The Supply Side

The Supply Side: Majority of consumers brace for a recession

A recent survey report from First Insight, a predictive analytics firm, looked at how inflation and consumer attitudes showed that nearly all of those surveyed in April and July are…

The Supply Side: Product shortages, rising prices create push for shopper loyalty

Rising prices and product shortages continue to change consumer shopping behaviors, forcing retailers to focus more on customer loyalty and acquiring and retaining their shopping base, according to a new…

The Supply Side: U.S. retail expansion to include 4,432 new stores in 2022

Brick-and-mortar retail is alive in 2022, with more than twice the number of new store openings compared to store closures through the first seven months of this year. Coresight Research…

The Supply Side: Numerator reports Walmart is No.1 in private-label market share

Rising prices are pushing consumers to private-label products for food, consumables and general goods, according to a report from Numerator, a data and tech company serving the market research space….

The Supply Side: Fraudulent retail returns become mainstream with $23 billion in losses

The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that 10.6% of online returns are fraudulent, totaling more than $23 billion in 2021. It is often a retailer’s best customers who are taking…

The Supply Side: Families prepare to spend more on back-to-school

Inflation is taking a toll on family budgets just as the back-to-school shopping season gets underway. The National Retail Federation reports that 38% of families admit having to cut back…

The Supply Side: Reshoring interest picks up from manufacturers

As Walmart wraps up its ninth year of what is to be a two-decade-long manufacturing jobs initiative, more manufacturers are showing interest in onshoring some of their overseas production, according…

The Supply Side: Walmart works to redefine retail for another 60 years

This month, Walmart turned 60 years old, but the retail giant is not resting on its laurels. “We might be the largest retailer, but we also want to be the…

Fayetteville firm SupplyPike receives $25 million in series B capital

Fayetteville-based startup SupplyPike has raised $25 million in series B capital to support its growth. The supply chain technology company will primarily use the money to add high-tech workers. Over…

The Supply Side: Field Agent launches Plum marketplace for supplier services

Field Agent, a company based in Fayetteville, was founded 12 years ago on the principle of solving problems for retail suppliers. Today, the company continues to evolve by launching a…

The Supply Side: Walmart ups private brand investment for home, fashion

Shoppers have never been more open to trying private brands for consumer staples after the supply chain disruption that forced changes in shopping behavior amid the pandemic. Market research firm…

The Supply Side: Walmart says it won’t lose grocery market share to dollar stores in recessionary period

Discount retailers often win and retain share in recessions combined with rising prices. Walmart is the largest U.S. grocer and is known for low prices no matter the economic conditions….

The Supply Side: Retailers grapple with widespread inventory glut in recent quarter

It’s been a feast or famine for many retailers in the past two years amid supply chain challenges resulting from the COVID-19-induced global shutdown in 2020 to the Russian invasion…

The Supply Side: Consumer spending shifts driven by inflation, end of stimulus funds

According to a survey by management and analytics firm Tango, with consumer spending expected to rebound after two years of pandemic disruptions, inflation threatens to inhibit the critical consumer impact…

The Supply Side: Walmart expands Marketplace to sellers from India

Walmart International CEO Judith McKenna remains bullish about growth opportunities in India since the retail giant’s majority purchase of Flipkart in 2018 for $16 billion. Walmart has since expanded its…

The Supply Side: Global supply chain pain persists

According to analysts with RBC Capital Markets, supply chain bottlenecks are expected to continue during 2022, despite previous forecasts of improvements in the back half of 2022. That is not…

The Supply Side: Brands shrinking package sizes amid inflationary pressures

With consumer prices at 40-year highs, shoppers know their grocery dollars are being squeezed. And so is the packaging. Package sizes are shrinking — known as “shrinkflation” — on everything…

The Supply Side: Supply chain innovation key to better customer service

Walmart, a leader in supply chain innovation with more than four decades of experience over chief competitor Amazon, is still challenged to meet consumer demand, according to David Guggina, senior…

The Supply Side: Walmart signs exclusive agreement with Jenny and Dave Marrs

Walmart helped put Northwest Arkansas on the map. Home makeover duo Jenny and Dave Marrs continue to spotlight the region’s beauty and culture to millions of viewers on the HGTV…

The Supply Side: Consumer packaged goods makers, retailers prep for possible recession

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers are operating in uncharted waters with inflation at a 40-year high, supply chain issues not helped by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, labor shortages and…