Updated 12/1/20 In the wake of the reopening of brick-and-mortar retailers nationwide, business owners have been forced to keep up with the state by state requirements in order to keep their storefronts open to the public. Independent Retailer has curated a list of the regulations in each state, as well as links to official government […]
COVID-19
How Retailers Can Make Brick-and-Mortar a Business Boon in 2021
by David Mayer Physical retail has been in decline for more than a decade. While grocery saw a temporary reprieve during the onset of COVID-19 as shoppers stockpiled and avoided restaurants, March 2021 will likely see year-over-year declines as the world returns to pre-pandemic norms. To continue to thrive, retailers need to address the core […]
Make Your Brick-and-Mortar Store Safer with Touchless Tech
by Chad Halvorson This year’s holiday shopping season will be, without a doubt, the most unusual in memory (thanks to COVID-19), and brick-and-mortar store operators now have more to focus on than ever – from the perpetual generation of enough revenue to stay afloat another year to keeping consumers and employees safe from coronavirus infection […]
How to Develop a Returns Strategy Around COVID-19 Challenges
With retailers putting the finishing touches on their holiday preparations, it’s now time to start thinking about the new year. Before the red hearts and chocolates of Valentine’s Day flutter your mind, there’s one more crucial aspect of the holidays that cannot be forgotten: Returns. Holiday returns are the jammed funny bones of this busy […]
How to ‘Pandemic – Proof’ Your Business for Second Wave Success
by Derek O’Carroll As winter approaches, a recent Brightpearl study of 500 retailers found that 43 percent of U.S. retailers do not believe their business could survive the devastating impact of a second wave of coronavirus, as the likelihood of widespread shutdowns and restrictions returning increases. The numbers are staggering: more than 100,000 businesses have […]
De-escalation Help Offered for Retail Employees Amid COVID Challenges
by Crisis Prevention Institute Anxiety continues to rise among the general public amid the relentless COVID-19 pandemic. Preparing retail staff early will help ease tensions in-store and provide better customer service going into the annual peak shopping season. Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) recently partnered with the NRF Foundation to develop training to prevent and de-escalate […]
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 […]
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 […]
Social Distancing Stickers: Building Brands, Saving Lives
by Andrew Witkin The past few months have been anything but normal. In order to keep individuals safe from COVID-19, governments have implemented strict guidelines on many aspects of everyday life. Everyone’s lives have been disrupted in some way, but the pandemic has also allowed us to get back to basics, where we can appreciate […]
COVID & Holiday Shopping Behaviors
As the summer continues to slip away and there’s still no end in sight for the pandemic, retailers have to truck on and start preparing for probably one of the most challenging holiday seasons we will come to know. Most retailers don’t know if what they’ve seen from shoppers since the onset of the pandemic […]
