Stores Weekly

First Edition

STORES' 2019 retail industry trend forecast

It’s that time of year again — time to put on the prognosticator hat and take a stab at foreseeing what’s ahead for the retail industry in the coming year. There are a few things that seem certain: Customer expectations never stand still — and just to up the ante — they’re also not consistent. Here are STORES’ predictions for the retail industry in 2019.

Visit https://stores.org/2018/12/03/future-focus/ to view the full article online.

6 articles STORES Magazine readers loved

Looking back at all the great content STORES Magazine produced in 2018, it’s hard to narrow down a favorite. Sure, the Top 100 and Hot 100 retailers, along with industry predictions and ideas to steal, are perennial favorites. However, readers may come for the lists, but they stay for the in-depth reporting. Here are a few other articles readers found compelling over the past year.

Visit https://stores.org/2018/12/03/6-articles-stores-magazine-readers-loved/?utm_medium=STORES%20Weekly&utm_source=Email&utm_campaign=STORES%20Dec%20&utm_content=Top%206 to view the full article online.

Full-on flavor

Future is the overarching theme of the December issue of STORES. When considering what’s in store for retail, there are a few that top the list: future technology that will shape the industry, forward-thinking designs that will change the shape of apparel and how the look and feel of stores is likely to morph in the years to come.

Visit https://stores.org/2018/12/03/full-on-flavor/?utm_medium=STORES%20Weekly&utm_source=Email&utm_campaign=STORES%20Dec%20&utm_content=Editor's%20note to view the full article online.

Breaking the mold

Emily Heyward co-founded Red Antler in 2007 with a mission to serve startup ventures early in the process of brand building. The client roster, companies “changing how the world works,” includes retail business model disruptors Allbirds, Birchbox, Casper and Snowe.

Visit https://stores.org/2018/12/04/breaking-the-mold/?utm_medium=STORES%20Weekly&utm_source=Email&utm_campaign=STORES%20Dec%20&utm_content=Retail%20People to view the full article online.

Kenneth Cole and ASICS drive personalization through customer knowledge

The mantra, “Know me to serve me,” reflects a key goal of all retailers, says T.J. Papp, vice president of digital and ecommerce with fashion company Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. That is, to effectively serve and retain customers, retailers need to know not just their sizes, but their preferences for style, fit, color and other attributes.

Visit https://stores.org/2018/12/04/delivering-with-data/ to view the full article online.

Blockchain technology tackles retail supply chain challenges

Fraud in a business can go undetected for a long time and often can be hard to uncover. As the use of blockchain technology expands into retail supply chains, STORES contributing writer David Schulz discussed the topic with Ross A. Mauri, general manager of IBM Z.

Visit https://stores.org/2018/12/04/solving-the-unsolvable/?utm_medium=STORES%20Weekly&utm_source=Email&utm_campaign=STORES%20Dec%20&utm_content=Blockchain to view the full article online.

NRF is proud to provide our members with the online Retail Buying Guide to search for trusted vendors, products and services in the retail industry. Our guide is a user-friendly forum designed to bring suppliers and purchasers together. You can search by keyword, location, company name or category. Available whenever you need it, the Retail Buying Guide makes it easy to locate products and professional services geared to the retail industry. Click here to visit the online Retail Buying Guide! To advertise, please contact Sarah Allen for more information.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/nrf-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=535083&issueID=56576 to view the full article online.

Trends

Brothers wake up coffee industry

Leave it to a worn-out college student to develop the latest in coffee. Looking for a lift to make it through classes and basketball back in 2015, Jordan DeCicco was not impressed by energy drinks and bottled coffees laden with sugar and carbs. So he came up with his own, using a blender in his dorm room.

Visit https://stores.org/2018/12/05/brothers-wake-up-coffee-industry/ to view the full article online.

Luxury: Always in the bag

Why invest in just one luxury bag when the original outlay can keep paying dividends? Rebag, billing itself as “the ultimate destination for buying and selling luxury handbags,” has introduced Rebag Infinity, the latest offering in the on-demand economy.

Visit https://stores.org/2018/12/05/luxury-always-in-the-bag/ to view the full article online.

Petsmooch offers pet profiles

The mobile app PetSmooch, available for both iPhone or Android, gives dogs and cats their own profiles. But the site does more than help those with common interests find each other; pet parents can purchase “smooches” for posts they especially enjoy, and each purchase translates to an indirect donation to a pet cause or charity.

Visit https://stores.org/2018/12/05/petsmooch-offers-pet-profiles/ to view the full article online.

The digital edition of STORES includes must-read pieces, including the articles featured here. Read the current issue and browse the archives for issues you may have missed.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/nrf-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=535084&issueID=56576 to view the full article online.

NRF News

Holiday shopping in full effect

The use of social media and multichannel shopping were two major retail trends on the rise during the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, according to NRF Director of Retail and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen. In this episode of NRF’s Retail Gets Real podcast, Cullen breaks down the Thanksgiving weekend shopping data to answer questions about what people are buying, where they’re shopping and how they are finding deals.

Visit https://nrf.com/blog/holiday-special-thanksgiving-weekend-and-beyond?utm_medium=STORES%20Weekly&utm_source=Email&utm_campaign=Retail%20Gets%20Real&utm_content=Ep%2089%20Thanksgiving%20results%202018 to view the full article online.

Brandless, Warby Parker on disrupting the retail model

For some retailers, challenging the traditional business model has its rewards. At NRF 2019: Retail's Big Show, Tina Sharkey of Brandless and Neil Blumenthal of Warby Parker will be among executives from next-generation retailers discussing how smart, innovative strategies have separated their brands from the rest.

Visit https://nrfbigshow.nrf.com/session/retail-reinvention-disrupt-yourself-or-be-disrupted?utm_medium=STORES%20Weekly&utm_source=Email&utm_campaign=NRF2019&utm_content=Brandless to view the full article online.

Gift trends for the holidays

Shoppers say they plan to spend $1,000 on gifts and other items for the holidays. Hear more about gift-giving trends in this mini-episode of NRF’s Retail Gets Real podcast: Find out what consumers are most likely to buy (hint: There might be a few gift cards under the tree this year) and the most popular toys for kids — including the toy that jumped eight places to No. 3.

Visit https://nrf.com/blog/gifting-trends-holidays?utm_medium=STORES%20Weekly&utm_source=Email&utm_campaign=Retail%20Gets%20Real&utm_content=Ep%2090%20Holiday%20gifting%20trends%20minisode to view the full article online.

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