Amazon.com is making Fresh grocery deliveries available to more non-Prime members. In an update on Thursday, Amazon said that it’s expanding the offer to non-Prime subscribers in all U.S. states where Fresh orders are available for delivery and pickup. While Amazon previously only offered Fresh delivery to Prime customers, it opened up the service to non-Prime members in August.…
Joe Keenan
In episode 426 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Emily Essner, chief marketing officer of Saks, the premier digital platform for luxury fashion in North America. During the wide-ranging conversation, Essner discusses the fashion retailer's quarterly Saks Luxury Pulse survey (0:55) and key findings from its most recent survey data released in September (2:33), including…
The new Bed Bath & Beyond announced Monday its CEO, Jonathan Johnson, is immediately stepping down from his position just days after activist hedge fund JAT Capital called for his ouster. JAT Capital, which has a 9.6 percent stake in the company, sent a letter to the board dated Thursday that blamed Johnson for the company’s poor financial performance…
In episode 39 of Total Retail Tech Insights, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Chelsie Hall, founder of ViralMoment, a startup AI social intelligence tool. Hall was the winner of the Startup Challenge at this year's Total Retail Tech event. Listen in as Hall provides an overview of ViralMoment (1:05), how brands can implement and access insights using the…
REI workers, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW)/Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), held coordinated actions across eight states this past weekend in response to the retailer’s decision to unilaterally restructure jobs and working conditions in all of its stores. REI failed to meet its legal responsibility to negotiate with…
Walmart is investing more than $9 billion over a two-year period to upgrade and modernize some U.S. stores with improved layouts, expanded product selections and new tech additions. On Friday, 117 stores in 30 states will be re-launched showcasing the enhancements, representing investments of more than $500 million, Walmart said in a statement. In total,…
In episode 425 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Eric Bjorling, director of brand marketing and public relations at Trek Bicycle, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of bicycles and related products. Listen in as Bjorling discusses the genesis of Trek Bicycle's new bike trade-in and refurbishment program, Red Barn Refresh (0:52)…
The consumer packaged goods conglomerate Unilever announced the sale of Dollar Shave Club to a private equity firm, Nexus Capital Management LP, whose portfolio includes the shoe brand Toms, the plant-based food and beverage brand TruRoots, and the beauty supplement brand Sugarbear, among others. Unilever, based in London, will retain a minority interest of 35 percent. The sale comes…
L.L.Bean has shuttered its flagship store, corporate headquarters, factories and other facilities in Maine, the outdoor goods retailer told CNN on Thursday, as authorities conduct a manhunt in the area for a person of interest in mass shootings. A spokesperson for the century-old company, one of Maine’s biggest employers, said it decided to shut the sites “out of an…
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…
HomeGoods is shutting down its online store. The discount home decor chain, which is owned by TJX Companies, sent an email to customers Wednesday announcing that it would stop offering online shopping after Oct. 21. TJX reported in August that net sales from e-commerce were less than 2 percent of total sales in its most recent quarter. HomeGoods launched its…
Costco's longtime CEO Craig Jelinek is stepping down from the company after the warehouse club’s spree of pandemic- and inflation-fueled growth. The company said Wednesday that Ron Vachris, its current chief operating officer, will replace Jelinek. The change will take effect Jan. 1. In a company press release, Costco said the two executives have worked together over nearly…
Consumers showed surprising strength in September, boosting retail sales well above expectations despite high interest rates and worries over a weakening economy. Retail sales rose 0.7 percent on the month, well above the 0.3 percent Dow Jones estimate, according to the advance report the Commerce Department released Tuesday. Excluding autos, sales were up 0.6 percent, also well…
In episode 423 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Mandy Rassi, senior vice president, chief marketing officer at Michaels, the largest arts and crafts retailer in North America. Listen in as Rassi discusses the core components of Michaels' omnichannel transformation (1:15), including the role that customer feedback plays in its work to improve…
Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey on Sunday and said it would begin restructuring to significantly reduce its debt. The company said it reached a deal with creditors on a restructuring plan that includes evaluating its retail footprint and closing underperforming locations. Rite Aid also said lenders agreed to extend $3.45 billion…
