Today on Total Retail

After securing a last-minute buyer, LL Flooring is reversing course on shutting down all of its stores. The hardwood flooring retailer formerly known as Lumber Liquidators signed an agreement with private equity firm F9 Investments for a sale of its business on Friday afternoon. Under terms of the deal, expected to close by the end of September,…

In the competitive world of retail, early planning is your secret weapon for a standout holiday season. Preparation makes all the difference between a successful holiday season and a disastrous one. Putting off these efforts can put your business at a serious disadvantage. So why wait? Start planning now. Importance of E-Commerce The retail world…

Gift card fraud is a pervasive challenge. In 2023, gift card-related fraud comprised $217 million of the record-high $10 billion in funds lost from scams nationwide. In 2023, gift card sales topped nearly $200 billion in the U.S., and about 50 percent of U.S. consumers said they planned to buy gift cards due to their…

In episode 464 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton, co-CEOs of Omni Talk Retail, a fast-growing blog and podcast channel providing news, analysis and commentary on the latest trends and issues in the retail industry. Mezzenga is also a speaker at Total Retail Tech 2024, the summit for…

The retail landscape is on the brink of one of the most transformative eras in decades. With new emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and consumer behaviors always evolving, the retail industry must not only be able to keep up, but must be able to stay one step ahead as these trends reshape how and where…

Nordstrom is looking to go private, with members of the Nordstrom family offering $3.8 billion to seal the deal, according to a report from The Seattle Times. Nordstrom CEO Erik Nordstrom and his brother Pete, who serves as president of the company, announced Wednesday they had been exploring ways to take the upscale department store…

E-commerce holiday spending reached an impressive peak of $1.17 trillion in 2023, up 3 percent from 2022. If this trend continues — as many analysts expect — then retailers are in for a challenging but lucrative 2024 season. Retailers’ obstacle (or their opportunity) will be to capitalize on increased consumer spending while heeding shifting consumer…

The most successful retail brands in the world — Amazon.com, Target, Walmart, among others — have fully embraced digital transformation to deliver better shopping experiences and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. The fast moving, highly competitive and lucrative retail industry only continues to grow. Adobe recently reported that consumers spent $331.6 billion online from Jan. 1 to…

In the last few years, retail stores have transformed from delivering basic sales functions into much more. They're now customer engagement hubs, micro-fulfillment centers, omnichannel service centers and much more. As the lines between channels continue to blur, the variety, volume and velocity of store associate tasks has exploded. Recent research with retail executives —…

After successfully launching and operating over 100 retail stores for more than 60 brands across the United States, we, at Leap, have the unique opportunity to witness a significant shift in global retail strategy. More and more international brands are turning their attention to the U.S. market, not just for their e-commerce expansion, but to…