Tom Ryan

New York

Managing Editor at RetailWire

Articles

Will Tariffs Reignite Food Inflation?

1 week ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

©Prostock-Studio via Canva.comJune 20, 2025Tom RyanMany consumers believe tariffs are playing the primary role in driving food inflation, with many expecting they’ll only drive prices higher later in the year. A recent survey from The Feedback Group found that 61% of U.S. supermarket shoppers feel stressed about rising grocery prices.
Should Eliminating Free Shipping Be a Tariff Offset?

1 week ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

©pixelshot via Canva.comJune 19, 2025Tom RyanNot offering free shipping has been shown to be a leading cause of online shopping cart abandonment rates, but some online sellers are eliminating the perk or making it harder to get to lessen the brunt of product price hikes.
Why Did Amazon Double Its Prime Day Event to 4 Days?

1 week ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

eplisterra/Depositphotos.comJune 18, 2025Tom RyanAmazon announced plans to expand its annual Prime Day event to four days, up from two traditionally. The event, reserved for Prime members, will take place this year from July 8 through July 11 and span 26 countries. “We’re extending it to four days because our members have told us they just need more time to shop the deals,” Jamil Ghani, Amazon vice president of worldwide Prime, told Reuters.
Should Increasing Dwell Time Be a Goal for All Retailers?

1 week ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

©pixelshot via Canva.comJune 17, 2025Tom RyanThe Wall Street Journal chronicled how Canada Goose, Coach-owner Tapestry, and Tanger Outlets are adding amenities to encourage shoppers to spend more time shopping in stores in an attempt to increase their chances of conversion. Among the amenities, Canada Goose is adding VIP lounges, curated displays, and Canadian art to some stores to join its cold rooms that offer shoppers a chance to try on parkas in sub-zero weather.
Is RFID Finally Reinventing Retail Selling Floors?

1 week ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

©FeelPic via Canva.comJune 16, 2025Tom RyanAcademy Sports, Old Navy, and Kroger have all recently rolled out RFID projects to improve inventory accuracy at the store level. On its first-quarter analyst call, Academy Sports officials indicated that the company has been rolling out RFID scanners to all stores this spring, leveraging RFID chips already embedded in products from key brands such as Nike, Jordan, and Adidas, to update store inventories on a weekly basis.
Will AI Elevate Job Recruitment at Retail?

2 weeks ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

Tarik_vision/Depositphotos.comJune 13, 2025Tom RyanShowing the potential of artificial intelligence to reimagine the job-recruitment process, Walmart is piloting a new AI Interview Coach tool to help prospective candidates prepare for their interview. Simulating a realistic Walmart interview, candidates answer up to 10 questions, are scored for each response on a 1-10 scale, and receive pointers on structure, clarity and confidence.
Will Social Media Replace Search Engines For Product Discovery?

2 weeks ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

Variant/Depositphotos.comJune 12, 2025Tom RyanSurveys in recent years have shown that social media has replaced search engines as the go-to place for product discovery among younger consumers, leading to speculation about how soon it will lead product search for all generations.
What’s Next for the In-Store Beauty Experience?

2 weeks ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

Minervastock/Depositphotos.comJune 11, 2025Tom RyanWith online platforms from TikTok Shop to Amazon to SHEIN increasingly driving beauty discovery and offering convenience, the in-store beauty experience may need a revamp. A recent survey of over 1,600 U.S. beauty shoppers from ChangeUp, a design agency, found 69% think beauty product shopping is overwhelming, pointing to an opportunity for better curation at the store level.
Are Endcap Displays Too ‘Transactional’ in Stores?

2 weeks ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

JHVEPhoto/Depositphotos.comJune 10, 2025Tom RyanPetco is taking a “more strategic” approach to endcap displays that better spreads the benefits across vendors, Petco, and in-store shoppers. “Historically, our endcap displays were more transactional agreements with our vendors without a customer lens,” said Petco’s CEO, Joel Anderson, on the retailer’s first-quarter analyst call.
Should Robots Be Delivering Packages?

2 weeks ago | retailwire.com | Tom Ryan

iStock.com/400tmaxJune 9, 2025Tom RyanAmazon is reportedly developing artificial intelligence that will enable humanoid robots to deliver parcels using vans, aiming to automate delivery from warehouse to doorstep.