak 35 years ago, they modernized the luggage and travel goods sector by investing in innovative design and marketing. Over the past seven years, the brand’s VP of Marketing, Jeannie Shin, has witnessed and supported this evolution, especially as the brand built its direct-to-consumer (DTC) business online. But as many brands have learned, the major growth unlock for Calpak’s next phase was physical retail — especially given the highly visual and tactile natu

Wholesale 290
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The Real Price of a Data Breach in Retail

Retail TouchPoints

Businesses today operate in a fast-moving cyber threat landscape. As digital operations become more complex and cybercriminals launch increasingly sophisticated phishing and malware attacks, data breaches have become common occurrences. In 2024 alone, several high-profile companies, including Dell, AT&T, Ticketmaster and Disney have suffered the consequences of a major breach.

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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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At 60, The Paper Store Remains Committed to Being the ‘Antithesis of Online Shopping’

Retail TouchPoints

Like most retailers of a certain age, The Paper Store debuted in brick-and-mortar — in this case a modest family-run newsstand in Maynard, Mass. that opened in 1964. And while the retailer has embraced ecommerce, its focus hasn’t wavered from providing an experiential, discovery-oriented in-person shopping experience for a wide range of product categories including apparel, décor, beauty and gifts.

Shopping 281
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Kroger Deploys RFID to Improve Inventory Visibility, Beginning in the Bakery

Retail TouchPoints

Kroger will leverage RFID technology from Avery Dennison for item-level digital identification, enabling more frequent and accurate inventory information to help maximize freshness, reduce waste and improve the store associate experience. The supermarket will begin in the bakery department, implementing RFID-embedded labels on each item. “Our work with Avery Dennison will improve inventory visibility, which means products will be on the shelves when our customers want them, while enabling our as

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Puma Brings Immersive Entertainment Flagship to Las Vegas

Retail TouchPoints

Puma has unveiled a new flagship concept that includes activations, customization services and other tech-powered elements. Located at the BLVD , a new retail and entertainment destination in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, this is the global sports brand’s second U.S. flagship. The 25,000-square-foot space spans three floors and represents Puma’s much broader “brand elevation strategy,” according to Arne Freundt, CEO of Puma.

Apparel 307
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The Power of Employer Branding in Attracting Top Retail Talent

Retail TouchPoints

When you think of any major retailer, you probably immediately imagine a personality, a distinct vibe, or something about the company that sets it apart in the marketplace. This branding isn’t just about appealing to customers but also is a way to attract top-notch employees as an employer. Employer branding refers to how a company showcases its culture, mission and values to potential employees, creating an appealing image that attracts quality retail talent.

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

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, 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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Mobile Wallets: Unlocking a Powerful New Marketing Channel

Retail TouchPoints

Earlier this year, Google added compelling new features to Google Wallet to help consumers get more out of their mobile wallet passes. With this update , developers can send wallet notifications, letting consumers receive notifications about any updates to cards or passes stored in their mobile wallet. As Google shares, that might look like a notification from your favorite coffee shop on their new daily special or an update if your assigned seat on your boarding pass changes.

Marketing 291
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How Prada and Miu Miu are tapping into a younger crowd through Snapchat Bitmoji

Inside Retail

Prada and Miu Miu’s new partnership with Snapchat’s Bitmoji platform, allows customers to deck-out in designer threads for a fraction of the price. High-profile fashion collaborations are nothing new, but does making luxury accessible and marketing it to a younger audience come at a cost? Bitmoji, is a platform subsidiary of social media platform Snapchat, and there are over 2.7 billion Bitmoji avatars globally.

Fashion 277
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The Login Effect: The Role of Customer Authentication Psychology in Retail Success 

Retail TouchPoints

Picture this: You’re about to buy something online, but the site doesn’t remember who you are, so you go buy your item elsewhere, or just not at all. What might sound like an unlikely scenario happens all the time – a FIDO Alliance study found that U.S. consumers abandon a purchase and stop accessing an online service because they can’t remember their passwords 4.76 times per day on average.

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How Carter’s is Evolving with the Needs of Gen Z Parents

Retail TouchPoints

More than two-thirds ( 67% ) of American adults with an income of $100,000 or more are parents, representing a lot of spending power. And now, as a whole new demographic ( Gen Z ) ventures further into parenthood, brands and retailers need to adapt their strategies to reflect this cohorts behaviors, priorities and even beliefs. That is why Carters, the baby and childrens retailer behind Carters, OshKosh BGosh, Little Planet and Skip Hop , recently implemented a fresh direction and approach that

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10 Ways to Leverage Buyer Signals and Drive Revenue

In today’s ultra-competitive markets, it’s no longer enough to wait for buyers to show obvious signs of interest. Instead, sales teams must be proactive, identifying and acting on nuanced buyer behaviors — often before prospects are fully ready to make a purchase. In this eBook from ZoomInfo & Sell Better, learn 10 actionable ways to use these buyer signals to transform your sales strategy and close deals faster.

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The state of insolvencies in the retail industry

Retail Focus

The British high street has endured a string of high-profile insolvencies in recent years, leading to the demise of household retail brands. Retailers are fighting to stay out of the red as record-high inflation, rising rent, the cost of living crisis, and growing popularity for ecommerce dent already reduced budgets. Chris Bristow, a company liquidation and corporate rescue specialist at Real Business Rescue, examines the financial health of retail businesses under the current climate.

Consumer 321
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Lesson from APAC: Social Commerce is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Retail TouchPoints

For the last half decade, U.S. and European retailers have observed – and, often, participated in – the social-commerce explosion happening in China and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) while wondering if, when, and to what extent the same thing would happen at home. The “if” and “when” are now clear. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and others have enabled in-app purchasing during videos and livestreams (the most popular flavor of social commerce in APAC) that WeChat, Taobao, Douvin and ot

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New Activist Investor Pushes Macy’s to ‘Look to Dillard’s’ for Better Path Forward

Retail TouchPoints

Activist investment firm Barington Capital Group and real estate development company Thor Equities have taken a stake in Macys Inc. and are pushing the retailer to make significant changes to its real estate and financial strategy, including considering the spinoff of its higher-performing Bloomingdales and Bluemercury banners. In late November, Macys announced that it was delaying reporting of its Q3 2024 earnings to Dec. 11, 2024, after uncovering a financial irregularity in which an employee

Returns 292
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Yesway Opens 5 Allsup’s Stores in New Mexico and Texas

Retail TouchPoints

Convenience store chain Yesway is continuing its aggressive U.S. expansion by opening five new Allsups stores in New Mexico and Texas. In October 2024, the company announced the opening of eight new locations across New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas within a six -month period. These new stores each span 6,277 square feet and operate 24 hours a day, offering a variety of private label products, including fresh bread, milk and eggs, as well as Allsups famous burritos.

Location 284
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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.