Total Retail Talks

In episode 49 of Total Retail Talks, I interview Jamal Robinson, founder and president of DESIAR. DESIAR is an online retailer of handcrafted wooden sunglasses that was founded in a college dorm room. Robinson talks about the brand's journey as well as his personal goals for growing the business.

In episode 48 of Total Retail Talks, Mabel McLean, director of Amazon IQ at L2, a member-based business intelligence firm that benchmarks digital trends, discusses the key findings of L2's most recent fashion digital survey, “Amazon: Fashion Pricing Insight Report," including how aggressive Amazon’s dynamic pricing algorithm is relative to third-party discounting, how frequently Amazon changes the...

In episode 47 of Total Retail Talks, Pat Dermody, president of Retale, a location-based mobile platform that helps shoppers save on purchases from their favorite retailers, discusses the key findings to emerge from the company's third annual "Back-to-School Mobile Shopper Report."

In episode 46 of Total Retail Talks, Chuck Surack, founder and CEO of Sweetwater Sound, the nation's largest online music retailer, discusses how the brand has grown from humble beginnings to a leader in its space. Hint: treating its customers and employees the right way has a lot to do with it.

Operating in the highly competitive women's apparel space, New York & Company is fighting for online consumers’ attention and dollars. To help it gain an advantage in that quest, the retailer recently partnered with Zmags to help it create engaging and attractive web pages that garner the attention of busy shoppers. In episode 45 of Total…

When we think of Lowe's, we think of a retailer on top of its game. From its partnership with Google Tango to bring augmented reality to consumers to a seamless social strategy, Lowe's epitomizes what an omnichannel retailer looks like. In episode 44 of Total Retail Talks,Melissa Campanelli, editor-in-chief of Total Retail, talks with Kyle…

Frank + Oak made its reputation as a retailer of men's apparel, accessories and shoes, first selling online, then adding brick-and-mortar stores. The company is about to undertake another evolution as it prepares to sell womenswear. In episode 43 of Total Retail Talks, Eric Alper, chief marketing officer at Frank + Oak, discusses the company's…

Online marketplaces are growing in popularity with shoppers and, therefore, so too are the number of marketplaces available. Shop.com is just one of the beneficiaries of consumers’ increasing penchant for shopping online. The marketplace features over 40 million products across virtually all product categories, and services over 200 markets. In episode 42 of Total Retail…

Threadless, an online retailer of T-shirts, art prints, home decor items and more featuring the designs of its global artist community, is always looking for ways to improve the shopping experience for its customers, which in turn benefits the business. In episode 41 of Total Retail Talks, Jake Nickell, founder and CEO of Threadless, talks…

In episode 40 of Total Retail Talks, Marshal Downey, director of direct marketing at Build.com, discusses how an intelligent fulfillment platform is helping the online home improvement retailer better meet the demands of its customers for a seamless, fast delivery experience.

In an effort to increase the amount of traffic coming to its website from mobile devices, Lighting New York (LNY), a retailer of residential and commercial lighting fixtures, recently partnered with Google and is leveraging the search giant's cross-device conversions data. In episode 39 of Total Retail Talks, Aaron Covaleski, director of search marketing at LNY,…

MGM Resorts International is best known for its casinos and hotels (most of which are in Las Vegas, including The Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, among others), but within those properties the company operates retail stores. In episode 38 of Total Retail Talks, Steve Schnur, director of merchandise planning and analytics for MGM…

In episode 37 of Total Retail Talks, I interview Joy Chen, CEO of skincare brand H2O+ Beauty. Last year, H2O+ Beauty announced a brand relaunch, shifting the focus of its business from manufacturing to innovation and e-commerce; launching new product lines; introducing new channels of digital communication for its customers; and amplifying H2O+ Beauty's brand…

Earlier this month, ATGStores.com, an online retailer of home goods such as lighting and furniture, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Lowe's, announced it had partnered with Porch.com, a home services platform that connects homeowners to home improvement professionals. In episode 37 of Total Retail Talks, Michelle Newbery, president of ATGStores.com, discusses what the partnership…

Chain Reaction Cycles, the world's largest online bike retailer, recently launched an upgraded version of its commerce platform, with capabilities including adaptive targeting and real-time dynamic segmentation. In episode 36 of Total Retail Talks, Mark Lilley, head of e-commerce at Chain Reaction Cycles, talks about how the bike retailer is leveraging these new tools to…

In episode 35 of Total Retail Talks, Jeff Milbourn, director of e-commerce at Marmot, a retailer of high-quality technical apparel and equipment for outdoor enthusiasts, discusses how the brand is using personalization to enhance the online shopping experience, offers some early results into the impact the effort is having on Marmot's business, and lays out…

In episode 34 of Total Retail Talks, Kristin Burrows, president and CEO of Boston-based Second Time Around, an upscale consignment retailer of high-end apparel and accessories for women, discusses the launch of the company's e-commerce site and the impact it will have for customers and the brand.

In episode 33 of Total Retail Talks, I interview Richard Mancinelli, loyalty program manager for Advance Auto Parts. Mancinelli talks about the automotive replacement parts and accessories retailer's third annual mobile tour and the value it provides in driving brand awareness and customer loyalty.

Content marketing has become a favored way for retailers and brands to engage their customers, establish brand awareness and thought leadership, and, ultimately, help them sell more products. In episode 32 of Total Retail Talks, Lisa Dominish, director of e-commerce at Rachel Roy, discusses how the women's fashion retailer is using content as part of…

Personalizing the shopping experience for consumers in all channels is a primary initiative for omnichannel retailers. Saks Fifth Avenue is no exception. In episode 29 of Total Retail Talks, Joe Milano, senior vice president, general manager, digital retail and e-commerce for Saks, talks about how the luxury department store chain is working to give consumers…

invino, a private sale shopping community for wine lovers, wanted to use its members’ passion for the brand — and its wine — to help it recruit new members and, ultimately, customers. The online retailer worked with social commerce platform ShopSocially to embed a "Refer a Friend" app on its website, offering visitors a free…

Late last month the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a firm that provides a cross-industry measure of customer satisfaction, released its 2015 Retail Report. In episode 27 of Total Retail Talks, David VanAmburg, managing director of the ACSI, discusses some of the report's key findings, including why there was an overall drop in customer satisfaction…

In episode 26 of Total Retail Talks, Patrick Cassidy, who leads global digital brand marketing and social media content strategy for New Balance, the athletic footwear, apparel and accessories brand, discusses the company's shift from a point-in-time marketing approach to a consistent, year-round conversation with consumers, and the role content plays in this new strategy.

In episode 25 of Total Retail Talks, we feature a conversation with Meaghan Rose, co-founder and CEO of Rocksbox, a premium jewelry subscription service. Subscription-based commerce — i.e., subscribers paying a monthly or annual fee to have products delivered directly to them on an ongoing basis — is one of the emerging trends in e-commerce.…

In episode 24 of Total Retail Talks, Vijay Ramani, co-founder and CEO of Totspot, a resale shopping app for clothes and accessories for the entire family, discusses why the startup business opted for a mobile app marketplace rather than a traditional e-commerce site as well as the company's plans for its recently secured $1.5 million in…