Yesterday, Gap Inc. announced plans for two publicly traded companies: Old Navy (formerly known as “NewCo”) and an unnamed company (“NewCo”), which will include the Gap brand and Athleta and Banana Republic brands, Intermix, Hill City, and Intermix. Gap stated that the spin-off will allow each company to...
A Big Year for Stores
Since 2007, RSR has conducted an annual benchmark of the state and condition of the stores. This is one area that we hope to see improvement from previous years’ respondents. Many of us are disillusioned by how little the shopping experience in the real world has changed. The...
b8ta Launches Community-Driven Retail Concept in Los Angeles
b8ta is the pioneer in retail-as-a-service (RaaS) and the first to launch a community-driven fashion and lifestyle retailer concept that focuses on meaningful engagement and discovery. Forum will open in Los Angeles on November 15th. It will be a place where modern consumers can find forward-thinking brands that value...
Walmart Tests Higher Wages in Hundreds of US Stores
Walmart is testing a higher minimum wage for certain positions at 500 of its U.S. stores. This is part of a larger overhaul of the roles and responsibilities of its workforce. According to Bloomberg Walmart will raise the minimum hourly wage to $12 from $11. According to Jami Lamontagne,...
Casper Sleep Files for Publication
According to a CNBC Report, online mattress company Casper Sleep filed regulatory paperwork Friday to make the company public. Casper Sleep will be listed on New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “CSPR.” Casper stated that it intends to use the proceeds for expansion. Casper listed a stock...
Brick-and-Mortar: Five Areas to Rethink
We are all learning from the rapid and dynamic changes that grocers have made in order to improve efficiency and provide safer environments for their customers as we navigate the unknown. This is a time for retailers and brands to think “outside of the four-walled box”....
What do consumers want from stores in the COVID-19 Era Safety
What do consumers want from stores in the COVID-19 Era Safety, convenience and a sense of community are the three main things that consumers want from stores in the COVID-19 Era. COVID-19’s rapid spread has transformed the way consumers shop, how they buy things and what...
The New Privilege of COVID-19 Retail Hoarding
source: https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/covid-19-retail-hoarding-is-the-new-privilege/ The current COVID-19 world is filled with news stories about consumers hoarding goods and images of empty shelves. Those empty shelves seem to be connected with images of shoppers pushing carts full. They would have been more accurate to link those empty shelves with the...
Ascena Retail Group files for bankruptcy
Ascena Retail Group, parent company of Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant, and Catherines women’s apparel brands, filed bankruptcy yesterday. It said that it would close at least 877 (or nearly a third) of its 2,800 stores. This follows years of declining sales and increasing debt. Dressbarn was founded...
It is essential to help retail employees develop digital and communication skills
Retail workers were essential for the economy and society in 2020. It’s not always clear if they are essential for employers’ future business plans. Retailers must invest in their staff if they want to be competitive in an industry that is moving more towards digital — whether...