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More retailers and brands have been turning to experienced hires to lead their logistics operations after two years of supply chain snafus. Some brands, like Peloton, are hiring new chief supply chain officers as inventory challenges have accumulated. Meanwhile, some young startups are bringing on supply chain experts earlier than anticipated.
Retailers that specialize in niche merchandise have a big challenge when it comes to reaching audiences through digital marketing. It's why online musical instrument retailer Sweetwater realized the best way to reach potential customers is through a customized affiliate marketing program.
As one of the earlier examples of direct-to-consumer brands, The Sill has been growing gradually over the past decade. The company, which has wholesale partnerships and its own stores, saw exponential online sales during the pandemic. Founder Eliza Blank explained how digitized stores and customer service-focused website are helping grow the plant business sustainably.
For online retailers with thousands of SKUs, offering related product recommendations remains challenging. Some, like Revival Rugs, are turning to visual AI tools to narrow down customers' search results to relevant styles.
Raw materials have become the hottest commodities since the pandemic began. Some of these components include plastic, paper and glass, which have all become harder to come by for retail brands. Here, we break down what’s in and what’s out in the commodities world.
As the consumer packaged goods category continues to get crowded with startup brands, legacy brands like V8 are trying to keep up. The brand, known for its tomato juice recipe that dates back to 1933, is modernizing by expanding its portfolio to include more relevant juice and beverage products.
As part of its efforts to modernize its department store shopping experience, this week Macy's announced a new employee training program. Dubbed Own Your Style, the program is aimed at training and retaining store associates interested in styling customers and racking up sales commissions.
Once known as a hub for cellphone accessories, mall kiosks are becoming a viable way for DTC brands to test new retail locations. Austrian hydration brand Waterdrop is one such brand, and it's currently using the format to expand in the U.S.
Like other legacy brands that relied on wholesale retail in past years, Lenovo is trying to establish its direct-to-consumer presence. As a tech gadget brand, the company is leaning on Google search and paid ads to reach specific consumer segments and fold them into its DTC channel.
Over the past few years, a number of companies ranging from e-commerce consumer brands to fast food chains have built out first-party data hubs. Now, with continuously changing privacy laws, some marketers are suggesting a move to zero-party data, which refers to entirely volunteered user information.
The sneaker market may already appear saturated, but retail brands are betting on running shoes as the next growth frontier. The athletic footwear category, which saw major growth over the past two years, has new players like Lululemon and Allbirds competing against the likes of Nike.
In the past, customer service chatbots were considered a good way to handle simple customer service inquiries. However, as CX teams become overwhelmed with e-commerce tickets, retailers like Harry Rosen are looking for ways to deepen chatbots' capabilities.
Over the past few years, many brands have build out loyalty programs in hopes of collecting more first-party or zero-party data. Asics is the latest brand trying to get a more granular sense of who its customer base is by testing out a variety of surveys, quizzes, browsing features and pop-ups.
Over the past week, a number of retailers and brands announced they'll stop selling their products in Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions could help put further pressure on Russia's economy, while also impacting retailers' own sales.
At first sight, the audiences of QVC and TikTok seem nothing alike. But body care brand Curie argues that both channels' cohorts love one thing: visually engaging products. Founder and CEO Sarah Moret explained that using the two channels in combination has helped the company drive 60% of its sales in 2021.
Apparel retailers faced numerous headwinds in the first quarter that dampened bottom lines including continued supply chain pressures and inflation. Moreover, apparel preferences are rapidly changing from stay-at-home basics to workwear and partywear.
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