Retail TouchPoints

MARCH 21, 2024

Target ’s announcement earlier this month that it was launching a paid membership plan almost felt like a foregone conclusion. Amazon ’s Prime membership has been paying dividends for the company for decades, and after Walmart followed suit with Walmart+ in 2020 , it was only a matter of time before Target entered the mix. With the addition of Target Circle 360, eight of the top 10 retailers in the U.S. now offer a paid membership, with the only two outliers being The Home Depot and Lowe’s.

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Retail TouchPoints

MARCH 5, 2024

Whole Foods Daily Shop entrance. (Image courtesy Whole Foods) Whole Foods Daily Shop ‘Whole Body’ section. (Image courtesy Whole Foods) Whole Foods Daily Shop specialty foods section. (Image courtesy Whole Foods) Whole Foods Daily Shop produce section. (Image courtesy Whole Foods) Whole Foods Daily Shop meat and seafood section. (Image courtesy Whole Foods) Whole Foods Daily Shop Juice & Java cafe.

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Retail TouchPoints

MARCH 5, 2024

Every brand is fighting to win and keep customer loyalty, and True Religion is no different. The brand could easily take cues from its fashion peers and tap into the growing supply of emerging Y2K-obsessed content creators to drive buzz. However, True Religion CMO Kristen D’Arcy is looking beyond superficial engagement and is instead focused on connecting with its community in context, whether it’s in Las Vegas during the Super Bowl or on a high school basketball court.

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Retail TouchPoints

MARCH 5, 2024

In the last few years, point of purchase has emerged as a sweet spot for effective marketing. These days, it seems like every major retailer has its own channel for serving ads, and advertisers are seizing this opportunity eagerly, to the tune of $114.4 billion in digital spending in 2022 alone. But what works for ecommerce giants like Amazon and Walmart won’t work for Main Street, and with opportunities for small- to medium-sized retailers ripe for the taking, it’s never been more c

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Retail TouchPoints

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Staples has renamed and upgraded its Staples Rewards loyalty program. The new Easy Rewards program, which is free to join, is designed to deliver customized savings and benefits based on what members buy and how they shop. Staples is kicking off the program’s debut with a Leap Day promotion, offering 29,000 free passport photos nationwide and the chance to win 29X points for purchases members make on Feb. 29, 2024.

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Retail TouchPoints

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Skechers has opened store number 5,000 , in Bogotá, Colombia, nearly 30 years after opening its first store in Manhattan Beach, Calif. The sports apparel and performance shoe retailer’s first international store was in Japan; its 100th launched in NYC’s Times Square and its 3,000th debuted in China. “Every location offers the same look and feel to carry the Skechers brand with consistency across six continents,” said Michael Greenberg, President of Skechers in a statement.

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Retail TouchPoints

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Party City has partnered with The Parker Avery Group to roll out a price optimization solution based on the solution provider’s Enterprise Intelligence analytics platform. The retailer chose Parker Avery because of its retail-focused analytics capabilities and ability to provide insights that go beyond price recommendations to help inform decision-making.

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Retail TouchPoints

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General declared the country had entered a loneliness epidemic , which could prove an existential threat to the health of our society and its people if left unaddressed. With this declaration, the CDC issued a clarion call for “individuals, governments, workplaces, health systems and community organizations” to confront this growing crisis by developing ways to increase personal connection.

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Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 26, 2024

Kroger will require its fresh produce suppliers to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices for all products they sell to the supermarket giant by 2028 or 2030, depending on the grower’s size. Medium- to large-sized growers will be expected to meet the goal by the end of 2028, while small growers will have until 2030 to comply. Encouraging growers to use less pesticides to help protect pollinator health is part of Kroger’s “Thriving Together” ESG strategy , which includes seafood sustainab

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Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 17, 2024

Luxury resale marketplace The RealReal has partnered with digital ID platform Eon and joined its Eon Exchange , an ecosystem of integrated apps, partners and services. Through this integration, The RealReal hopes to streamline the process of consigning items on its marketplace. Owners of luxury fashion items from Eon’s network of brand partners will be able to scan their item to access its history, including provenance and previous sale history, and will now be given the option to consign with

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Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 17, 2024

Actress, producer and TV personality Drew Barrymore can certainly afford premium kitchen and home items — and she often looks to them for her personal inspiration — but she shies away from paying premium prices. She’s also well aware that many others don’t have the option of paying top dollar for a knife or a coffeemaker. That’s a major reason that she and her business partner strive to offer “accessible premium” products for the Beautiful by Drew brand through a retail partner that has signific

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Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 17, 2024

PawWire , the latest B2B2C platform from The Wires, offers pet owners a panoply of products from around the world presented as part of a personalized shopping experience. Each time customers open the app they can view a curated selection of brands in “The Edit” section. Users swipe to either “like” or “pass” on new brands that are surfaced during each session, similar to popular dating apps.

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Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 17, 2024

Ikea , which debuted its Plan and Order Point store format in Dallas in November 2023 , will add four additional locations this year, with more to follow. Smaller than traditional Ikea brick-and-mortar locations, these stores offer design consultations and serve as customer pickup points. The new Ikea stores will be located in Austin, Texas (scheduled for summer 2024), the Atlanta metro area, and two locations in greater Los Angeles.

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Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 8, 2024

The L’Occitane Group has streamlined its leadership structure, combining the responsibilities of CEO and Group Managing Director and naming current Group Managing Director Laurent Marteau as its new Group CEO. Acting CEO André Hoffmann will step down from this position but will remain an Executive Director and member of the Group’s board. Marteau has 20+ years of experience in global beauty, working in various senior management roles for the LVMH Group for 15 years.

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Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 8, 2024

Albertsons is accepting applications for its second annual Innovation Launchpad competition , seeking up-and-coming specialty and natural brands representing food, beverage and pet products. Applications can be submitted through Jan. 19, 2024, and 50 finalists will be chosen to present their brands to a panel of judges. Awards for the top three winners will be presented at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, Calif. on March 13.

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 21, 2023

The editors of Retail TouchPoints are sharing our picks for the seven most consequential stories of 2023. As usual, there were lots to choose from — that’s standard for such a dynamic industry — but these were the topics that had “legs” (and are likely to continue to be important in 2024). 1. Resale Continued its Rise but Came Under Financial Scrutiny Consumers’ enthusiasm for secondhand goods, as well as other forms of more sustainable consumption like rental and repair services, showed no sign

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 4, 2023

Katie Mullen is Chief Experience Officer of JCPenney and has played a key role in bringing the retailer’s “Make it Count” strategy to life. During this episode of Experience Insiders, she shares how JCPenney is leveraging consumer insights to inform its in-store services, and how the company is using beauty and self-care services to drive traffic, engagement and loyalty.

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 4, 2023

Nieman Marcus has rejected Saks Fifth Avenue ’s latest takeover bid, according to the Wall Street Journal. This offer had valued Neiman Marcus at $3 billion , but the luxury retailer objected to the deal’s structure because a significant portion of the payout would not have been in cash, people familiar with the matter told WSJ. This latest round of takeover talks has been underway for months, continuing a saga that began as far back as 2017 , when Neiman Marcus put itself up for sale and bega

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 4, 2023

Walmart has kicked off a three- month pilot offering free HIV screenings at pharmacies in Petersburg and Ashland, Va. The finger prick blood sample tests will be administered by Walmart pharmacists, and while customers are waiting the 20 to 30 minutes for their results the pharmacists can discuss other preventative measures such a STI tests, contraceptive use, medication to treat or prevent the spread of HIV and vaccines the patient may need.

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 4, 2023

Sam’s Club plans to open two new distribution centers (DCs) during Q1 2024 — a 370,000-square-foot facility in the St. Louis area and a 365,000-square-foot DC in Shakopee, Minn., near Minneapolis. The new facilities are part of the retailer’s multi-year growth plan , which also includes opening a DC in Oklahoma City and a fulfillment center in Lithia Springs, Ga.

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 4, 2023

Build-A-Bear Entertainment , a division of Build-A-Bear Workshop , is bringing its latest feature film, Glisten and the Merry Mission , to digital platforms following its theatrical debut last month. The movie, which is inspired by the retailer’s Merry Mission plush collection, is now available for rent or purchase on the Build-A-Bear website and streaming platforms in North America, as well as via digital on-demand in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 4, 2023

Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey (Goodwill NYNJ) has opened its first Mini Shop & Donation Drop location in Manhattan’s Upper East Side (UES). The 1,000-square-foot Goodwill Mini Shop & Donation Drop is a smaller-format store compared to traditional Goodwill stores and Donation Centers, and it offers a curated selection of pre-loved donated goods including apparel, home décor, books, glassware and knick-knacks.

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Apparel Clothing Gifts Books 162

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

Bath & Body Works is taking its Men’s Shop on the road and bringing along some of the country’s top athletes as it aims to reach new fans for its growing line of men’s personal care and grooming products. Photo courtesy Bath & Body Works The traveling pop-up experience will be stationed alongside key sporting events in nine markets, with 14 tent pole stops planned as well as a number of surprise mid-week stops along the route.

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Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

WHP Global plans to expand the Express brand to multiple countries in Asia and Latin America through a series of licensing agreements. This marks the first major announcement since the brand management firm announced its strategic partnership with Express, Inc. late last year. WHP has signed long-term licensing agreements with PT MAP to introduce Express to Indonesia and with Kemsa for Paraguay.

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Toys Retail Accessories Apparel 249

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

It’s no secret that holiday shoppers this year are looking for deals , and Google wants to help. A new dedicated Deals page in Search will bring together millions of on-sale items, and new features in Chrome are designed to help shoppers ensure they’re getting the best price on whatever product they have their eye on. Making it Easier to ‘Shop Deals’ New Deals Experience on Google Search (Image courtesy Google) Users can now access the Google deals destination in Search by searching the term: “s

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Toys Electronics Apparel Mobile 220

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

Utilizing input from retailers including Walmart, Marks & Spencer, Target, Gap and C&A , sustainability organization Better Cotton has introduced a new traceability tool that will provide visibility into cotton’s journey through the supply chain. The Better Cotton Platform will give member retailers and brands greater confidence that they are sourcing product from a specific country, helping them incorporate insights into their own supply chains for due diligence activities.

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Supplies Retail Operations Blog 224

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

A retail store can be an overwhelming experience for those on the autism spectrum, so beginning Nov. 10 Walmart will create a sensory-friendly environment for two hours per day, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., in all its U.S. and Puerto Rico stores. The program, which includes tuning display TVs to a static image, turning off the radio and lowering the lights where possible, debuted during the back-to-school season but will now continue indefinitely.

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Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

For more than a decade, Neiman Marcus has used its Bejeweled book to feature some of the most jaw-dropping (and piggy bank-breaking) luxury jewelry pieces. As part of its 2023 holiday strategy, the retailer has embedded the Bejeweled book into its annual Christmas Book and created a larger-than-life event for its most valuable customers. The inaugural Bejeweled Ball was held at the Hôtel Swexan in Dallas as Neiman Marcus sought to bring the Bejeweled book experience to life.

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Jewelry Books Banking Events 239

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

Organized retail crime (ORC) has been on the rise recently, with retailers like Nordstrom , Macy’s, and Old Navy falling victim to major shoplifting cases. In addition, Target recently announced that theft and ORC were drivers in its $500 million year-over-year decrease in profits. These publicized reports and incidents have alerted more retail leaders to the very real business threat that ORC poses.

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Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

Claire’s relevance was waning in the late 2010s as the shopping malls where so many of its stores were located became less of a destination among young consumers. But after the brand’s exit from bankruptcy in 2018, it has been on an aggressive turnaround mission that has included a new store strategy that brought Claire’s outside of shopping malls, a new loyalty program strategy and a new executive leadership team.

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Jewelry Consumer Accessories Technology 246

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

Direct-to-consumer health care apparel and lifestyle brand Figs has opened its first permanent physical retail space in LA’s Century City Mall. In addition to providing shoppers — who Figs refers to as “Awesome Humans” — with the opportunity to touch and try on products, the store, dubbed a “Community Hub,” will host events to celebrate health care professionals, provide programming on key issues impacting them and create opportunities for them to network and share their stories.

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Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

NBCUniversal has teamed up with Walmart in a new commerce partnership that will allow Bravo fans to shop during programming on the network’s Peacock streaming service for the first time. The partnership will kick off with an integration in the Bravo reality series Below Deck Mediterranean , which takes viewers behind the scenes with the crew and guests on a superyacht during charter season.

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Fashion Technology Customer Marketing 240

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

Malls have been gathering places for moviegoers, mall walkers and of course shoppers for decades. As consumers turned to ecommerce during the pandemic (in droves), the “death of the mall” was widely reported. The pandemic did change shopper behavior, with many sticking with buying goods online and impacting physical stores once it subsided. However, there is some good news for brick-and-mortar retail and malls: Coresight Research recently reported that foot traffic at top-tier malls was up 12% o

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Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

2023 was a critical year in Princess Polly ’s growth story. After a successful partnership with Pacsun, the fashion brand opened its first U.S. store in September — the first step in a much larger global vision that extends into 2024. But Princess Polly isn’t focused solely on being in more stores; the Australia-based retailer has multiple priorities that “reflect a holistic approach to growth and sustainability ,” according to Courtney Dres, Chief Merchandising Officer of Princess Polly in an i

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Fashion Omnichannel Operations Consumer 240

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

Aiming to make shopping for wellness products more interactive and personalized, GNC has transformed its Pittsburgh flagship into a more open and localized apothecary-style experience. The flagship, which opened on November 4, is in the historic Terminal Strip District of Pittsburgh — just a short walk from GNC’s headquarters. The 2,455-square-foot store has been redesigned to create an open and friendly environment for customers to not only shop but be fully immersed in the wellness experience.

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Omnichannel Events Customer Customer Experience 263

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

To position themselves as the ultimate holiday shopping destinations, Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack are doubling down on helpful services, compelling brand partnerships and unique in-store shopping experiences. “Our team is looking forward to connecting with customers, however they choose to shop – in stores or online,” said Fanya Chandler, President of Nordstrom Stores in a statement.

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Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

Jonathan Johnson, CEO of the home furnishings retailer formerly known as Overstock.com , which operates as Bed Bath & Beyond , will step down from his post as well as the company’s board of directors, effective immediately. Beyond, Inc. (that’s the retailer’s new corporate name) has appointed current President David Nielsen as interim CEO while the board of directors searches for a permanent replacement.

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