Much has been written about applying artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in complex retailer back end systems.

Spencer Shute, principal consultant at Proxima, details the potential upcoming holiday supply chain challenges in our latest Expert Viewpoints blog.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are high-stakes shopping holidays for retailers and consumer goods (CG) companies.

This holiday season, retailers face a unique set of challenges that will test their adaptability, resilience, and innovation to the fullest.

The holidays have long had the power to make or break retailers’ plans, and the sales revenue available to businesses during the holiday rush is only growing.

For almost half a century, one-dimensional (1D) barcodes have served as the backbone of retail, facilitating inventory tracking and point-of-sale transactions.

Natalie Dopp, chief people officer at hiring firm HireVue, shared her strategies on hiring a workforce ahead of the 2023 holiday season.

In the world of retail, they say Christmas starts in July, but it looks as though the summer heat has brought a flurry of issues into fall.

Today, customer demands for faster, cheaper, and more reliable fulfillment options have prompted retailers to upgrade linear order fulfillment models.

While retailers have focused on cloud strategy, today, the vast majority of any scale are turning their attention to their edge strategy.

As we look ahead to the beginning of the holiday shopping rush, with a consensus expectation of a low single digit increase in sales over 2022, we see a mixed picture in retail.

With the amount of data businesses amass today, understanding customers to personalize their shopping experience is more possible than ever before.

The need for high-volume recruiting typically arises from rapid growth, seasonal demands like the upcoming holiday season, or industries that require a constant influx of talent.

Retailers are anxious to get an early start on the holiday season and drive high demand.

Standardization of technology has the potential to completely transform the property maintenance services business. 

Big-picture goals are an important first step for any national retailer seeking to be part of the solution on decarbonization.

One undeniable fact in the dynamic retail landscape reigns true: personalized on-premise experiences drive increased customer engagement.

The back-to-school shopping rush is a time of opportunity for brick-and-mortar retailers, marking the start of the most lucrative time of year for many.

Recently, “Barbie” crossed $1 billion at the global box office, making director Greta Gerwig the first-ever solo female filmmaker with a billion-dollar movie. 

Self-checkout is a great asset to any store, reducing labor cost and improving checkout options, especially with retailers continually facing labor shortages.

The lines between digital and physical stores are becoming increasingly blurred.

Did you know that 10% of retail returns are fraudulent?

Consumers around the world geared up for this year's highly anticipated Amazon Prime Day.

As we’ve heard time and time again, the retail industry and supply chain have gone through unprecedented change as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Imagine walking into a car dealership with the intention of buying a new car.

After years of uncertainty about the transition to lower global warming potential refrigerant alternatives, it’s crunch time for many supermarket retailers.

As retailers head deeper into the summer, many hope for a break from several stressful months of crowded inventories, rising inflation, and timid customers.

Organized Retail Crime incidents are on the rise and crime groups are becoming more violent, making tackling ORC a priority for the retail industry and the communities they serve.

The UPS Teamsters negotiations process has certainly drawn a lot of attention with theatrics on both sides as the deadline is now just two weeks away.

More than three years after the COVID-19 pandemic shook the world, retail is struggling to keep up with unpredictable consumer behavior.

We’ve become too conditioned to the idea that “bigger is better,” especially in the United States.

Retailers have long blamed checkout for the 70% of shoppers not completing online purchases.

Given that the UPS strike deadline is still several weeks away, and so many potential strikes are resolved in the 11th hour, our customer base has not yet expressed significant levels of anxiety over the threat. 

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the way we shop.

The long-standing belief that back-to-school shopping is a multi-month window is outdated. In reality, the back-to-school period has a slow ramp-up, yet a surprisingly brief peak.

Today’s customers expect an integrated, frictionless path that enables them to shop when, where and however they please.

Use of stores for e-commerce fulfillment, staffing shortages, rising crime, growing shrink, and supply chain troubles have all made headlines as challenges to retail.

Store formats are shrinking fast—from Express Edit, Market by Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s Bloomie’s concept, to diminutive offerings by the likes of Kohl’s, Ikea, Publix, Barnes & Noble and Sprouts.

Demand for AI-based solutions has grown significantly over the past several years, and it isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon.

Generative AI is already creating countless new opportunities for retailers and consumer brands.

A decade from now, transportation as we know it will be barely recognizable — and the opportunity for businesses to benefit is clear.

The retail industry is facing an excess inventory crisis.

I’ve long been fascinated by “retrofuturism," an art style that showcases past visions of how the future would evolve.

During the pandemic, retailers started to wonder what kind of role the physical store still had to play.

Of the many challenges retailers continue to grapple with — high costs of goods, transit, managing out-of-stocks and more — the labor shortage could be the most worrisome.

It has been nearly a year since U.S.

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) used to be a specific retail segment, but now all brands, including traditional B2B brands (the ones selling at your local grocery store, superstore or toy store), are getting in the game.

You may have noticed that the term "sustainability" has become a big buzzword these days.

Inflation is a persistent issue that is impacting consumers and businesses alike.

As every retailer knows, consumers are getting smarter.

Retail has faced many curveballs over the past two years.

The digital age and all of today’s advancements in e-commerce have prompted us to adapt quickly — especially when it comes to the shopping experience.

In recent years the supply chain has been challenged by port backups, factory closures, material shortages, and labor and driver shortages.

Does it feel like you’re seeing more sponsored product recommendations on your go-to e-commerce platforms lately?

It’s no secret that Amazon is a behemoth in the digital marketplace.

Up to one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted, leading to inequalities in food availability and impacting food cost.

Since early 2020, the U.S. has grappled with disruptions in the international supply chain, much of which was a direct result of the Covid pandemic.

Common area maintenance clauses in leases always created headaches. Now both retailers and landlords are finding relief with fixed price arrangements.

Amid economic uncertainty, consumers are adjusting shopping habits accordingly.

It's official: ASC 842’s implementation is here.

In today’s fast-paced retail and consumer industry, the shift towards hybrid shopping is rapidly changing the way retailers do business.

If we’ve learned anything in the past few years, it’s that there will always be unpredictable external forces.

Retail employees are quitting the industry in droves.

The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) adoption in retail is opening new pathways to business resilience at a time when it’s needed most.

The ever-growing popularity of online shopping has also dramatically increased the number of returns retailers need to mitigate.

Rising inflation and fears of a recession present a challenging environment for retailers in the first quarter of 2023.

Businesses navigated a choppy and challenging 2022 by being nimble, creative, and disciplined.

After two years of frenetic activity fueled by a post-pandemic recovery, retailers are expected to confront a tougher operating environment in 2023.

Tech layoffs are dominating the headlines with cuts from major companies including Meta, Amazon, Cisco and Twitter due to attempts to save costs.

Online shopping and tap-to-pay methods have slowly introduced shoppers to the future of tech-powered retail, prioritizing convenience and contactless efficiency.

Technology is getting smarter all the time, and the solutions in your warehouse should not be an exception.

Organized retail crime (ORC) is on the rise across all channels.

Finding a balance between providing shoppers the products they want and the cost of doing so is key to success in retail.

Retailers have been combating theft and shrink for as long as there have been goods to sell.

The holiday rush offers retailers the opportunity to add some much-needed revenue to their books.

The holidays are the noisiest time of year for businesses and shoppers alike.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, shoppers flocked to e-commerce amid lockdowns and concerns of exposure.

With the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic—and its social and economic side effects—seemingly behind us, retailers are anxious to rebound during what we can expect to be the most robust holiday shopping season in three years.

With the aftereffects of “The Great Resignation” looming like a winter storm cloud, hiring and retention continues to pose a major challenge.

One of Ohio’s fastest-growing metros is the center of a Midwest expansion embarked upon by leading luxury brands.

Social media is where customers spend 2.5 hours each day on average.

The holidays are fast approaching and in the air, there’s a feeling of shopping.

In the wake of the pandemic, the health of the retail sector has quickly recovered.

Experiences have always been the driving force behind retail, and yet many brands still struggle to understand and implement this transformation in today’s new economy.

U.S.

The world of retail has leaned into technology and it has subsequently transformed the entire shopping experience.

Port congestion around the U.S. is continuing to cause issues with the global supply chain.

Kroger’s $24.6 billion deal to buy Albertsons would change the U.S. grocery landscape, creating a mega grocery chain.

As consumers continue to face consistently high inflation, discretionary spending will be far less this holiday season than in years past.

Although interest in artificial intelligence has come and gone in the past, market experts believe it is here to stay.

The popular holiday tune, “It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas” hits differently for retailers this year.

This year could bring one of the earliest kick-offs to peak trading season ever, with customers in a determined mindset to buy.

The social element, not the shopping opportunity, is what must drive today’s retail centers

Supply chains are fragile.

According to the EPA, supply chains often account for more than 90% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

E-commerce is sweeping the global markets at an extremely fast pace.

When it comes to threats, avoidance isn’t an option.

They don’t teach how to conduct layoffs in college or graduate school.

Many shippers and manufacturers have started to work on their supply chains to get inventory over to the U.S. sooner.

As predicted, retailers are struggling now that the historic government aid packages during the COVID-19 pandemic have ceased.

In June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that over the last year prices surged, exemplifying a key post-pandemic challenge facing retailers.

As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, one of the most important learnings about commerce is that people want to shop their values and build more genuine relationships with businesses.

It’s no surprise that online shopping for goods and services reached an all-time high during the pandemic.

Despite the tremendous gains made by e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic, brick-and-mortar locations remain a critical part of Americans’ shopping habits.

Regardless of how you study the competition, I urge everyone to watch quick-service restaurants/fast-food restaurants. If you are not, you are missing some critically important information.

It has been 20 years since The Home Depot introduced plans for a smaller format store. Its intention was to address urban areas where their traditional store concept wouldn’t fit.  

If the in-store experience is not up-to-par with the competition, customers will reconsider their loyalty.

We’ve all been there. We open our account statement only to find a transaction we don’t recognize from a merchant we don’t remember.

In the Web 2.0 era, a handful of behemoth retailers dominated data collection and unification based primarily on online and in-app shopping behaviors.

Checkout abandonment is currently a $4 trillion problem for retailers.

With COVID-19 having forced even reluctant grocers to operationalize e-commerce, it seems that the industry has finally reached an omnichannel tipping point.

A friend of mine recently walked into the nursery department of a major home improvement store to look for a specific plant.

When the pandemic began, many assumed that there would be a mass exodus from urban centers.

Are you wondering where the next big boom in e-commerce will be?

Walk into any shopping center, restaurant, or convenience store, and you’re sure to experience some degree of inconvenience that can almost always be traced back to COVID-19.

The COVID-19 has pandemic flipped retail on its head.

The term “headless commerce” can seem daunting.

Employee satisfaction and retention have never been more important.

Consumers today have high expectations. Not only do they want the best price, they also gravitate towards retailers that deliver fast.

In this period of high inflation, retailers will be challenged with razor-thin margins – which only continue to shrink.

Sustainability matters to retail shoppers.

As summer approaches, retailers may be looking at staffing options they did not consider before the current worker shortage.

Consumers and other stakeholders are putting their money where their morals are and expect the chains and brands they do business with to do the same.

Accurate inventory management requires a significant investment of time and money.

The data is not monolithic. Retailers should understand inflation trends more granularly.

Retailers emerging from the global pandemic are faced with continuous supply chain disruptions, an ongoing battle for talent, and labor shortages.

The days are getting longer, and many consumers have warmer weather on their minds.

While the wild surging of e-commerce sales has finally tempered, there’s no denying that several years of pandemic-induced consumer behavior shifts will have a lasting impact on the retail landscape.

Today’s e-commerce checkout experience has become very complex.

Online shopping has seen formidable growth, driven by new shoppers seeking socially distant options for acquiring goods and services.

Gyms, medical centers, pet services, and specialty supermarkets begin to reposition traditional centers in The Golden State.

COVID pushed urbanites back to the suburbs and many will remain there. But they want their urban lifestyles, as well.

The retail marketplace has become increasingly competitive over the past decade.

As emerging technology capabilities continue to grow and improve, the line between digital and offline personas will blur.

For almost two decades, our firm has conducted its Annual Litigation Trends Survey, analyzing litigation trends to assess the state of the legal landscape and consider their impact on organizations.

Today, we find ourselves in the thick of the highest inflationary rates in many of our customers’ lives.

Successful business-to-business digital commerce requires the right configure, price, quote technology.

Retail executives are always rethinking their supply chain, looking for ways to improve operations.

My mission since 2019 has been to spatially and culturally reimagine how we do physical retail in the U.K.

Saving money isn’t the most glamorous of topics.

For anyone with a finger on the pulse of the retail industry, they will have noticed long ago that we have entered the age of e-commerce, and it is clear that it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

This moment in time continues to serve up an unfamiliar combination of factors that are complicating life for retailers and consumers alike.

Inflation is a serious concern for U.S. consumers, with prices reaching a new high in January.

Most cannabis dispensaries are bright and well-lit with attractive modern-looking displays.

We’ve all seen videos of customers being abusive to airline personnel, in grocery stores, in banks, and … also, bad customer service examples are everywhere.

If there is one area in retail that’s ripe for disruption, it’s returns.

The supply chain is now an opportunity, a service, an asset, even a competitive advantage.

Checkout has become synonymous with purchase in retail.

If any sector is built to handle hurdles, it’s retail.

If hindsight is 20/20, then retailers know exactly what it will take to drive success in 2022 and beyond.

Not even pandemic conditions have stymied customers’ desire for the traditional, in-store retail experience.

More shoppers than ever before are turning to Amazon and other e-commerce platforms to buy beauty products.

The Supreme Court decision to put OSHA’s vax or test Emergency Temporary Standard on ice is notable for a number of reasons beyond its immediate ramifications of staying the ETS.

Cities and towns are under tremendous pressure to generate tax revenue in any way possible.

Despite ongoing fears regarding e-commerce contributing to the demise of brick-and-mortar stores, it is clear that doomsday predictions have underestimated the consumer demand for visiting physical stores.

As we approach a third year under the shadow of COVID-19, companies, developers and investors are still measuring the significant impacts the pandemic has had on commercial real estate, retail businesses and the global supply chain.

The uncertainty caused by the pandemic has been challenging for small- and midsized retailers that lack the vast resources of larger organizations.

Inflation fears have resurfaced after a decade of subdued price increases, as the costs of many products and services have increased this year.

This year’s holiday outlook is merry and bright, with sales anticipated to rise at least 7%, according to a recent report from Bain and Deloitte.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Dec.

Across the country, retailers are experiencing an influx of holiday foot traffic.

Even with a new variant complicating the COVID-19 pandemic, most businesses are fully open and in-person shopping is in full swing.

With the holidays almost upon us, brands and retailers will be hoping both demand and supply hold up as the world continues to manage the effects of the pandemic.

Over the past year, retail marketers have been forced to combat multiple industry curveballs to stay ahead of the competition while working towards keeping their once loyal consumers.

We have finally reached a moment in time where brands are driving meaningful revenue from e-commerce retailers and their own direct-to-consumer channels.

Retailers have faced challenges from all angles this year.

Expert insights from Aptos' VP of retail innovation.

Building and opening stores is taking longer than ever due to challenges that are beyond the control of American retailers — especially permitting backlogs that threaten to overwhelm some municipalities, as well as the labor and materials crunch in c

As we head into peak spending season, retailers are now also forced to deal with inherently broken global supply chains, and an accelerated focus on consumer privacy.

The biggest lesson for retailers from last year’s so-called “Shipageddon” peak season is that you don’t want to put all your eggs in just one delivery basket.

Transforming the shape of the corporate world means change at every level – and that includes buying.

Just as 2020 took retailers by storm and taught brands a lesson or two in resilience, 2021 held its own surprises.

The food retail market is experiencing a period of dynamic transition.

Each environment is a study in evolution, constantly changing to adapt and survive. In the retail world, you don’t have to embark upon a Charles Darwin expedition to witness how this industry is rapidly changing to adapt to new consumer expectations.

Transforming the shape of the corporate world means change at every level – and that includes buying!

Retail has always been a fast-moving, keep-you-on-your-toes industry with a unique challenge waiting to meet you head-on every day. 

Consumer shopping habits have evolved, and retailers need to pay attention.

The customer experience is becoming more and more important for all companies and industries.

For the past decade, global supply chains have been running a seemingly normal path. However, when COVID hit its peak in March 2020, it exposed many of the vulnerabilities that have been affecting these networks.

The port blockages in LA are part of a chain of events that near inevitably ends up with Americans paying higher prices because goods can’t arrive on shelves fast enough.

The year 2020 was an unexpected and complex year for retail, maybe a “new normal”— with the K-shaped recovery where some retail sectors grew top-line sales by as much as 30%, while others declined by the same percentage or more.

Traditionally, the back-to-school season has started the hot business period in retail.

Currently, the luxury sector is undergoing a transformation.

One of the most common things we hear at the Network of Executive Women, particularly from men, is that they just don’t know where to begin supporting women – or how to go about it in ways that really make a tangible difference.

Last week, the United States set a record for having 65 container ships waiting to be unloaded at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which is causing more strain and stress for the U.S. supply chain.

Frontline workers represent approximately 70% of the U.S. workforce. But only 14% of organizations believe their frontline employees are digitally equipped to do their jobs effectively.

Retailers have regularly pivoted their business models over the past 18 months as changing guidance from world health organizations and national and local governments continue to change the rules of operation.

The past 18 months have seen – in retailers and suppliers alike – a critical lack of best practices and an almost overwhelming number of alternate fulfillment solutions being rolled out in mass.

Yesterday, President Biden unveiled a plan requiring vaccination for workers of companies with greater than 100 employees or submit to weekly testing.

Every holiday season, retail chains like See's Candies significantly increase their store footprints by rolling out pop-ups and kiosks in malls and other locations, seemingly overnight.

Five recommendations for brands to optimize growth

Over the past year and a half, buy online, pickup in store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup have been used as a safe bridge between in-store and online shopping.

Headless e-commerce - if you haven’t heard about it yet, you probably have your head in the sand or more likely haven’t been sitting inside your local developer hotspots (aka coffee shops). 

First Situation: You are a landlord whose shopping center tenant has commenced a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.

American retail is back in growth mode. But as executives make critical real estate decisions, they often face an uneasy question — whether to trust their instincts or go with the recommendations of today’s increasingly prevalent computer models.

Four key questions to ask when planning a new fulfillment center or DC

When implementing new technology in the store, consumer buy-in can be half the battle.

As with most predominantly brick-and-mortar retailers, Sur La Table had to implement an almost overnight shutdown of its 130-plus stores at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

As the economy emerges from COVID-19, tenants entering into leases have the opportunity to proactively negotiate certain provisions in order to better protect their businesses in the event of future pandemics.

Merchandise returns are just a cost of doing business—a big cost! 

Throughout history, human beings have been notoriously bad at predicting the future of technology.

A little over a decade ago, retailers applauded the shift away from self-hosted, licensed e-commerce platforms. 

Throughout the past few decades, industries and consumers alike witnessed the emergence of the cola wars, burger wars, and many other memorable brand rivalries.

The U.S. retail industry is anticipating a strong 2021, and the NRF predicts sales growth of 6.5%-8.2% this year – the fastest since 2004. 

A few years ago, a national retailer discovered they could save more than $2.5 million annually by making some simple operational changes.

COVID-19 has changed retail for good. As consumers adapted their lifestyles and spending habits to accommodate lockdown restrictions, e-commerce sales skyrocketed worldwide.

In the midst of a once-in-a-generation pandemic, other problems —some of which exist beneath the surface, beyond the public eye —that also negatively impact our communities were exacerbated.

Here are some of the myths often told to vendors by debtors and their professional advisors.

For many of us in retail, we have been talking about and building strategies around omnichannel for at least a decade.

In February of this year, Doddle undertook its latest survey of more than 1,200 U.S. consumers, conducted by YouGov, to understand how important the e-commerce returns experience is to shoppers.

In 2020, the global gamification market was valued at $10.19 million, and is expected to reach $38.42 million by 2026. 

Amazon Prime Day is upon us.

As the coronavirus pandemic raged, 2020 marked a year of dramatic increase in e-commerce, with online sales surging 27.6% worldwide.

When starting an online store, e-commerce entrepreneurs have so much to consider, including how they will drive more sales and set up shipping.

Conventional wisdom has long told drop-shippers and e-commerce retailers to avoid backorders because of how demanding online shoppers are.

As retailers continue to expand in-store operations as vaccination levels increase, there is mounting pressure to not only remain COVID-19-compliant, but also maintain a high level of customer service that will lure customers back to physical storefr

As more consumers look to omnichannel fulfilment options due to the pandemic, retailers are under pressure to connect the dots between online and offline customer interaction. 

In today’s on-demand world, there is a rise in consumer expectations to receive goods and services almost immediately. 

Predictive analytics, automation and AI lower energy costs across a retailer’s portfolio

COVID created millions of new online shoppers and expanded the range of products people buy online -- out of necessity.

Convenience stores, corner stores, bodegas, mini-marts, whatever you call them in your area, they were a lifeline to many during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A retail reckoning was on the way in the United States even before COVID-19.

Twenty years ago this month, Apple opened its first retail stores in McLean, Va., and Glendale, Calif.

Malls have always existed to bring together a multitude of inventories in support of commerce.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on retail has been asymmetrical, with some sectors having their best year and others their worst year.

Retail is ripe for innovation and redesign — with people at its center.

With mask mandates being eased or lifted in states and local jurisdictions, employers across the nation now face the practical challenge of maintaining a safe and compliant workplace in an increasingly open environment.  

Every consumer has had the experience of being undercharged or overcharged for an item at a retail store, either noticing the mistake at the register or not realizing the error until they got home and reviewed the receipt. 

This year’s Mother’s Day will be one for the record books

Bankruptcy experts outline four strategies to drive growth

Bankruptcy expert discusses why October will be a crucial month for retailers and their lenders

Retailers experienced tremendous challenges over the last year as they coped with the pandemic. 

People are coming out of their long COVID-19 hibernation, and they are eager to shop.

In 2020, U.S. retail returns totaled $428 billion. That's 10.6% of total retail trade.

Expect more retailers to build out their online ad platforms.

As e-commerce booms, so does online identity fraud. 

Delivering an engaging and inspiring digital experience to consumers is one guaranteed way to establish a competitive advantage in the e-commerce market.

The pandemic has left retailers asking two major questions. First: When people can’t — or won’t walk — into my store, how can I retain customer connection and loyalty?

Marketing is essential to increase your brand’s exposure and drive revenue.

About 80% of shopping is still in store, so store design still matters a lot

Even pre-pandemic, retailers were keenly aware of intensifying pressures on their businesses.

Whether walking down the street or scrolling through a newsfeed, consumers see countless amounts of ads daily. 

By now, we know that BOPIS is a critical service for retailers that also offers a safe and convenient shopping option for consumers.

As we approach the official one-year anniversary of COVID-19 lockdowns, retail brands collectively are taking a look back at what worked, what didn’t, and how they can maintain positive growth in the year to come. 

The past decade has been rough on the brick-and-mortar retail industry, particularly for smaller companies that faced competition from big-box retailers on one side and online retailers on the other.

In the 12 months since the start of the COVID outbreak in the U.S. there have been dramatic changes within the retail industry.

With wide-spread vaccination on the horizon, relative relief from the global pandemic is close at hand. But even with a new layer of safety added to the retail shopping experience, one factor remains irrevocably changed — the consumer.

The pandemic has revolutionized consumer behavior, and there is no going back to the way things were.

Compared to other retail verticals, the grocery sector fared relatively well in 2020 from a revenue standpoint.

2020 was the best and worst of years for retailers. 

Entering 2021 brought with it the hope of many retailers and business owners nationwide that COVID-19 vaccines and plans for their expedited distribution would soon allow the retail world to “return to normal.” That has not proven to be the case.

Since the onset of the national COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.

One of the many ways life has changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic is how people shop. 

Amazon, the 800-pound gorilla of online retailers, negotiates with vendors every day. 

Facing macro-competitive pressures coupled with the pandemic’s impact, retailers are forced to develop cloud-centric IT capabilities to improve customer experience and scale.

With COVID-19 immunizations underway, businesses in every industry are grappling with drafting and implementing vaccination policies.

In determining company strategy and marketing tactics during times of economic turmoil, political tension, or social unrest, the most important thing is to know your customer base.

In today’s challenging economic environment, fuel and convenience retailers face a critical inflection point. 

Consumers, businesses, and technology are all moving faster than ever.

Consumer psychology is primed to make Valentine’s Day an even bigger retail event this year than last year, when sales hit an estimated $27.4 billion, representing a 20% year-over-year increase from 2019.

As we kick off 2021, with the pandemic still unfortunately a top-of-mind concern, retailers continue to face increased pressures and competition, particularly given the significant uptick in online shopping.

Amazon’s decision to hand Andy Jassy, head of the Amazon Web Services' (AWS) cloud computing business, the job of replacing Jeff Bezos as Amazon’s chief executive completes Amazon’s shift from being a retailer to a technology company.

With the holiday season now behind us, our unprecedented circumstances brought to light something we all expected: Shopper behavior has changed dramatically. 

The beginning of the year is always a good time to realign business objectives and consider the company’s overall goals.

Gift shopping is arguably one of the most aspirational, thought-filled and human-centered of all shopping experiences.

Long before COVID-19 was even a part of our vocabularies, retail stores have strived to keep their locations clean, safe and visually pleasing.

A transformative 2020 has elevated the role of the customer in monumental ways, accelerating any preexisting imperatives that ladder up to business growth.

As e-commerce has accelerated, so had the demand for warehouse space. According to a report from CBRE, nearly 14 million square feet of big-box retail space in the U.S. has been converted to industrial space.

The concept of a healthy building isn’t new but has become increasingly relevant topic as retailers look to create healthier, safer and more differentiated shopping experiences.

Confounding dour predictions of soggy holiday sales — and defying COVID headwinds — America’s resilient shoppers drove the November-December holiday period to a record-breaking $768 billion in sales, a remarkable 8.6% leap from last year’s $707 billi

Under the pandemic’s ongoing public health and economic impact, retailers are being challenged to do everything possible to lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission in their indoor shopping areas and work environments.

Explosive growth in e-commerce has shaken up the retail industry, challenging traditional brands to find new ways to digitally engage customers.

Despite the arrival of the vaccine, we expect the first half of 2021 to reflect a continuation of 2020’s acceleration toward digital and omnichannel as most shoppers remain at home.

Many retailers have adjusted to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by committing to online-only sales and expanded sales periods.