ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR
May 2022
May 13
Trend Talk: Orbit Baby Launched a Digital Showroom
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we catch up with Braden Jones, CEO of Orbit Baby, to learn how the e-commerce company enhanced its omnichannel strategy with livestreaming, virtual demos and a new digital showroom.
May 13
Kohl’s Survives Takeover Attempts
Kohl’s has successfully thrown off takeover attempts from activist shareholders.
May 13
Trend Talk Podcast: Why Orbit Baby Launched a Digital Showroom
Listen to the in-depth interview with Braden Jones, CEO of Orbit Baby.
May 13
Fresh Market Gets a Buyer
South American retailer Cencosud has acquired a majority stake in U.S. grocery chain Fresh Market.
May 11
EnsembleIQ Taps Jesse Yeung as New VP of Marketing
EnsembleIQ has tapped Jesse Yeung in the newly created role of vice president of marketing.
May 11
DSW Unveils New Store Concept
DSW is testing out a new store format that brings renewed attention to top brands.
May 11
Uber Eats, Albertsons Expand Delivery Partnership
Grocery chain Albertsons is expanding its delivery partnership with Uber Eats across its retail brands.
May 11
Target Issues Update on Diversity Pledge
Target is investing more than $2 billion in Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025––and the retailer is on track to meet its goal, according to an update from the company.
May 11
EnsembleIQ CEO Named Industry Changemaker
EnsembleIQ CEO Jennifer Litterick has been honored as a Change-Maker in the information services industry by the Top Women in Media & Ad Tech Awards.
May 11
Target Announces C-Suite Shuffle
Target announced a number of C-suite appointments, including the creation of a new role.
May 09
Trend Talk Podcast: How Starday Foods Leveraged Data to Launch New Brands
Listen to the in-depth episode with Caroline McCarthy, co-founder and vice president of growth of Starday Foods, a startup food conglomerate that takes a data-driven approach to launch emerging food brands.
May 06
U.S. Imports Set a New Record High
U.S. imports hit a new record high this spring, according to the latest monthly Global Port Tracker report from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.
May 06
Trend Talk: Starday Foods' Data-Driven Approach Lands at Kroger
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we catch up with Caroline McCarthy, co-founder and vice president of growth of Starday Foods, a startup food conglomerate that takes a data-driven approach to launch emerging food brands.
May 06
The Home Depot Launches $150M Venture Fund
Home improvement retailer The Home Depot has launched a $150 million venture capital fund, The Home Depot Ventures.
May 04
Nearly Half of Consumers Haven’t Heard of the Metaverse
The metaverse is one of the biggest buzz words of 2022, but nearly half of consumers haven’t even heard of it. As more retailers and brands jump into the metaverse with their own experiences, the question remains if the trend is overhyped?
May 04
Movers & Shakers: Old Navy, The Children’s Place, Missguided Execs Step Down
Welcome to Movers & Shakers, a roundup of the latest retail executive movements.
May 04
NRF Bullish on Economy Despite Headwinds
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is bullish that retail shopping will remain strong even as inflation continues to impact consumers.
May 04
Havenly Expands In-Person Services
Havenly, the largest nationwide interior design business, is expanding into the in-person interior styling business.
May 02
L.L. Bean Goes Dark on Social Media
L.L. Bean has paused its social media channels in May to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month.
May 02
JCPenney Promotes In-Store Shopping with New Campaign
JCPenney has unveiled a new campaign and refreshed brand look to attract customers.
May 02
EIQ’s BrandLab Wins 7 AVA Digital Awards for Digital Excellence.
EIQ BrandLab, the full-service strategic marketing and creative agency operated by EnsembleIQ, has won seven prestigious AVA Digital Awards for digital excellence.
Apr 2022
Apr 29
Trend Talk: The Metaverse and Social Commerce Are Top Retail Trends
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we dive into the top retail trends that are hot in the minds of executives with Lisa Johnston, senior editor of CGT.
Apr 29
Trend Talk Podcast: The Metaverse and Social Commerce Are Top Trends
Listen to the in-depth interview with Lisa Johnston, senior editor of CGT, about the top trends on the minds of retail executives.
Apr 29
Franki Expands Physical Retail Footprint
Franki, the tween brand line from specialty retailer Francesca’s, is launching eight permanent locations following a series of pop-up retail stores.
Apr 29
Madison Reed Raises $33M
Beauty brand Madison Reed has raised $33 million in a new financing round.
Apr 27
Amazon Launches $1 Billion Venture Fund
Amazon has committed $1 billion to a new venture investment program dubbed the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund (AIIF).
Apr 27
JCPenney Bids to Buy Kohl’s
The parent companies of JCPenney have made an offer to acquire department store retailer Kohl’s for a whopping $8.6 billion.
Apr 27
Virtual Living Gaining Steam Among Consumers
While the metaverse may feel like a new concept, consumers are already taking an interest –– and spending real dollars on virtual goods.
Apr 27
Meta Gets into Retail
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is opening its first-ever physical retail space on May 9.
Apr 27
3.1 Phillip Lim Launches Resale Experience
High fashion retailer 3.1 Phillip Lim has launched a resale experience, 3.1 Archive, for consumers to shop and sell secondhand styles from the brand.
Apr 22
Shopify to Buy Deliverr
Shopify is in talks to acquire e-commerce fulfillment company Deliverr in what would be Shopify’s biggest deal to date.
Apr 22
Mother’s Day Spending Projected to Hit New Record
Mother’s Day spending is expected to reach a new record this year, with shoppers coming out in full force to celebrate.
Apr 22
Trend Talk: Pacsun Opens a Metaverse World
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we're diving deep into Pacworld, the new metaverse world from Pacsun.
Apr 22
Chico’s FAS Implements Sustainability Efforts Across Brands
As consumers demand more transparency from retailers around their climate impact, Chico’s FAS is implementing sustainability initiatives across its brands and organization.
Apr 22
Trend Talk Podcast: Pacsun Opens a Metaverse World
Listen to the in-depth interview with Alfred Chang, co-CEO of Pacsun, about the brand's recent launch of Pacworld in the metaverse.
Apr 20
Lululemon Sets Ambitious Growth Target, Launches Membership Program
Athletic apparel retailer lululemon is launching a two-tier membership program as part of its newly announced growth plans.
Apr 20
Champs Sports Debuts New Store Format
Foot Locker’s Champs Sports has debuted a new store format with an experiential concept.
Apr 20
Shoppers Want Reinvented Store Experiences
After more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic putting a damper on in-store shopping, consumers are looking for elevated retail experiences.
Apr 20
Dollar General Expands Education Benefits with Paid Degrees
Dollar General has partnered with employee education management platform Workforce Edge to offer employees no-cost degree programs from Strayer University and Capella University.
Apr 20
Victoria’s Secret Debuts Digital Brand for Tweens
Victoria’s Secret has launched a digital-only brand targeted toward tweens called Happy Nation.
Apr 20
Wawa to Double Retail Footprint
Convenience store chain Wawa is taking on its most aggressive retail expansion yet.
Apr 14
Trend Talk Podcast: How Grove Collaborative is Breathing Sustainability into the CPG Industry
Listen to the in-depth interview with Danielle Jezienicki, director of sustainability for Grove Collaborative, about ongoing sustainability trends and challenges in the CPG industry.
Apr 14
Movers & Shakers: Walmart, Lowe’s Name New CFOs; Zappos Appoints New CEO
Welcome to Movers & Shakers, a roundup of the latest executive movements in the retail industry.
Apr 14
Trend Talk: Grove Collaborative's Promise to be Plastic-Free
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we chat with Danielle Jezienicki, director of sustainability for Grove Collaborative, about ongoing sustainability trends and challenges in the CPG industry.
Apr 14
Retail Sales Rose Marginally in March Amid Inflation
Retail sales in March rose slightly during the month, up 0.5% from February and 6.9% compared to the same month last year.
Apr 13
Brooklinen to Triple Brick-and-Mortar Presence
Brooklinen, the New York-based direct-to-consumer luxury home brand, plans to triple its retail presence in 2022 and launch a new hospitality-grade collection for hotel and B&B customers.
Apr 13
Pacsun Partners with ThredUp in Resale Launch
Pacsun has teamed up with ThredUp to launch its own recommerce program, Pre-loved Pac.
Apr 12
Adidas Launches Digital World
Adidas has launched a digital experience in celebration of its latest Ozworld collection.
Apr 12
Etsy Sellers Go on Strike Over Fees Hike
Thousands of independent sellers on online marketplace Etsy have gone on strike.
Apr 12
Shoppers Lose Confidence, Stick with Pandemic Behaviors
The vast majority of consumers are sticking with the behavioral changes they made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apr 11
Craig Lowe Named Head of New Enterprise Membership and Subscription Initiatives
EnsembleIQ, parent company of Retail Leader, has tapped Craig Lowe as Senior Vice President, Membership and Subscriptions. In this newly created role, Lowe will be responsible for the overall strategy and delivery of these offerings.
Apr 08
Trend Talk Podcast: Why Net-Zero is the Next Big Buzz Word
Listen to the in-depth interview with Scot Case, vice president of sustainability at the National Retail Federation.
Apr 08
As Retail Imports Slow, Ports Unclog Backlog
Retail imports have been backlogged amid a surge in demand and supply chain constraints over the past few years.
Apr 08
Trend Talk: 4 Sustainability Questions with NRF
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we tackle sustainability with Scot Case, vice president of sustainability at the National Retail Federation.
Apr 08
Walmart Bumps Trucker Pay to Attract Drivers
Walmart has increased the wages for truck drivers as the retail giant aims to grease the wheels of its supply chain.
Apr 06
SuitShop Wants to Create a Biodegradable Suit
SuitShop is working on a prototype for a 100% biodegradable suit.
Apr 06
Kroger, Bed, Bath & Beyond Partner in E-Commerce
Kroger and Bed, Bath & Beyond have launched a new e-commerce experience to expand the home and baby offerings at Kroger.
Apr 06
Cupshe Debuts Star-Studded Pop-Up Shop
Beachwear brand Cupshe debuted its first-ever pop-up shop at Hollywood and Highland in Los Angeles.
Apr 06
Nordstrom Shakes Up Leadership at Rack
Nordstrom announced the retirement of two top executives at Nordstrom Rack.
Apr 06
Farfetch Invests in Neiman Marcus
Farfetch and Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) announced a global partnership, with Farfetch making a huge investment of up to $200 million into NMG.
Apr 06
Amazon’s First Workers Union Forms in New York
Amazon warehouse workers in New York made history after voting to join a union.
Apr 06
Shein’s Value Soars to $100B in Latest Funding Round
Shein, a China-based fashion retailer, has been valued at more than $100 billion in a funding round.
Apr 01
Harris Reed Partners with Klarna to Launch Design Competition
Harris Reed, a British-American fashion designer, has teamed up with buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) service Klarna in a new competition to find emerging talent in fashion.
Apr 01
Trend Talk Podcast: Understanding the Unique World of Gen Z
Listen to the in-depth interview with Hana Ben-Shabat, author of Gen Z 360: Preparing for the Inevitable Change in Culture, Work and Commerce.
Apr 01
Movers & Shakers: Express, Etsy, FedEx Announce Leadership Changes
Welcome to Movers & Shakers, a roundup of the latest executive movements in the retail industry.
Apr 01
Aaron’s Company Acquires Brandsmart USA
The Aaron’s Company, a technology-enabled, omnichannel provider of lease-to-own and retail purchase solutions, has acquired Brandsmart for $230 million.
Apr 01
Trend Talk: Understanding the Unique World of Gen Z
This week on Retail Leader Trend Talk, we catch up with Hana Ben-Shabat, author and founder of Gen Z Planet, to learn all about the Gen Z consumer.
Apr 01
Gopuff Cuts Jobs Amid $1B Fundraising
Instant needs delivery company Gopuff is close to raising another $1 billion in funding. At the same time, it’s cutting jobs.