Choosing a Fulfillment Partner: 7 Things to Consider First
Anticipate growth Growth is something every e-commerce brand strives for. Growth, and more of it. So why, then, do so many wait until they’re in the thick of that growth to begin thinking about how to address inventory and fulfillment?
Signs of the Times
Back when the coronavirus shutdown began in the U.S. (was it really just two months ago?), consumers who ventured to the few retailers deemed essential were met with safety protocol signage in the form of handwritten signs regarding mandatory masks
Unique Times = Unique Marketing
A funny thing about being housebound is that even routine activities can rouse new interest. Take the daily mail. In normal times, consumers would likely flip through it and set it aside. But these days, postal workers are considered essential
Pop-Up to Keep Up: Our Top 6 Reasons Why
In today’s digital world, we can easily diminish the importance and power of physical interaction. This is especially true in retail. While retailers and brands such as Sephora, Nike and Warby Parker are pursuing AR and VR technology that allows
Super Bowl In-Store Marketing: A Story to Be Told
While most people are stocking the fridge with drinks, decking out in team colors and making sure their new home theater is ready for the crowd on Sunday, we’re already thinking about Super Bowl 2021. Specifically, how to make the
Partnering with Farmers Markets to Expand Your Brand: See What’s Growing
Farmers markets have been around for generations. Interestingly, while some aspects of retail are in flux, farmers markets are booming—expanding in both number and array of offerings. Today, there are more than 8,700 farmers markets across the U.S. No longer
CPG Brands: Increase Shelf Space with Creative Merchandising
Small batch. Specialty. Artisanal. Customers are demanding diversified and specialty packaged goods like beer or a five-ingredient granola bar. [bctt tweet=”Shoppers are on the alert for newness. So to draw attention to what’s fresh and unique, the goal is to
Home & DIY Retail Innovation with Tech
The 2018 U.S. Census Bureau survey reports that there are 128 million households in the country covering apartments, home rentals, and home ownership (over double the 1960 count of 53 million households). Whether you are a renter or an owner, being
Augmented Reality — Impact at Brick and Mortar Retail
According to Gartner, by 2020, 100 million consumers will consistently use Augmented Reality (AR) to shop—both online and in-store. What’s more, 46 percent of retailers plan to deploy AR or VR technologies to forge a better customer experience. The data
Pop-Ups as Retail Theater: How Brands Are Setting the Stage for Consumer Engagement
In the beginning, pop-ups were the domain of new brands with limited marketing budgets. Rather than sinking a boatload of money into permanent stores, brands popped in and out until they found firmer financial footing and tested the market. At
At Barnes & Noble, a Story of Fantastical Retail Transformation
You’re a wizard, Harry. May the force be with you. For readers young and old, there are perhaps no two literary franchises more ubiquitous than Harry Potter and Star Wars. To date, the Harry Potter brand has generated nearly $8
CPG Converts March Madness into Retail Theater
It’s coming down to the final wire. We’ve spent the past few weeks glued to our TVs and live streaming devices, cheering on our favorite college basketball teams. It’s March Madness (though it’s almost April!), and it hasn’t just infiltrated
A Tale of Two Toy Stores: FAO Schwarz vs. CAMP
Toys “R” Us is gone. The question has become: who will fill the void? From Party City’s Toy City pop-ups to JC Penney’s expanded toy sections to Kroger’s Toys “R” Us-branded sections, stores across the retail spectrum have entered the
E-Commerce Pop-Ups Deliver a Much-Needed Physical Presence to Online Retail
Once upon a time, pop-ups were simply opportunistic. A way for retailers to generate extra sales in empty storefronts, a low-cost solution for emerging businesses hoping to gain a toehold in a market, or a way for big-buck brands to
Retail Holiday Creep: Pros and Cons of (Too) Early Retailer and Retail Brand Displays
Today is the spookiest day of the year – and it’s also one of retail’s sweetest and tastiest. After the kids crash from sugar overload, the last cobweb is swept up and the witch’s hat is hung up until next
The Incredible Power of Movie Retail Partnerships
Soon to be released on DVD, Incredibles 2 has already stirred up a world of marketing buzz for movie retail partnerships. For the cinematic release in June, Disney partnered with no fewer than 14 brands ranging from McDonald’s to Zillow. The
The New Wellness Retail Opportunity: Beauty from Within
Wellness retail has gotten increasingly popular over the past few years. But this year, the category is on fire, becoming a trend that is fueling and influencing consumers’ lives and retailers’ behavior. Beyond just natural products and healthy foods, health
Plants, Fizz and the Pursuit of Healthiness at the 2018 Fancy Food Show
Three days. Six football fields of walking, 2,600 exhibitor stands, 200,000 specialty products. Eating our way through the 2018 Fancy Food Show was an exhausting – yet delicious – task. The event was never more timely. The specialty food market is
Tracking Pop-Up Success
Pop-up retail is no longer just an “add-on” or a whimsical “let’s try it” addition to a retail marketing plan. It’s a bona fide strategy that needs to be planned for in advance and measured on completion. Tracking pop-ups is
Grocery Trends That Are Stimulating In-Store Sales
Food and beverage grocery trends are very much a hot topic, even becoming a default cocktail party, nice-to-meet-you conversation starter. It’s interesting then, with all this focus, physical grocery store expansion slowed in 2017. But that doesn’t mean it was