Digital Innovation

In episode 424 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Darren Abbott, chief creative officer and senior vice president of global product development and innovation at Hallmark, a heritage American, family-owned greeting cards company operating a diversified portfolio of businesses. Listen in as Abbott discusses the launch of Hallmark + Venmo Cards (0:50), why the two…

As each day passes, the difference between physical and digital storefronts becomes increasingly blurred. Technological advancements, a wealth of creativity in the retail sector, and the exciting emergence of Web3 integrations and activations continue to bring physical and digital retail experiences closer together. For brands, online interactions go beyond sales as we enter an era…

For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), assimilating artificial intelligence (AI) into their everyday operations seems overwhelming, which creates hesitancy to its widespread adoption. A combined study by Deloitte and Stanford University discovered that 25 percent of smaller businesses currently use AI in chatbots, predictive analytics, and marketing automation. In comparison, there's a 40 percent adoption…

Venmo users who regularly use the app to gift money can now do so with an accompanying physical Hallmark card, the two companies announced Wednesday. In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the PayPal-owned digital payment platform Venmo and the greeting card company Hallmark are giving customers a new, unique way of giving gifts. Here's how it works:…

A lot has changed since the pandemic, yet one debate continues to divide retail experts and it involves the uncertain future of brick-and-mortar stores. Pessimists argue that the return on investment is too low, and that the migration to e-commerce is only just beginning. Others believe that in-store shopping serves an experiential purpose, which cannot…

In a hyperconnected world, consumers are constantly being exposed to content from all angles. As a retailer, this can be an opportunity and a curse. On one hand, it’s easy to promote brand content across digital platforms, yet on the other, it can be incredibly difficult to stand out — especially as four in 10…

Have you ever wanted to buy out a billboard next door to Snoop Dogg’s mansion? While this may have just been a very specific pipedream a few years ago (and highly dependent on how close Snoop’s mansion is to Highway 101), it's now a very real possibility in the metaverse. Once a futuristic buzzword, the…

In a groundbreaking move that challenges industry norms, Kroger, the largest grocery retailer in the United States, recently announced its departure from print circular distribution, opting instead for a digital-first approach. This bold decision signifies a significant milestone for the grocery sector as retailers grapple with the daunting task of reevaluating traditional marketing channels in…

For the last decade, the retail industry has been on an existential search for the future of its own soul. Consumers armed with smartphones increasingly turned to browse-and-buy shopping from virtually anywhere, flipping the nature of retail on its head. Meanwhile, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers have struggled to find effective ways to keep pace with digital…

Have you ever compared your online shopping experiences to your in-store experiences? Physical and digital retail experiences should both be inspirational and filled with entertainment and emotion. But that doesn’t change the fact that when it comes to engaging customers and eliciting sales, physical retail has a “leg up” on e-commerce because real-world shopping experiences…