Retail inventories climbed in February after being flat the prior month. According to the Commerce Department’s Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services report released Monday (April 15), inventories rose 0.6% month over month to $808.7 billion. The news follows last week’s release showing U.S. wholesale inventories climbing...
As brands see their ad spending across traditional digital media channels doesn’t go as far as it once did, eCommerce merchants are seizing on the opportunity to open up new revenue streams with the launch of retail media networks. Take Wolt, the Helsinki-based, DoorDash-owned multinational...
As merchants look to set their offerings apart to win shoppers’ loyalty, personalization is key. That means more than just using artificial intelligence (AI) to calculate the right targeted promotion — consumers are looking for emotional connection. Personalization is becoming table stakes for retailers. The...
As on-demand delivery firms look for new revenue streams to boost profitability, Gopuff has unveiled a new B2B offering for direct-to-consumer (D2C) delivery. The quick-commerce company announced Monday (April 15) via emailed press release the launch of Powered by Gopuff, a logistics and technology offering for brands...
When it comes to winning the loyalty of shoppers who can be persuaded by personalized offers, PYMNTS Intelligence research reveals, email proves to be a key tool for merchants. By the Numbers The PYMNTS Intelligence report “Personalized Offers Are Powerful — but Too Often Off-Base,”...
Across restaurants, grocers and nongrocery retailers, self-service is gaining ground, and merchants are making smarter choices about how they apply it. Take the restaurant industry, where a key concern is balancing efficiency and service. Bite, a self-service kiosk provider serving fast-casual, quick-service restaurants and convenience stores,...
CarMax is deploying tech solutions to boost efficiency as it continues to deal with a tough environment for buying and selling used cars. “Fiscal 2024 was a challenging year across the used car industry as vehicle affordability and widespread macro factors continue to pressure sales,” CarMax...
With ongoing financial challenges constraining shoppers’ purchasing power, furniture companies’ recent earnings reports show that consumers may not be willing to buy, say, a new couch if they are not getting it at a bargain. Hooker Furnishings, for example, shared on a call with analysts...
Starbucks is rolling out new store design features as it adds locations and renovates existing ones. During the current fiscal year that ends in October, the company plans to add 650 stores and renovate 1,000 others, Bloomberg reported Wednesday (April 10). Starbucks has more than 16,300 stores...