Dan Berthiaume
Dan Berthiaume’s Retail Insights blog is a 2020 Eddie & Ozzie Awards honorable mention winner in the category of B2B overall column/blog.
BLOG POSTS BY THIS AUTHOR
July 2021
July 30
Accepting bitcoin payment: Three X factors to consider
Bitcoin and other digital currencies are making a lot of retail news lately, but are they here to stay or a passing fad?
July 23
What Bon Scott can teach you about effective e-commerce
A tribute site dedicated to legendary late AC/DC vocalist Bon Scott is worth studying for tips on digital retailing.
July 16
Leading-edge technologies bring the mall into the future
Malls are stepping up their competition with multi-use outdoor centers by leveraging some very modern technology solutions.
July 02
Three solutions for a disrupted supply chain
Retailers are not responsible for the ongoing issues with the global supply chain, but they must act to mitigate them.
ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR
July 2021
July 30
Vans helps drives VF Corp. to strong quarter; notes supply chain issues
VF Corp. reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings and sales amid rising demand for its top brands and raised its guidance for the year.
July 30
Survey: Walmart is top destination for back-to-school shoppers
A new survey from RetailMeNot reveals almost seven in 10 consumers will make a back-to-school purchase at Walmart.
July 30
Canadian toy retailer grows digital sales 300% with AI
Mastermind Toys is leveraging artificial intelligence to create a customized, personalized omnichannel experience, which is paying dividends.
July 30
DoorDash moves from ghost kitchens to ghost restaurants
The new DoorDash Kitchens Full Service offering provides fast-food retailers with a hosted storefront.
July 30
Most consumers will make a majority of holiday purchases online
More than half of holiday shoppers plan to focus on e-commerce, with mobile and artificial intelligence-based services a strong draw.
July 29
J.C. Penney joins sustainable jeans effort
The J.C. Penney Co. Inc. is now a member of The Jeans Redesign.
July 29
HelloFresh offers meal kit subscribers new online marketplace
A leading meal kit provider is expanding its product assortment with an online store.
July 29
Survey: Customers want to return to stores, safely
A new survey indicates the COVID-19 pandemic has permanently changed consumer shopping habits, including a number of new expectations for stores.
July 29
Knot Standard takes measurements in a (smartphone) snap
A specialty omnichannel menswear retailer is enabling customers to get precise measurements with two taps of their iPhone.
July 29
Newegg pioneers acceptance of high-speed cryptocurrency
Newegg is building on its early adopter status in the cryptocurrency realm by preparing to accept Litecoin.
July 29
BJ’s serves older customers with voice-based virtual assistant
BJ’s Wholesale Club is automating chat- and call-based customer service to ensure longstanding shoppers are satisfied.
July 28
Twitter pilots shoppable profiles
Twitter is testing a dedicated space at the top of a profile where businesses can showcase products.
July 28
Lamps Plus serves online customers with store associates
The nation's largest specialty lighting retailer is having select brick-and-mortar employees also serve as e-commerce customer care agents.
July 28
Stop & Shop starts electric vehicle charging effort
Stop & Shop is installing five electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its stores across the Northeast.
July 28
Justice’s online relaunch is off to promising start
Tween apparel brand Justice is obtaining some impressive early results in the first 90 days of going live with its new e-commerce site.
July 28
CSA Exclusive: Women’s denim brand personalizes fit – in 3D
1822 Denim is offering personalized size recommendations via a cross-platform, web-based widget.
July 28
Walmart takes big step as tech platform; partners with Adobe
Walmart will begin offering several of its own technologies and capabilities to other businesses and brands.
July 27
Home Depot sets big goal for renewable electricity
The Home Depot is investing in green energy as it looks to dramatically reduce its carbon emissions.
July 27
Fabletics enters resale market with ThredUp
A fashion athleticwear brand is the latest retailer to help customers clean out their closets.
July 27
Report: Amazon denies plans to accept digital currency payments
Amazon reportedly acknowledges interest in digital currency and blockchain, but says it has no specific intentions in the space.
July 27
CSA Exclusive: Uncertainty hangs over back-to-school season
The 2021 back-to-school season may include a late spike and “experience seekers,” and serve as an indicator for holiday shopping trends.
July 27
Macy’s increases online conversions with Google-quality search
Macy’s is leveraging the new managed Google Cloud Retail Search solution to reduce “search abandonment.”
July 27
Dynamic Yield launches single page application solution
Users of the Dynamic Yield Experience Optimization platform can now seamlessly implement it on any single page application framework.
July 27
CSA Exclusive: Twelve retail business cases for RFID
Chain Store Age has exclusive first access to a new study suggesting that RFID is becoming a viable solution for workflows across the retail enterprise.
July 26
Survey: Back-to-school shoppers cross channels
A vast majority of back-to-school consumers will shop both in-store and online, and almost two-thirds have already started.
July 26
Amazon: Consumers are leaving the house, but staying in sweats
Newly updated U.S. shopping data from Amazon indicates consumers are resuming social activities halted during COVID-19, but staying comfy.
July 26
Amazon may become a digital currency player
Based on a new job listing, it appears an omnichannel giant is preparing to accept digital currency payments.
July 26
Bed Bath & Beyond to cut replenishment time by three weeks
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. will open two new regional distribution centers as part of a $250 million supply chain transformation.
July 26
Express converts influencers into salespeople
Express Inc. is turning its influencer marketing program into a full-fledged social commerce platform.
July 26
ThredUp jumpstarts European expansion with $28.5 million Remix acquisition
A leading online resale marketplace for apparel and accessories is accelerating its European growth plans.
July 26
CSA Exclusive: Footwear brand segments customers with AI
Global direct-to-consumer specialty footwear retailer Cariuma is customizing the path to purchase for four distinct customer groups.
July 23
Walmart, PepsiCo partner for high-tech employee recognition
Select Frito-Lay products in Walmart stores will bring customers to a virtual celebration of employees who make a difference.
July 23
At Home completes transition to private company
A $2.8 billion acquisition of At Home Group Inc. has gone through.
July 23
C&S Wholesale Grocers acquires Albertsons frozen service contract
The Albertsons Cos. has a new wholesale supplier of frozen foods.
July 23
Exclusive Q&A: Berlin Brands Group takes logistics in-house
A direct-to-consumer brand platform effectively manages its global logistics infrastructure with a proprietary platform.
July 23
The most-searched online retailer is…
Amazon’s dominance of U.S. e-commerce extends to Google search volume, and the competition isn’t even remotely close.
July 23
Consumers will return to pre-pandemic back-to-school shopping habits
As COVID-19 shows signs of receding, consumers are returning to stores and starting earlier for their back-to-school shopping needs.
July 23
Hudson’s Bay provides uniforms for Canadian Olympic team
Team Canada will represent its country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games outfitted in clothing from Hudson’s Bay.
July 23
Walgreens bringing new VillageMD clinics to Indiana
Walgreens Boots Alliance and VillageMD are expanding the availability of Village Medical at Walgreens practices in Indiana.
July 23
National food bank launches online ordering system
Feeding America, a nationwide network of 200 food banks, is introducing a grocery ordering platform called OrderAhead.
July 22
Walmart spreads cloud powered checkout across enterprise
A discount giant has taken a cloud-based self-checkout system from its U.S. garden centers to all over the store and the world.
July 22
Amazon opens second high-tech grocery store with ‘Just Walk Out’
The Washington, D.C., market is getting its second Amazon Fresh brick-and-mortar grocery store, and its first with fully autonomous checkout.
July 22
Survey: Retailers prioritize back-to-school over holiday
Retailers have big hopes for the back-to-school season, with six in 10 saying it is more important than the upcoming holiday shopping period.
July 22
Exclusive Q&A: 1-800-Flowers.com Inc. cultivates holiday success all year
1-800-Flowers.com pursues a yearlong, integrated omnichannel strategy to ensure its front- and back-end operations are ready for the holidays.
July 22
At Home opening three stores in July
A value home décor retailer is opening two new East Coast stores and one new West Coast location during the month of July.
July 22
Home Depot extends cloud partnership with Google
The Home Depot is supporting digital transformation across its entire enterprise with Google Cloud technology.
July 22
Online grocery shoppers show growing preference for in-store pickup
The U.S. online grocery market showed contraction in year-over-year sales for the second straight month in June 2021, as in-store pickup gained momentum.
July 22
Gartner recognizes Dynamic Yield as personalization leader
Experience optimization platform Dynamic Yield has received top honors in the latest Gartner Magic Quadrant for Personalization Engines.
July 22
Gap integrates rewards program among its four brands
Gap Inc. is combining the previous credit card and loyalty programs under Navyist Rewards, Gap Good Rewards, Banana Republic Rewards, and Athleta Rewards.
July 22
Survey: The number one mobile text promotion consumers want is…
About two-thirds of consumers agree the best type of text-based promotion is one that directly saves them money.
July 22
Instacart to deliver micro-fulfillment in new supply chain initiative
Instacart plans to join major grocers such as Kroger, Walmart, and Albertsons with a micro-fulfillment strategy.
July 21
First Ulta Beauty in-store shops at Target to open in August — here’s where
Target Corp. and Ulta Beauty have revealed more details — including the brand lineup — about the Ulta Beauty at Target shop-in-shop initiative.
July 21
Costco pilots same-day grocery delivery with Uber
Uber is announcing its second major grocery delivery partnership of the week.
July 21
QVC, HSN host digital party for beauty lovers
QVC and HSN’s Beauty Bash returns in a virtual format in September.
July 21
Harley-Davidson roars into online used vehicle vertical
A legendary motorcycle brand is rolling out an online marketplace for pre-owned motorcycles.
July 21
Dollar General opens new distribution center in Kentucky
Dollar General has launched its second supply chain facility in the Bluegrass State.
July 21
Google showcases deals in search, shopping results
Google is making it easier for consumers to find discounted items on its platform.
July 21
Network connectivity marks the spot for Long John Silver’s
The largest quick-service seafood restaurant chain in the U.S. is leveraging managed cloud services to create a reliable, high-speed network.
July 21
First Look: Bed Bath & Beyond transforms New York flagship
Bed Bath & Beyond will reopen its flagship store in New York City on Thursday, July 22, with a completely reimagined shopping experience.
July 21
Walmart health event returns to stores
Walmart Wellness Day occurs at more than 4,700 Walmart pharmacies nationwide on Saturday, July 24.
July 21
Survey: E-commerce set to soar for the holidays
A new survey indicates online will remain the primary channel for Americans to complete their holiday shopping in 2021.
July 21
Regional convenience chain debuts ‘scan and go’ shopping
Loop Neighborhood is introducing an autonomous, frictionless shopping experience at two stores in the Bay area.
July 20
Albertsons streamlines consumer access to COVID-19 services
Albertsons Cos. is making it easier for consumers to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations, information and testing.
July 20
Batteries Plus passes 50 franchise agreements in first half of 2021
The nation's largest and fastest-growing battery, light bulb, key fob and repair franchise is having its best development year since it began.
July 20
Northeast grocer saves over $2 million with energy improvements
Price Chopper/Market 32 is improving environmental impact, lowering energy costs and updating existing systems across five Connecticut stores.
July 20
What’s old is new again at Madewell – with help from ThredUp
Madewell and ThredUp Inc. are jointly launching "Madewell Forever" — Madewell's new resale platform.
July 20
J.C. Penney plans inclusive ‘store-within-a-store’ beauty experience
The J.C. Penney Co., Inc. is preparing for the fall launch of J.C. Penney Beauty, a new, inclusive in-store and online shopping environment.
July 20
Exclusive Q&A: Batteries Plus charges up franchise store growth
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on brick-and-mortar retail performance, Batteries Plus expanded its franchise store fleet.
July 20
Nordstrom promotes veteran exec to chief HR role
Nordstrom is putting a familiar face in the position of chief human resources officer.
July 20
Price spikes boost Q2 consumer spending; retailers face costly holiday
The Q2 Salesforce Shopping Index indicates digital revenue growth is slowing, but online prices are being impacted by rising inflation.
July 20
Verishop goes where Gen Z is - Snapchat
A youth-focused e-commerce retailer is creating a digital experience within a Gen Z-friendly social platform.
July 20
Kroger taps finance exec as investor relations head
The Kroger Co. is promoting Rob Quast, director of insurance and claims, to a new position as head of investor relations.
July 20
Bezos joins billionaire astronaut club
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos went into space after Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, but he flew higher.
July 19
Report: Amazon cancels Prime Day in Canada due to COVID-19 concerns
Canadian consumers will reportedly not be celebrating their own version of Amazon’s annual omnichannel sales extravaganza this year.
July 19
Ross Stores opens 30 new locations
So far, it has been a summer of expansion for Ross Stores.
July 19
Back-to-school spending will hit all-time high
The National Retail Federation expects consumers to spend record amounts for both school and college supplies as students prepare to return to in-person classrooms.
July 19
New app disrupts laundromat model with independent contractors
The Happy Hamper app provides on-demand “home-to-home” laundry services.
July 19
Exclusive Q&A: Grocery retailers must adapt to shifting landscape
COVID-19, as well as supply chain disruption and sustainability concerns, are requiring grocery retailers to leverage innovative solutions and strategies.
July 19
Rent the Runway prepares to go public
Rent the Runway has confidentially submitted a draft registration statement for a proposed initial public offering of its Class A common stock with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
July 19
Tractor Supply continues strong performance in Q2; raises guidance
Tractor Supply Co. beat analyst expectations for same-store sales in the second quarter of fiscal 2021, and is increasing its guidance for the full fiscal year.
July 19
Hibbett hosts job training program for disabled teens
Hibbett Inc. partnered with United Ability of Alabama to offer a six-week summer Job Exploration Training Services (JETS) program.
July 19
Albertsons adds Uber to growing roster of delivery partners
A leading U.S. grocer is rolling out on-demand delivery via Uber and Uber Eats across 1,200 stores.
July 19
Macy’s introduces new private label apparel brand
The Macy’s “And Now This” private label brand is launching in ready-to-wear and men’s categories.
July 19
Walmart expands wine offering
A new series in the Walmart Winemakers Selection label focuses on premium wines without the premium cost.
July 16
Klarna gives select small retailers a big break
A global retail bank, payments and shopping service is suspending payment fees and providing free marketing to assist small-to-mid-sized businesses.
July 16
Rebag offers instant gratification for resale
A digitally native handbag reseller is enabling customers to buy and sell items in a single, combined transaction.
July 16
Exclusive Q&A: Fireworks retailer sees explosive e-commerce growth
Red Apple Fireworks celebrates online success during its busy July 4 season and all year long, with assistance from the BigCommerce e-commerce platform.
July 16
Specialty car electronics retailer amplifies leads, sales via chat
Car Toys is accelerating its revenue growth with a boost from the Podium mobile communication/payment platform.
July 16
Giant Food accepts online federal benefit payments
A regional grocer is now accepting federal EBT SNAP payments for eligible items for online in-store pickup and curbside pickup orders.
July 14
Survey: Social shopping soars during pandemic
Consumers have been turning to social media to discover and purchase produces much more since the start of COVID-19.
July 14
Walgreens, Prime Therapeutics partnership connects patients to financial help
Alliance Rx Walgreens Prime is dedicating human and technological resources to provide information on financial assistance programs available to eligible patients.
July 14
Apple reportedly prepares buy now, pay later offering
The buy now, pay later flex payment solution market may be getting a powerful new participant.
July 14
Store-only credit cards in comeback — but retailers go to new payment preferences
Payments with private-label credit cards picked up after dropping sharply during the pandemic.
July 14
Bed Bath & Beyond expands curbside pickup, same-day delivery options
Bed Bath & Beyond customers now have the option of picking up their online orders even before stores open.
July 14
Exclusive Q&A: IBM reveals how AI helps solve supply chain challenges
As unpredictable world events highlight supply chain weaknesses, retailers and suppliers can leverage artificial intelligence technology to effectively respond.
July 14
Walmart brings automation to regional distribution centers
Walmart is applying artificial intelligence to the palletizing of products in its regional distribution centers.
July 13
Verizon, Mastercard partner to accelerate 5G contactless payments solutions
Verizon Business and Mastercard are collaborating to enable seamless 5G mobile payment and shopping, among other connected experiences.
July 13
Amazon adds new sustainability certifications
Amazon is partnering with major health, organic, and animal welfare organizations to help shoppers find more sustainable products.
July 13
Save A Lot becomes ‘mobile-first’ with new cloud infrastructure
One of the largest discount grocery store chains in the U.S is streamlining the use of mobile devices across its enterprise.
July 13
Survey: Brand trust pays big dividends post-pandemic
A new survey indicates that brands which took steps to build trust with consumers during COVID-19 will benefit as spending heats up.
July 13
7-Eleven expands mobile checkout nationally
7-Eleven Inc. is introducing its mobile checkout contactless shopping solution to an additional 2,500 stores across the U.S.
July 13
Amazon in big push to hire 100,000 veterans and military spouses
Amazon is looking to beef up its workforce with talent from the military.
July 13
GoDaddy integrates online store offering with Google
Retailers that operate an online store on the GoDaddy platform can now directly reach out to consumers via Google.
July 13
Sam’s Club expands Scan and Go solution
Sam’s Club is piloting a new delivery feature for its in-store contactless, “Scan & Go” mobile payment offering.
July 12
Grocery co-op provides delivery, EBT payments via Mercato partnership
National Co+op Grocers is opening a variety of digital services from grocery e-commerce platform Mercato to its members.
July 12
Walmart ups stake in Indian Amazon competitor
Walmart is a participant in the latest funding round for Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart.
July 12
Klarna moves into social commerce space
A global retail bank, payments and shopping service is acquiring a social shopping technology provider.
July 12
Report: Guess breach may have exposed data
Guess is sending alerts of a February hacking episode that may have provided unauthorized access to data.
July 12
Billionaire Branson blasts into space
Colorful Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has reached space before Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
July 12
Survey: Long online checkout leads to abandoned carts
A new survey indicates that offering an expedited online checkout process is critical to e-commerce success.
July 09
Walmart focuses on renewable energy, inclusion, COVID-19
Walmart’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) activities include climate action, inclusive hiring and promotions, and COVID-19 remediation.
July 09
New clothing rental retailer targets men
Outfitting male shoppers can be a challenge, but a new online clothing rental platform called Taelor is applying a combination of human and artificial intelligence.
July 09
Visa: Spending momentum continues but uneven across U.S.; strongest in West
Consumer spending remained solid in June, with a majority of consumers spending more than they one year ago.
July 09
Report: New antitrust order will target Big Tech
President Joe Biden is reportedly ready to sign an executive order that will increase antitrust scrutiny in major corporate sectors, including technology.
July 09
Digital grocery shopping (including mobile) has bright future
A new survey indicates consumers will continue buying groceries online post-pandemic, with strong mobile usage trends.
July 09
David’s Bridal customers say yes to new loyalty program
The nation’s largest bridal retailer reports that more than 500,000 customers have said “I do” to Diamond, Loyalty Program by David’s.
July 09
CSA Exclusive: Beauty brand succeeds with Facebook livestream
For Alleyoop, the Facebook “Live Shopping Fridays” livestream promotion to be a slam dunk for sales and engagement.
July 08
Rural lifestyle retailer integrates space management with supply chain
Family Farm & Home is upgrading manual planogramming systems and linking store planning to supply chain data.
July 08
Vera Bradley personalizes customer experience with appointments
Vera Bradley is enabling customers to select an in-person or virtual shopping session.
July 08
Walgreens extends same-day delivery to prescriptions
Walgreens is now offering same-day delivery of prescription medications in nearly all store locations, seven days a week.
July 08
Westfield shopping centers to offer flex payments
A major mall operator is teaming up with a leading buy now, pay later (BNPL) platform.
July 08
Chipotle targets Gen Z applicants on TikTok; seeks 15,000 new hires
Chipotle Mexican Grill is among the first companies to leverage the new TikTok Resumes feature.
July 07
BigCommerce opens Amazon fulfillment to sellers
A leading e-commerce platform is integrating with Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment services.
July 07
Walmart, H&M, Ikea launch climate change initiative
A group of several leading retailers, including Walmart, are joining forces to reduce carbon and limit global warming.
July 07
Study – Speedy sites satisfy shoppers
A single second can have a big impact on the success of an e-commerce site.
July 07
Newegg will build your computer to order
Newegg is expanding its options for customers who prefer a custom-built computer.
July 07
Digital sales gain momentum despite aging e-commerce platforms
A new retailer survey indicates that successful retailers are focusing on digital channel sales, but may not be staying current with their technology.
July 06
BigCommerce extends European presence
A leading U.S.-based e-commerce platform is growing from the U.K. into continental Europe.
July 06
Amazon extends COVID-19 testing to customers
Consumers can order virtually anything on Amazon.com – and that now includes at-home COVID-19 testing kits.
July 06
Customers love hunting, bragging about online deals
A new survey indicates that retailers gain multiple benefits from offering deals to online shoppers.
July 06
Online shoppers prefer mobile, especially for these products…
Close to half of all online shoppers would rather use their mobile phones, and more than three-quarters make mobile purchases in one key category.
July 06
Subway refreshes digital experience, menu items
A renovation is going on at Subway – and it spans the fast-food chain’s digital ordering functionality and product assortment.
July 06
Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s say goodbye to old ad – via NFT
A fast-food hamburger chain is featuring images from a 2015 advertising campaign in its first-ever non-fungible token (NFT) offering.
July 06
Brookfield Properties to enhance mall shopping with augmented reality
A major mall operator will leverage augmented reality (AR) technology to offer immersive experiences in all of its shopping centers.
July 02
Carvana sets course for Wichita
An omnichannel platform for buying and selling used cars is opening in its fifth market in Kansas as it approaches operations in 300 U.S. markets.
July 02
Billionaire space race gets new entrant
Jeff Bezos is getting upstaged by the colorful founder of the Virgin Group.
July 02
Consumers will keep shopping online, especially for one feature
A new survey indicates retailers that want to capture share of a growing e-commerce market should provide one key option.
July 02
CSA Exclusive: Kroger delivers targeted training – in small doses
Kroger is providing frontline associates with easily digested mobile training sessions during the course of their regular workday.
July 02
Kroger renovating distribution center for robotics
A grocery titan is substantially expanding the size and capabilities of a major distribution center in Ohio.
July 01
Forrester: Stores will account for 71% of all U.S. retail sales by 2024
As the COVID-19 pandemic forced many brick-and-mortar stores to close in 2020, U.S. e-commerce saw its highest year-over growth since 2002.
July 01
Checkout-free store's daily customers jump 250%
A new autonomous convenience store in the Vantage Pointe luxury high-rise community in San Diego is off to a roaring start.
July 01
Ahold Delhaize cuts warehouse worker strain with robotic ‘exosuits’
The newest supply chain technology at Ahold Delhaize USA seems like something out of a comic book, but addresses a very real employee issue.
July 01
Survey: Online shoppers seek research content
The overwhelming majority of online shoppers always or often interact with product recommendations.
July 01
Amazon cites electric vans, renewable energy as sustainability wins
Amazon had a busy 2020 in terms of pursuing global sustainability goals.