The U.S. Department of Commerce Retail Indicator Division released the December 2021 Monthly Retail Trade Report on Wednesday February 16th, which showed that brick-and-mortar stores grew faster than ecommerce for the first time ever. Last year, physical storefronts grew 19 percent, compared to ecommerce, which grew 14 percent. In-Person Shopping Around for the Long Haul […]
Retail News
How to Improve & Strengthen the Subscription Experience
Subscription services have been widely popular in recent years, and became even more relevant during the height of the pandemic to deliver exceptional experiences to customers in the comfort of their homes. As shoppers return to brick-and-mortar stores, subscription services remain a great way to provide value and personalized offerings to consumers while also fostering […]
What Retailers Need to Know About Sales Tax in 2022
by Liz Armbruester After a tumultuous two years of the global pandemic, significant uncertainty remains. Supply chain issues, the risk of inflation, and the changing labor market are just a few factors global businesses are monitoring as they define their strategies for the next 12 months. Amid this uncertainty, brands will also have to navigate […]
How to Make Marketing Campaigns More Effective
The new Omicron variant is causing more changes in the way consumers shop for products. With the new year ahead of us, it is time for indie retailers to start adapting to those changes and keep up with the competition in order to be successful this year, which means adjusting your marketing strategies. Video is […]
Huge Success at 7th Annual Organic & Natural Health Conference
The Organic & Natural Health Association’s 7th annual conference, held on January 25-27, was a huge success at Diamondhead Beach Resort in Fort Myers, Florida. Eight board members, 18 speakers, 23 guests, and 44 members attended, and everyone also enjoyed golf, dinners, and speed networking events. The Organic & Natural Health Association unites consumers and […]
Make Your Store Blossom with These Spring Decorating Tips
Whether or not you rely on Groundhog Day to tell you how many more weeks of winter you have to endure, Independent Retailer is already celebrating spring! With the holidays over, cold weather in full effect, and everyone starting to make summer vacation plans, it is about time indie retailers start getting their shoppers excited […]
Consumers Expect More from In-Store Experiences
by Andy Greenwood The law of unintended consequences can affect any complex system. Certainly, for retailers, it seems the explosion in ecommerce, accelerated by the pandemic, has had a knock-on effect on consumers’ expectations when it comes to in-store experiences, too. According to a recent study by Cint, consumers have very specific wish lists when […]
Exploring a Future of “Shopping Centers-as-a-Service”
by Nicola Kinsella with Fluent Commerce “Shopping Centers-as-a-Service” is a relatively new phenomenon that offers customers a fully integrated physical and digital experience that makes shopping frictionless and memorable. It is appealing to brands because it gives them access to insights collected from mobile apps, Point-of-Sale (PoS) systems, loyalty cards and wireless networks, which can […]
Choosing the Best Structure for Your Retail Business
By: Brett Shapiro The retail industry offers a plethora of opportunities for budding entrepreneurs to explore. If you are thinking of starting a retail business, you need thorough planning and preparation before you enter the market. Before making the plunge, you have to make several decisions on finance, procurement of products, employees, and marketing, among […]
Perfecting the Window Shopping Experience
Once all of the stay-at-home orders went into effect in early 2020, brick-and-mortar retailers everywhere were forced to close their storefronts and relied on ecommerce sales to stay afloat. Even once stores were allowed to reopen, it was difficult getting shoppers to come in the store and many were still purchasing online. Increasing Traffic […]
