When you think of Prime Day, you might be thinking about deals on Instant Pots and Amazon Echo devices — not half-off dresses and designer heels. But the market for apparel and accessories globally is worth more than $1 trillion, so Amazon clearly sees there’s a lot at stake here. It’s using Prime Day to tout fashion deals. And it’s also had a slew of recent initiatives and tie-ups with fashion influencers to show it’s trying to establish the site as a place to shop for more than just the basics.

CNBC | Read More →

The more digital the world becomes, the more importance consumers place on personal connections. Social selling, where consumers sell directly to other people within their circles, is rapidly becoming one of the most effective sales channels in retail. Buyers not only get to see and touch the products, but they also can make their purchases confident in the expertise of the friends who sell them. Consider the following retail trends and how brands can add a touch of humanity, both online and in the real world.

INC | Read More →

Online shopping sales have surpassed that of brick-and-mortar stores for the first time in US history, so it's unsurprising that discussions of how to keep customers walking through the doors of stores are at the forefront of the retail industry. However, some stores have bucked the trend, and survived changing consumer habits for hundreds of years. Take a look at the oldest stores in America and how much, or how little, they have changed. 

LOVE MONEY | Read More →

VF, the owner of iconic brands including The North Face, Vans and Timberland, is entering another period of big transformation as it looks to lead the charge through purpose-led design and sustainable innovation. From augmented reality mannequins to ultra-customisation, the parent company wants to prove big corporations can embrace change fast and stay relevant in a volatile retail landscape. “This industry needs to get out of the mode of that one-time transaction; it really is about building that loyalty, that engagement with our consumers, back to the brand and the purpose that these brands bring to life.”

MARKETING WEEK | Read More →

With fresh, innovative stores their lifeline, American malls are bending over backwards to lure digitally native brands. The pressure to provide these brands a seamless transition to physical retail is forcing big changes and the malls up to the challenge on the right track. “The retail landscape is waking up to the idea that DTC brands need flexibility.” Before, the only way to find your consumer was to be in a retail location. Today, the location needs the brand more than the brand needs the location.” And one hot brand works to attract others.

GLOSSY | Read More →

The Retail Challenge: Data to Insights
From CRMC, how Lovesac and Sweaty Betty are meeting their marketing challenges
DMN 6/11/2019

The CRMC 2019 Recap – Retailers, Loyalty, and Fireworks
It was difficult to pick just a few of the best experiences to talk about at CRMC.
CLARUS COMMERCE 6/11/2019

5 Key Takeaways from CRMC 2019
For 26 years, CRMC has continued to deliver as the premier Retail CRM event of the year.
MOVABLE INK 6/10/2019

CRMC 2019 RECAP: PERSONALIZATION AND DATA TAKE CENTER STAGE
At CRMC 2019, almost every discussion touched on the competition between retailers.
CONVERSANT MEDIA 6/7/2019

5 Things Not to Miss at CRMC 2019
The CRMC has earned its reputation as the No. 1 networking event for retail marketers.
CLARUS COMMERCE 6/4/2019

In just two hours, 800 executives representing nearly 200 top retail brands will kick off the 26th Annual CRMC. From opening Keynoter, Nicholas Thompson of WIRED, Day Two Keynoter, serial entrepreneur, disruptor and innovator Josh Linkner, and closing Keynote from CX Expert Blake Morgan; to the extensive list of Presenting Brands Ahold, Best Buy, Chico’s, DSW, Express, Foot Locker, Jack in the Box, Google, Lands’ End, Lane Bryant, Sephora, Shiseido, VANS, Vera Bradley, Williams Sonoma, and more…this year’s event promises to deliver insights, ideas, and actionable strategies that can be applied to your retail business. Plus, networking opportunities at every turn offer a chance to develop new contacts that you can call upon throughout the year. We hope you have decided to join us this week. If not, mark your calendars for June 3-5 for CRMC 2020, in Chicago.

CRMC

J.C. Penney and Kohl’s — which have toggled between courting moms and millennials — both posted disappointed earnings this past week. And Dress Barn, frequented almost exclusively by middle-aged working women, announced Tuesday that it was closing all 650 of its stores. At J.C. Penney, sales are down and losses are mounting as the department store chain tries to win over the suburban moms that it has sidelined over the past decade.

THE WASHINGTON POST | Read More →

How we shop has changed drastically in just the past few decades. Instead of window shopping in the mall, many customers now rely on AI product recommendations and shop via mobile without ever setting foot in a store. Retail technology and customer demands may be constantly changing, but one thing that will always be vitally important is customer experience. These statistics show the changing retail landscape and just how much customers depend on personalization, convenience and great relationships with brands.

FORBES | Read More →

Over the past two years, major retailers including Macy’s, Nordstrom, Kohls and others, have spent billions of dollars to overhaul existing programs or launch new loyalty schemes. Around in some form for over a century, loyalty programs have long relied on a simple concept - reward shoppers with coupons, discounts, prizes or air miles and they will come back. E-commerce has changed that. With private fitting rooms, members-only stores and clever apps, stores are now reinventing their old and tested loyalty programs to fend off the challenge from Amazon and other online rivals.

RUETERS | Read More →