Plus: Leading through change | Family-owned business dynamics
It’s not too late. There are still things you can do to maximize holiday sales, like focusing on post-Christmas shoppers eager to spend their gift money or vacationers shopping into the New Year. And help harried last-minute shoppers by suggesting gifts and offering flexible shipping options. We also look at what makes an effective leader amid today’s quickly changing retail landscape.
But first, watch how these multigenerational family businesses manage their money—and manage to all get along.
Déjà vu. The new denim wars are harkening back to the early 2000s, but with new celebs.
Ooops. Anti-theft measures are inadvertently putting off shoppers with disabilities and kids.
Party bus. TJ Maxx is maximizing its Maxxinista following with a shopping tour bus.
Kicking it old school. What department store Dillard’s knows that others don’t.
Caution: AI might be making shopping easier, but it’s also causing people to overspend.
6 ways to maximize your holiday sales (it’s not too late)
Christmas is almost here, but holiday optimization is a year-round endeavor. Here’s how to maximize your holiday sales, starting now: While sales may start earlier each year, pace your messaging so shoppers don’t feel overwhelmed; cultivate community; provide gift ideas for weary shoppers; tap into travelers and seasonal behavioral segments; offer flexible, last-minute shipping options; optimize your website and online content with SEO keywords–it’s still the foundation for large-language model AI.
Why this matters: The period after Christmas is still fertile ground for making sales, as shoppers are spending money and gift cards they received as presents. And many are on vacation and shopping into the New Year. (Miami Herald)
Here’s what makes a great retail leader today
Modern Retail culled from its recent “People Who Shaped Retail” list to identify the skills that came up again and again as they interviewed some of the most influential retail leaders of 2025. The three biggest leadership takeaways were: willingness to get into the weeds of any problem; focus on people, not just outcomes; and managing near-term challenges while also staying focused on long-term goals. Sounds straightforward, but considering the uniquely post-pandemic and 2025 challenges retailers are facing, it takes effort to lead well.
Why this matters: Running a successful business takes agility and patience, and some business decisions don’t pay off for a few years. Now more than ever, you must connect with your customers and employees. (Modern Retail)
They’re still buying it: U.S. retail sales rose in November
Paypal deepens small business lending, now includes a bank
SMB owners are losing confidence in the current administration
The latest retail real estate trends from the ICSC conference
Cyber attacks are happening at more small businesses
Your email list is the key to winning loyalty year-round
Brian Cardona, president of AtData, helps retailers harness the power of their email databases to maximize revenue and minimize costs. He argues that email is one thing most businesses could be optimizing more. Knowing when a customer last opened a message, how often they browse, their purchase cadence and cross-channel engagement is all actionable intel that retailers can use to increase loyalty and sales. According to some reports, leveraging email's behavioral insights can increase retention by a third.
“Email is not a secondary channel but where identity, behavior and brand experience converge. Treat it like that and an email list becomes a community rather than a ledger." –Brian Cardona
Why this matters: You can’t personalize your business if you don’t know who your customers are and how they behave. Often, the answer is already in your database. (Retail Customer Experience)
Why you should “clone” your business with AI
The word “clone” is not limited to your physical self. Now AI enables people to duplicate their voice, face and areas of expertise, creating digital extensions of themselves that don’t need to sleep or take lunch breaks. But is the cost to adopt this technology worth it? Small businesses can save time and money by using AI clones in customer service and sales, training and onboarding, making videos without a camera crew and sharing expertise and thought leadership. Caveat: make sure you are clear with customers about what is human and what is AI.
Why this matters: Don’t bother doing it if you don’t observe KPIs. Small business owners should measure ROI not only by time and money saved, but also productivity, lead gen, conversion and risk reduction. (Forbes)
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The SKUpe is curated and written by Marcy Medina and edited by Bianca Prieto.
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