Today on Total Retail

The consumer packaged goods conglomerate Unilever announced the sale of Dollar Shave Club to a private equity firm, Nexus Capital Management LP, whose portfolio includes the shoe brand Toms, the plant-based food and beverage brand TruRoots, and the beauty supplement brand Sugarbear, among others. Unilever, based in London, will retain a minority interest of 35 percent. The sale comes…

In episode 425 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Eric Bjorling, director of brand marketing and public relations at Trek Bicycle, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of bicycles and related products. Listen in as Bjorling discusses the genesis of Trek Bicycle's new bike trade-in and refurbishment program, Red Barn Refresh (0:52)…

Generative artificial intelligence is making waves across the retail industry, from consumers using the technology to inspire purchasing decisions to retail brands employing chatbots to improve customer service and experience. While chatbots have been around for quite some time, with the advent of generative AI, there’s been a huge revolution over the last 18 months…

In the ever-evolving world of consumer behavior, economic challenges and cultural moments profoundly impact purchasing trends. These trends provide valuable insights into how consumers respond to various factors, shaping the strategies of companies seeking to meet their evolving needs. Three significant trends, namely, the digital transformation of back-to-school shopping, the evolution of Amazon.com's Prime Day,…

The idea that Q4 makes or breaks retail and e-commerce companies every year isn't new, but the actual impact of the holidays is staggering. In 2022, Cyber Week sales in the U.S. hit $35.2 billion, with that one stretch representing a huge chunk of the year’s revenue for brands across industries. We’re well into Q4,…

L.L.Bean has shuttered its flagship store, corporate headquarters, factories and other facilities in Maine, the outdoor goods retailer told CNN on Thursday, as authorities conduct a manhunt in the area for a person of interest in mass shootings. A spokesperson for the century-old company, one of Maine’s biggest employers, said it decided to shut the sites “out of an…

Scott Devlin was named chief information officer of The Vitamin Shoppe in January 2023. Devlin spoke on a panel at Total Retail Tech in Denver last month, discussing the emerging technology that needs to be on retailers' radars. In this video interview from the event, he shares how he's transitioned into the C-suite position since taking on…

The holiday season isn't just a time of festive cheer and gift-giving; for retailers, it's a gold mine of customer data and a critical period for driving sales. In the era of data privacy and the diminishing power of third-party cookies, first-party data emerges as the superhero of customer engagement and targeted marketing. However, as…

As retailers gear up for the holiday shopping season, and digital shopping takes a front seat, it's more important than ever to understand what people are really doing, consuming, searching for and buying in their mobile apps. Accessing comprehensive data about mobile behavior reveals the importance of targeted strategies — especially on these smallest, most…

Stacey McCormick, chief marketing officer of Aerie, OFFL/NE, and Unsubscribed — all brands within the American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) portfolio — has been with AEO for 27 years and has seen the transformations within the company firsthand. At the Women in Retail On the Road event in Pittsburgh earlier this month, McCormick sat down with…