Is it time for retailers to create a tech strategy for pop-up shops?
The pop-up shop is the ultimate expression of a trend whereby retailers reach beyond their stores and put themselves in front of consumers instead of waiting for them to show up at a store. It’s also...
View ArticleHave U.S. malls lost their sense of community?
The draw of experiential retailers and entertainment destinations like movie theaters has not been sufficient to reverse the declines in mall traffic in the U.S.. And yet malls in other countries prove...
View ArticleTo localize stores or not, that is the question for retailers
A recent forum featured a guided walking tour of Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood to explore retailers that have mastered experiential retailing. When should a retailer hold true to their brand vs....
View ArticleThe measured store, version 2.0
At the NRF Big Show, a number of startups in the Innovation Zone were dedicated to providing heat maps and other computer vision-based solutions for understanding consumer behavior in stores. What are...
View ArticleHas COVID-19 turned fashion into an endangered retail species?
Outside of travel and leisure, no industry will be more affected by the COVID-19 pandemic than non-essential retail, and in that category, no vertical will be impacted more than fashion. How will the...
View ArticleShould fashion retailers mothball spring?
In fashion, mothballing is possible but traditionally considered unthinkable. Yet, with retailers likely having to mark down below cost between 70 to 80 percent of inventory across the marketplace, the...
View ArticleDo malls need to add curbside pickup service to reopen?
Malls, already struggling to drive traffic pre-COVID-19, are essentially a gathering place — but mall shopping is now an activity either prohibited, restricted or flat out perceived as too risky by...
View ArticleCan the metaverse solve retail’s returns challenges?
While retailers can do things to try to cut their cost of returns — emphasizing return to store, offering incentives to turn a return into an exchange or an expanded sale, etc. — the best way to reduce...
View ArticleRFID was made for BOPIS
Based on discussions at the recent NRF Big Show, RFID is not at the tipping point but is certainly still on an upward adoption trend.
View ArticleWill retail media networks live up to the hype?
With access to their customers’ purchase data and the ability to put brands in front of consumers right when they’re most willing to influence, retail media networks (RMNs) are not unsurprisingly...
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