We're closing out a year that saw stores cautiously open with pandemic protocols, then saw doors open wide because vaccines were introduced, then saw mask rules go back into effect because of the Delta variant, all while online shopping grew for both ecommerce-only and traditional retailers because it was a safe and stable way to shop -- until the supply chain crisis kicked in. ...Who needs a nap? Agile Retail Retailers and brands have been pushed to be more creative and responsive than ever, especially since consumers have remained motivated …
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How to Cultivate Loyalty with Next Gen Shoppers
It's hard to say how school, events, work and retail will look in the coming months, what with COVID's Delta variant impacting protocols on a seemingly daily basis. But for brands, retailers and marketers who are aiming to reach the Gen Z shopper, it's no time for uncertainty. This generation is maturing, as is its buying power, making it more important than ever to cultivate loyalty despite the stops, starts, and potential for more disruption. The Gen Z Lens Generation Z is generally defined as those born from 1997 to 2015, meaning they now …
The Fast Fashion Disconnect
A year ago, it seemed like Covid might finally have been the one opponent powerful enough to thwart fast fashion, the category known for inexpensive and cheaply made "disposable" garments. Headlines opined about fast fashion's end: lockdowns lead to a slump in demand for new clothes, garments were stock piled in warehouses and consumers suddenly seemed to realize they didn't need new clothes every other week. Designers welcomed the idea of not competing with fast fashion's endless deliveries. Regularly, it seemed, talk focused on better …
New Experiences and Stores Post-Covid
Despite the fact that Covid-19 and the Delta variant are still creeping around the nation, enough people have received vaccines that highly-vaccinated regions are "opening up" and "getting back" to pre-Covid life – mostly sans masks and social distancing. The trouble is retail has to come to terms with the fact that everything was not copacetic before the world shutdown. Great Expectations Reuniting with shoppers might feel so good, but the bloom might be off the rose quickly if shoppers aren't offered approaches and experiences that …
Cater to Your Customers — Locally
There's an old adage: You get what you get, and you don't get upset. Clearly, that doesn't apply to retail. For some time now, the axiom has been customers want what they want, when they want it. And Covid-19 accelerated that. Apparel shoppers want choices, and they want the stores and clothes to reflect their local tastes and demands. And they still want what they want when, where and how they want it delivered. Post-Pandemic Paradigms Coresight Research says the pandemic "accelerated consumer disinterest in homogeneous physical retail …
Are You Ready for the Next Level of Business Casual?
Now that about one-third of Americans are fully vaccinated, businesses are considering when to bring office employees back to the workplace. But after more than a year that saw Covid-19 give new meaning to business casual -- sales of pajamas more than doubled last year over 2019 -- employees and retailers alike are wondering what will be the new definition of professional attire. Hint: Casual and comfortable will play major roles. Work Shift Ford Motor Company is planning to offer 30,000 employees a hybrid option to work from home, only …
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High Tech Elevates Activewear
After a year that saw more than a few people sapped of their motivation, the warm weather of spring is inspiring many of us to get up and get active again. Inevitably, consumers will mark the occasion with some new workout wear. Of course, many school and work-from-home outfits featured activewear pieces, making it safe to say the athleticwear trend will remain strong for some time. Activewear Trending That's why those in the activewear market should take note of the latest trends and performance technologies that are offered in consumers' …
How to Meet the Demands of the 2021 Gen Z Shopper
Buzzfeed has a fun quiz that lets people know if they're a millennial or Gen Z based on the clothes they like. Bucket hat? Gen Z. Skinny jeans? Millennials. To the casual reader, it might seem silly. To fashion marketers, knowing which trend appeals to which generation is key to reaching them and selling product. Yet when it comes to Gen Z, the pandemic has highlighted differences within the group as well as discrepancies between what they want and what is available -- presenting an opportunity in this younger market. Gen Z Anxiety Statista …