by Derek O’Carroll Although the 2020 holiday season was one of the most turbulent in recent memory, the U.S. retail industry saw a record $188 billion in online purchases, reflecting a year-over-year growth of an astonishing 32 percent. With an estimated $766 billion in sales up for grabs and one of the rockiest years on […]
Marketing & Management
The Benefits of Touch-Free Payment Systems
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way consumers shop and pay for goods. Between buy-online-pickup-in-store, mobile, and tap-to-pay payment options, the checkout experience has become so frictionless that many experts believe this will be the way of the future post-COVID. The majority of retailers have adopted a checkout-free payment system or are currently in […]
Top Hiring Strategies Ahead of the COVID-19 Holiday Season
Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas are coming up fast, and major retailers such as Best Buy, Kohl’s, Target, and Walmart are already changing their holiday store operations this year due to COVID-19. To accommodate these new operations, like increased pick-up and delivery options for customers, store managers will need extra hands on deck. Preparing for […]
Influencers Driving Consumers In-Store This Holiday Season
From the beginning when Yelp allowed people to express their opinions online, to now Instagram users influencing consumers all over the world, influencers are literally driving our economy and even encouraging customers to shop safely. The best part is — they’re totally affordable! More and more retailers are starting to hop on this bandwagon as […]
Remain Mindful of ADA Mask Policies
by Nicole Smith Protecting customers and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic is now, more than ever, a top concern for retail businesses. Many retailers have instituted mandatory face mask policies pursuant to federal and state guidelines. In doing so, retailers should also consider reasonable accommodations for those who cannot wear a mask due to a […]
Five Must-Have Strategies for Your Digital Marketing Budget
by Meghan Martinsen With 2020 winding down, it’s time for marketers to start planning their budget for 2021. Digital marketing is an essential element for marketers because it helps them get their products before prospects. If shoppers search the internet for products that digital marketers provide but can’t find their site, they will lose sales […]
Retailers Are Preparing for Their Weirdest Black Friday Ever
by Matt Thompson The COVID-19 pandemic has flipped retail on its head in 2020. Stores were forced to close and shoppers’ priorities and buying behaviour changed as the economy was put under strain. As the all-important November holiday shopping season with its Black Friday pinnacle moves closer, it’s expected to be even more critical this […]
Meet the New Customer Demographic: C.A.R.L.Y.
Each generation of consumers have their own needs and desires as well as how they want those needs and desires to be promoted to them. Millennials brought about a lot of change in the retail industry, and with Gen Z having similar desires albeit slightly different, the consumer demographic as a whole has shifted entirely. […]
Want to be an Effective Retailer in 2020? Learn to Engage Customers from Home
by Maria Melo Ask any business owner and they’ll tell you: the consumer landscape is transforming and becoming more complex every day. Shifts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have transformed the way we buy, sell, deliver goods and services, and fundamentally changed how brands must interact with their customers to be successful. This transformation and […]
Planning an Email Marketing Campaign? Here’s How to Look at Costs
by Vincent Sevilla A variety of marketing strategies are being employed by businesses all over the world. Everything from SEO to physical and digital campaigns is all set to one end goal: to improve conversion rates. In the early years of digital marketing, email marketing was one of digital marketers’ primary tools for trying to […]