Last year brought many unexpected challenges for both retailers and consumers alike. Shopping patterns drastically changed, most likely for the long run, as well as the products that customers were looking for and needed. Amid all of these changes and uncertainty, it is vital for indie retailers to understand the changes in consumer behavior due […]
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Strategically Grow Your Private Label with Science-Based Pricing and Promotions
by Cheryl Sullivan Independent retailers have struggled against proliferating online and brick-and-mortar competition for years. The pandemic only heightened the unpredictability of the fast-changing customer, competitor and shopper behaviors, as well as supply chain disruptions. The Imperative for Science-Driven Pricing and Promotions Fortunately, indie retailers continue to adopt science-based lifecycle pricing (which includes prices, promotions […]
Consumers Excited to Support Independent Retailers in 2021
Vericast, a marketing solutions company, recently released research from its Valassis line of business focused on evolving consumer behaviors and media consumptions as a result of the pandemic. The findings highlight that consumers are eager to support small businesses and discover new products and services. Permanent Shifts in Consumer Behavior Based on responses from 1,000 […]
Gender-Fluid Fashion Hits the Mainstream
by Isabella Lovett Over 50 percent of Gen Z consumers regularly buy clothing for themselves from both womenswear and menswear ranges, according to a survey by Wunderman Thompson that was published in Harper’s Bazaar. Yet it has taken some bold moves by fashion designers and independent retailers for gender-fluid clothing to finally hit the mainstream. […]
Insights & Trends from Faire’s Virtual Winter Market
Faire concluded their Winter Market in early February, the organization’s second and largest virtual trade show event where thousands of independent retailers and brands came together to shop brand discounts, attend informative livestreams, and form new connections. The event was a huge success, as retailers placed twice as many orders (over 90,000) as they did […]
3 Retail Strategies That Won the Holiday Season
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 […]
2021 Retail Predictions
Remember at the beginning of 2020 when you thought you had everything all planned out for the year, and then COVID-19 came and knocked all of your preparations off the table? That was not fun for anyone, and many businesses are still trying to recuperate and rebuild their models. We live in very unpredictable times, […]
A Personal Stylist For Your Wardrobe and Mental Health
Mental health plays such a huge role in the way brands market to their customer base. Larger retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Madhappy have used mental health awareness marketing campaigns in the past, to which customers have responded positively. And that’s exactly what this menswear start-up did when they first launched. Creating a […]
Nearly One-Third of Consumers Perceive No Communication as Bad News During COVID-19 Pandemic
by Media Frenzy Global In the midst of COVID-19, consumer sentiments have drastically evolved as they’ve become more conservative with spending and more selective on what and where to purchase. The global study, Don’t Stop, The Future is Now, released by Media Frenzy Global in partnership with Arlington Research, revealed just under a third (31%) […]
The NPD Group Reports Upward Signs of Retail Spending
As consumers settled into their sheltering at home routines, spending improved for the fourth straight week, up seven percent compared to the prior week, according to The NPD Group. Retail spending also showed flat year-over-year performance during the week ending April 25, 2020 — the first time sales didn’t decline since early March. As promising […]