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Calculating how much inventory to keep on hand can sometimes feel like a Goldilocks story. Too much inventory and you’re left with wasted product. Not enough inventory and you’re left with unhappy shoppers and lost profit. Oftentimes, the amount of inventory on hand is a result of supply chain issues, of which there has been…

Online shoppers have come to count on not only free shipping, but free returns as well. Experts say retailers can expect, on average, about $158 billion of merchandise sold during the recent holiday shopping season to be returned. While some brands are rethinking their return policies, shortening the return window, or even charging a return or restocking fee, there's a bigger picture to consider.  There’s…

The 2022 shopping season, including coveted holiday sales, proved to be anything but typical for shoppers and retailers alike. Issues with rising inflation and tighter budgets, coupled with continued shipping challenges, gave way to new and interesting retail trends. Data from Quantum Metric shows that providing value at every step in the digital experience is…

In Charles Dickens’ treasured story, "A Christmas Carol," Ebenezer Scrooge peers into his past, present and future, learning valuable lessons from his mistakes and emerging a better man. Thankfully, retailers don’t need a visit from three ghosts to make wiser choices in the new year. As retailers face down a looming recession, here’s what they…

Most U.S. consumers (three out of five) now rank environmental sustainability as a top factor in their purchasing decisions, and that number jumps to 75 percent for Gen Z. However, while many online retailers are adopting eco-friendly production and sales practices, the post-purchase process remains a challenge to sustainability. Shoppers return between 15 percent and…

It’s time to brace for the inevitable holiday shopping aftermath: returns. Currently, returns are a $760 billion challenge. You can feel this in your own business. Returns are a genuine cost in time, money, infrastructure and opportunity. At the same time, your customers have learned to love flexibility. The challenge for retailers is finding ways…

Retailers’ bearings for demand forecasting are now better calibrated than they were just a couple of years ago, although shockwaves from supply chain and distribution disruptions persist in some areas. These challenges create a disconnect between what retailers think is the "new normal" vs. what their actual "new normal" likely is. This dichotomy hinders their ability…

Recent headlines make excess inventory at major retailers sound like an issue that leadership should’ve seen coming. The reality, as is often the case with the headlines, is far more nuanced. There are many reasons at play for the excess of inventory, ranging from diminishing customer demand as COVID-19 restrictions ended and people shifted their…

Today’s retailers are facing an urgent need to better understand customer behaviors. This holiday season, listening to what consumers want and need will be vital to predicting their purchasing decisions and ensuring your inventory is not under- or overstocked. However, many supply chain leaders are still relying on their instincts rather than the newest data.…

You want your retail business to be regarded for exceptional customer service and products. Reputation is important, and retailers will go the extra mile to ensure loyal customers are happy. Sometimes these concessions, such as an overly lenient return policy, can have an adverse impact on a retailer’s business. While relaxed return policies may comfort…

Retail warehouse space during the holiday season is absolutely essential. The busiest time of the year typically sees retailers increase their inventory three to four times normal just to meet consumer demand. This year’s inventory glut created a tricky situation for the retail market. U.S. retailers saw a record $732 billion of inventory in 2022,…

A differentiated merchandise assortment is one of the top ways retailers can remain competitive in an economic downturn. Retailers that offer unique, exclusive or sustainable products become differentiated shopping destinations unto themselves. However, as consumers demand more authentic, responsibly made products that either improve communities or better the planet, retailers need to expand their wholesale…

The 2022 holiday retail season is officially upon us. Despite shoppers expected to be cautious with their spending, the holiday season is off to a good start, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales showing 2 percent and 5 percent year-over-year growth, respectively, falling in line with National Retail Federation projections for the season to…

As in the past few years, the retail sector in 2023 will be heavily impacted by macroeconomic trends such as supply chain constraints and inflation. We remain in a challenging environment characterized by uncertainty. Consumer spending continues to increase, but will it plateau? Inflation appears to be slowing, but will this relief continue? And will…

Consumers spent a total of $11.3 billion online on Cyber Monday, representing 5.8 percent growth year-over-year (YoY), according to Adobe Analytics. It registers as the biggest online shopping day of all time. In the peak hour (8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Pacific), consumers spent $12.8 million every minute. On Cyber Monday, online spending was driven by purchases of toys, with sales growing 684…

Amidst varying themes of the upcoming winter season, an unexpected and adverse development has occurred regarding holiday spending: consumers are having to adjust budgets and consider inflationary concerns along with supply chain shortages, both affecting the price and availability of many products this year. As a result, the retail industry will experience much earlier shopping…

A couple of years ago, retail store shelves were mostly empty. Today, as manufacturers, we face a much different problem: shelf space for household consumables is shrinking. To make their brick-and-mortar locations more appealing, retail outlets continue to expand the footprint of prepared foods, fresh offerings, and other ancillary offerings designed to deliver convenience, value…

With prolonged inflation, hiked interest rates, and an economic downturn, it's no wonder consumers are feeling an increased amount of stress when making purchases or buying services. And with the holiday season upon us, many are rethinking their spending habits even more than they already were. In fact, 60 percent of consumers say their priorities keep changing…

Who doesn’t like a good money-saving deal? It’s human nature to want to save money. "Free shipping! $10 Off! Gift with order! Save 20%! Buy one get one free!" These are all common offers that motivate customers to purchase. We all know that promotional offers increase the rate of response. How do you keep from…

Deal-based marketing has often been associated with competing for customers based on the lowest possible price point. Traditionally brands that needed to sell products or tickets in a hurry partnered with deals sites to move these items at a large discount. However, this model doesn't maximize the potential value of deal-based marketing. During the past…