RETAILERS

Tariffs threaten model railroading as industry group seeks relief

The model railroad industry, along with other hobby sectors, faces an existential crisis as Trump administration tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese imports dramatically increase costs for manufacturers, retailers and consumers. In response, the Hobby Industry Coalition launched a national campaign Monday seeking targeted tariff relief to protect American small businesses and the creative industries they support.

The coalition, which represents a broad spectrum of the U.S. toy and hobby industry,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/tariffs-threaten-model-railroading-as-industry-group-seeks-relief

Locked up and losing out

Walgreens and retailers are dealing with a delicate balancing act between securing goods from theft while ensuring that security measures don’t drive customers away. Recent insights from Walgreens and the National Retail Federation (NRF) illustrate the complexity of this issue and highlight strategies retailers are employing to address it.

Facing a 52% increase in stolen inventory, Walgreens resorted to locking up a wide range of products. However, as CEO Tim Wentworth noted during a January...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/locked-up-and-losing-out

Welcome to the new and improved product

Summer’s unofficially over and we’ve made a few changes (all for the better) to The Stockout newsletter and podcast. We’re consolidating content previously under The Stockout (CPG) and Point of Sale (retail) while keeping The Stockout name. So, those subscribed to Point of Sale are now signed up for The Stockout. The content overlapped too much to do anything else, such as discussions of dynamics between retailers and their suppliers. In addition, Grace Sharkey has joined me on The Stockout...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/welcome-to-the-new-and-improved-product

How advanced weather tech is reshaping retail

The average consumer makes a shocking 35,000 decisions each day. 

Big or small, each of those is influenced by a number of factors, including the weather. What’s going on outside has a direct impact on consumer moods, needs and behaviors, making weather a key consideration for retailers.

Seasonal buying cycles, for example, are ingrained in almost every retail business’ preparations each year. Companies plan inventory accordingly for spikes in demand for commodities like snow blowers in the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-advanced-weather-tech-is-reshaping-retail

Consumer sentiment could be setting up retailers for gloomy holiday

Sales floor of a Neiman Marcus store

Global inflation may finally be taking its toll on consumers. 

A new survey of more than 8,000 consumers and 800 merchants in eight countries found that holiday shopping will be muted this year, with as much as $46 billion in total being cut from spending budgets.

The Holiday Shopping Trends Report: Winning Customers Despite Uncertainty, conducted by Auctane and Retail Economics for ShipStation (Auctane is the parent company of ShipStation), found a disconnect between shoppers and merchants.

Accord...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/consumer-sentiment-could-be-setting-up-retailers-for-gloomy-holiday

Viewpoint: A resilient supply chain requires a holistic approach to management

supply chain technology

This commentary was written by Ahmed Raza, vice president of PartnerLinQ. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Modern Shipper or its affiliates.

Speed and instant gratification have been the biggest catalysts for evolution in the retail industry. Customers want their goods now, and for the most part, various verticals have been able to pivot to meet these demands. Amazon, for example, introduced Prime two-day delivery in 2015 and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/viewpoint-a-resilient-supply-chain-requires-a-holistic-approach-to-management

E-commerce returns: Give the customers what they want

With 60% of consumers willing to break up with a brand over a bad customer experience, the ability of brands to manage the e-commerce customer’s journey has never been more important.

Shippo, an e-commerce technology company that brings together technology, fulfillment and carrier partners, surveyed 1,000 e-commerce customers to find out what is most important to them when it comes to returns. Retail returns from U.S. online sales jumped to 20.8% in 2021, according to data from the National...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/e-commerce-returns-give-the-customers-what-they-want

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