Today on Total Retail

Staples and Party City announced Tuesday a strategic partnership bringing Party City inside more than 700 Staples locations nationwide and on Staples.com, with plans to expand to additional stores by the end of 2026. The collaboration brings Party City’s selection of balloons, décor and party supplies together with Staples same-day print and marketing services. Customers…

The retail industry has entered a new era, one in which fragmented omnichannel strategies are no longer enough to meet rising consumer expectations and mounting operational pressures. According to Manhattan Associates’ latest report, Unified Commerce Powers Future Retail Success, the retailers pulling ahead are those that have moved beyond omnichannel and embraced unified commerce: a…

For years, the marketing industry has been nudged toward a narrative of convergence: that influencer marketing and affiliate marketing are on an inevitable path to becoming one. The argument is tempting. Both involve third-party partners. Both thrive on digital platforms. Both have been swept into the same vendor pitches and industry conference tracks. However, this…

Retailers have long allowed customers to trade old devices for credit toward new purchases; it’s a well-established industry practice. And yet, most retailers still don’t treat it as a core sales driver. With consumer interest in trade-ins growing, now is the time for retailers to examine how they structure and market their programs. Currently, there’s…

Inventory data has quietly become the most important customer experience (CX) system in modern retail, and the foundation of true, storewide intelligence that connects what customers see on shelves with what systems believe is available. When shelf reality and system reality match, every other experience promised — from personalization to buy online, pick up in-store…

Apple said on Monday that John Ternus is succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, with Cook assuming the role of executive chairman on Sept. 1. Ternus, a senior vice president of hardware engineering, will join Apple’s board of directors when he becomes CEO. Apple’s non-executive chairman Arthur Levinson will become the iPhone-maker’s lead independent director on…

Retail’s retreat from self-checkout (SCO) is swift and highly visible as major chains are aggressively scaling back lanes. Even local governments are beginning to get involved, with proposed legislation in places like New York City aimed at restricting usage and increasing staffing requirements. SCO feels like it’s assumed the most significant amount of blame for…

Artificial intelligence-driven traffic to U.S. retail websites increased 4,700 percent in 2025. Retailers that have developed an agentic AI digital commerce space, or are exploring that possibility, are facing new challenges and risks as consumer use explodes. What is Agentic AI? Retailers have to meet current customer expectations by providing an omnichannel shopping experience that…

A steady stream of new customers keeps revenue moving even as earlier customers fail to convert into repeat buyers. However, over time the imbalance builds and catches up, pushing growth toward constant replacement instead of repeat behavior and putting more pressure on spend. When that strain shows up, teams often double down on what looks…

When times get tough, the old playbook says to tighten your belt and cut costs wherever you can. But small businesses in 2026 are flipping the script. For Constant Contact’s latest Small Business Now report, we surveyed more than 1,500 small business owners to understand their concerns and strategies around marketing for 2026. While they…