Walmart is debuting “Add to Heart,” said by the retailer to be a first-of-its-kind shoppable, social-media RomCom series featuring holiday gift items.

Walmart said it regards the 23-part, shoppable series initiatives as an opportunity to create a connection with consumers. Walmart will release “Add to Heart” on TikTok, Roku and YouTube beginning December 2. The remainder of the series drops on December 5 and December 8. “Add to Heart” will also appear on Walmart’s owned social channels.

Almost 60% of Americans say they want to purchase via social media this year, Walmart noted, citing Mintel research. Then, Americans rank watching holiday movies over decorating the tree and baking cookies as favorite holiday traditions, the retailer reported, referencing research commissioned by streaming media platform Plex.

Products available for purchase through the episodes include furniture and holiday décor, as well as the fashions worn by the cast. Almost everything in “Add to Heart” was sourced from Walmart, the company noted, and customers will have the opportunity to shop more than 330 products through the series. With TikTok’s Video Shopping Ads and Roku’s OK to Text feature, customers will be able to shop at home or on the go. Roku users can access the series via Walmart’s first shoppable branded entertainment playlist and a marquee ad on the Roku home screen.

The series features New York designer Jessica as she returns to her hometown for the holidays. After losing her luggage while traveling, she visits her local Walmart, where she bumps into her old flame, Javi. Between the town festivities, decorating and shopping, they start to rekindle their relationship.

“We know gifting and curling up to watch a favorite Christmas movie are part of so many families’ traditions,” said William White, chief marketing officer, Walmart U.S. “So, what better time to launch an innovative, first-of-its-kind shoppable series? ‘Add to Heart’ is a fun, unique way for our customers to be entertained while shopping for the great deals on top brands that they expect from Walmart. We hope they enjoy it and the amazing gifts they order throughout.”

At a time when they are using technology to free workers up for supper interaction, many companies worry that their employee training is insufficient for them to reach their customer experience goals.

The report, entitled ‘Navigating Business Challenges in Retail and Hospitality: Insights and Strategies for 2024’ emerges from a survey of more than 300 retail and hospitality business leaders in the United States.

The survey demonstrated that employee turnover, customer experience and sales are the top three challenges facing retail and hospitality businesses today. Indeed, 66% of retail and hospitality leaders reported that employee turnover and turnover-related fallout is their biggest problem. Staff shortages and retention emerged as a pain point felt by sector leaders, five times greater than any other including loss prevention, no-call no-shows and digital transformation.

Leaders are also concerned about supply and demand, lack of leadership, keeping employees goal-oriented, inflation, cost of goods and labor, employees not retaining information or not caring, and employees being afraid to engage with customers. The survey also found that 92% of retail and hospitality companies still use face-to-face training or desktop-based learning systems. The approach requires time away from customers and may be delivered in a way that lowers engagement, relevance and accessibility, eduMe maintained. Today, 92% still don’t use modern training systems for staff, relying primarily on face-to-face delivery, the company asserted. For more than 50% of retail and hospitality companies, training sessions take more than one day, despite leaders believing that quicker-to-complete training would improve learning outcomes.

Then, 24% of survey respondents thought better accessibility to training would improve the outcome of related initiatives. However, 62% did not currently embed training into human resources systems such as Workday and communications tools such as Microsoft Teams, that they report employees are accessing daily.

Despite the challenges involved, retail and hospitality leaders are committed to upskilling employees, eduMe pointed out, and understand the integral part they play in providing better customer experiences. They acknowledge that employees who go above and beyond have a bigger influence on customer experience than product quality or price.

In announcing the study results eduMe CEO and founder Jacob Waern said, “The retail and hospitality industries are facing a number of challenges, but to see a lack of confidence around customer service and customer experience abilities so keenly felt, especially when 93% of leaders report they are spending considerable time training employees, shows the stark need for a shake up in the methods being used to provide these employees with skills and knowledge. Businesses need to invest in better employee training systems and processes in order to ensure that their frontline teams are equipped to provide the best possible service. We work with a number of companies that have large frontline workforces and the impact they’ve seen when employees have access to information and training on their mobile device, in exciting short forms like ‘TikTok for learning’ as we’ve been described, has been immeasurable in bringing notable improvements in customer service, and importantly, business metrics like retention.”

Bissell has introduced the Little Green HydroSteam Pet, a portable deep cleaner with the company’s HydroSteam technology designed to clean carpet, upholstery, auto interiors, tile and grout. For launch, Bissell partnered with TikTok star, Barbara “Brunch with Babs” Costello, to test the new deep cleaner. 

The Little Green HydroSteam Pet machine features three cleaning modes:

• SteamWash Mode: Designed for stuck-on, sticky, oily messes and oxidizable stains.
• Wash Mode: Formatted for enzymatic stains, like pet accidents.
• Steam-Only Mode: Ideal for refreshing upholstery and cleaning tile, sneakers and more.

The machine features a built-in flow-through heater with a temperature sensor that produces steam from a combination of water and Bissell cleaning solution. A dual-tank system keeps clean water and formula separate from dirty water, pet hair, dirt and debris.

The deep cleaner is designed to clean tough stains on soft surfaces such as carpet, upholstery, stairs and auto interiors with the Tough Stain Tool, as well as hard surfaces including tile, grout and sneakers with the Multi-Surface Tool. A fast-drying function dries upholstery in about 25 minutes, said the company. Bissell also touts permanent stain removal using the Bissel Pet Pro Oxy Spot & Stain Urine Eliminator with StainProtect Formula, which the company describes as its most powerful portable stain removal formula.

Bissell enlisted Costello of “Brunch with Babs”, described as TikTok’s ‘favorite grandmother,” to test the machine as she developed holiday entertaining recipes and décor tips.

“We know that the holidays can bring both stress and mess whether caused by a kitchen catastrophe or furry friend mishap,” said Meighan McLaughlin, Bissell’s associate director, global portable deep cleaning. “The Little Green HydroSteam Pet cleaner is packed with features designed to conquer the most stubborn messes and make clean up quick and easy so people can get back to what is most important this holiday season – spending time with beloved pets, family and friends.”

The Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Pet is available now with an MSRP of $229.99.

Social media platform TikTok has launched the TikTok Shop in the United States as a new way for people to find and shop for products on the app.

TikTok Shop will bring shoppable videos and TikTok Live streams directly to users’ For You feeds, giving brands, merchants and creators the tools to sell directly through shoppable content on the TikTok app. TikTok Shop combines community, creativity and commerce to create a seamless shopping experience for customers based on their interests, said the company.

TikTok Shop offers:

• In-Feed Video and TikTok Live Shopping: Tagged products can be shopped directly from videos or Lives in the For You feed.
• Product Showcase: Consumers can browse product tiles, read reviews and purchase directly from a brand’s profile. Businesses can curate custom product collections directly on their profile pages.
• Shop Tab: Businesses can display their products on a product marketplace where customers can easily search and discover promotions. Recommendations are showcased via product listings and shoppable content and customers can manage orders, all within a single tab.
• Affiliate Program: Creators can connect with sellers through commission-based product marketing opportunities.
• Shop Ads: TikTok Shop Ads bring more opportunities for sellers to promote their TikTok Shops for consumers’ discovery.
• Fulfilled by TikTok: A new logistics solution lets merchants focus on their products while TikTok Shop stores, picks, packs and ships sellers’ products to customers.
• Secure Checkout: TikTok works with trusted third party payment platforms to faciltate transactions in a quick, secure checkout process. All TikTok protected US user data is stored in US and managed by USDS.

TikTok is also offering more services with partner integrations:

• Commerce Platform Partners: TikTok offers merchants the tools to connect directly from their commerce platforms. Shopify merchants can manage their TikTok Shop directly from Shopify through the TikTok for Shopify App. TikTok also offers direct integrations with WooCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, BigCommerce and Magento. Merchants may also integrate with connector apps such as AfterShip, Silk, SKUIQ, CED Commerce and ShoppeDance.
• Multi-Channel Partners: For merchants running omni-channel businesses, TikTok is partnering with multi-channel platforms including Channel Advisor, Feedonomics, Productsup, Pipe17, GoDataFeed, SellerCloud, Linnworks, ChannelEngine, ShoppingFeed and Cymbio.
• Additional Apps & Services: Creators and sellers can also choose from apps such as Zendesk, Gorgias and 1440 for customer service; Printful, Printify and NovaTomato for print-on-demand merchandise; Yotpo for reviews; and shipping with WeeBee, Flowspace and Easyship.

From discovery to purchase, TikTok is committed to providing a safe and secure environment that allows their community to shop with confidence, the company said. All product listings must adhere to TikTok Shop policies and community guidelines or they will be removed.

Merchants and sellers can sign up for TikTok Shop today at https://seller-us-accounts.tiktok.com/account/register.

The Rise of the Gen Z Consumer, a study published by shopping center organization ICSC examining the shopping habits, behaviors and factors that most influence how the emerging generation of consumers interacts with retailers, marketplaces, industry and the economy, depicts a demographic that is keenly aware of the economy as its spending power grows and that balances being cost-conscious with a willingness to pay for convenience and quality.

As such, 78% of GenZers who responded to the survey that’s the basis for the study are concerned about the state of the U.S. economy, a number that increased to 84% among those ages 23 to 26, versus 71% of 16- and 17-year-olds. Their concern mirrors habits around discount shopping, as 48% of the respondents said they prefer off-price and discount retailers. However, this generation is willing to pay for speed and convenience, with 48% of respondents saying they would pay a premium to have online orders delivered more quickly.

The study also demonstrates that Gen Z defies stereotypes regarding personal priorities. Despite having a reputation for prioritizing leisure and personal interests, GenZers are five times as likely to value successful careers over having the newest products. The survey results show a generation-wide inclination to plan for times of uncertainty, with more Gen Z consumers, at 41%  reporting that they save more than they spend compared to those who spend more than they save, at 36%. Responsible financial habits are reflected in their credit usage, as 45% of GenZers use debit cards as their primary source of payment versus cash, at 21%, and credit cards, at 17%. Even buy now, pay later options, developed with Millennials and GenZers as key targets, aren’t winning broad adoption, with only 3% of GenZers saying they use these services often.

Then, Gen Z has a distinct sense of brand loyalty, driven by value, omnichannel offerings and brands that espouse values that align with their own. Although price and convenience remain the top driver of their behavior, Gen Z is unafraid to champion values, which are reflected in their shopping habits, given that 56% said they are willing to spend more for sustainably sourced products. When asked about their top concerns and causes, GenZers cite mental health, at 53%, climate change and sustainability, at 47%, racial and gender equity, at 47%, and LGBTQ+ rights, at 26%. In addition, two in five say ethical labor practices are “essential” if a company wants to win their support.

Gen Z may be viewed as a generation that grew up online, but almost all respondents, at 97%, shop at brick-and-mortar stores, driven by their ability to walk away with a purchase, as well as their ability to see, touch and try products prior to purchasing. Still, social media has its shopping influence as 85% of GenZers say the medium impacts their purchasing decisions, naming Instagram and TikTok, at 45% in each case, as their preferred platforms. However, influencers are not the primary touchstone when Gen Z seeks out new products. Rather 56% of GenZers say recommendations from friends and family carry the most weight, followed by reviews on product websites, at 54%, and interactions with store associates and seeing the product in person, at 43%. Influencers play a role, but only 39% cite them among their top three decision sources.

“Gen Z is an increasingly important demographic as more of them graduate from school, transition to their first full-time job, and mature into more spending power,” said ICSC president and CEO Tom McGee in introducing the data. “Our study found that many of the stereotypes and preconceived notions attached to this cohort are unfounded, however, their habits will influence retail strategy, marketplace makeup, and broader economic trends for years to come. Our survey shows that despite being ‘digital natives,’ Gen Z is an omnichannel generation. The percentage of respondents who shop online versus in person is nearly identical, demonstrating that focusing on a particular channel is no longer the priority. Rather, retailers that can successfully offer convenience, quality and speed, and have a diversified presence across in-store and digital, will be well-positioned to capture the loyalty of this demographic.”

Keurig has partnered with legendary rock band The Rolling Stones and Bravado, Universal Music Group’s merchandise and brand management company, to launch a limited-edition “Start Me Up” iced coffee kit named after one of the band’s most popular songs.

The custom-designed kit, showcasing Keurig’s coffee-toned twist on the iconic Rolling Stones logo, includes a K-Iced Brewer, a matching tumbler and a “Start Me Up” K-Cup pod coffee blend co-created with the band. The kit also provides access to the Spotify playlist customized by the band. The “Start Me Up” coffee blend, made to be brewed over ice, features a nutty roast with notes of strawberry, according to Keurig.

“The Rolling Stones is a household name and widely considered as one of the most definitive bands in history. As their first-ever coffee collaboration, we’re excited to bring their lively spirit to life through our limited edition ‘Start Me Up’ iced coffee kit,” said Becky Opdyke, senior vice president, coffee marketing at Keurig Dr Pepper.

Conceptually developed by Havas New York, the flagship agency of the Havas Creative Network, and designed by goDutch, this collaboration exemplifies how brands can leverage their agency partners and extended networks to tap into unique audience insights, values and interests authentically and meaningfully, according to Keurig Dr Pepper.

The launch will be supported by social amplification with some TikTok influencers, combining two of the platform’s biggest trends, #CoffeeTok and morning routines, with the iconic riff of the “Start Me Up” song.

The limited-edition kits are available on Keurig.com for $139.99 while supplies last.

Marshalls has launched what it characterizes as an inaugural seasonal report, The Edit by Marshalls, which showcases its buying process and insights from Marshalls’ team buyers.

The TJX Corp. banner is introducing The Edit by Marshalls alongside an all-new community of 22 creators dubbed Mbassadors, who will share trends and merchandise from the report and year-round highlights of what’s new and trending in stores and online at Marshalls.com, as well as on TikTok and Instagram.

The premiere issue of The Edit by Marshalls includes a forecast of Marshalls top five summer trends including:

• Outdoor Oasis. Mix and match warmth and neutrals in home décor and fashion for outdoor summer adventures.
• Living Life Out Loud. From bright and bold fashion to oversized accessories, think vibrant.
• Opposites Attract. Merge unexpected styles like utilitarian structure and dainty cinched waist tops.
• Vacation, All I Ever Wanted. Maximum style, with minimum effort, these pieces are as easy to add to cart as they are to pack.
• Pattern Play. Larger-than-life prints and micro florals inspired by home textiles and summer florals.

“We’re thrilled to showcase expertise from our buyers, along with the chance to learn how they prioritize bringing value to every aspect of a shopper’s life, whether it be through high-quality fashion, beauty, home or lifestyle pieces,” says Victoria Shonkoff, Marshalls vice president, marketing director, said in announcing the report launch. “The Edit by Marshalls is overflowing with exciting intel on what shoppers are looking for and how to score that good stuff year-round  at Marshalls.”

Although only a small part of the larger retail environment so far, social commerce made up about 5% of digital retail sales in the United States during 2022 and is expected to inch up to nearly 7% by 2025, according to market researcher Mintel.

For social commerce to gain, Mintel stated, consumers have to understand and feel confident in the safety of a brand’s social media sites. Only 17% of consumers said they are more comfortable purchasing from a brand’s social media compared to its website, while 41% favored brand websites. In terms of worries, 40% of consumers said they lack trust in the security of their payment information, and 34% say they would be more interested in shopping on social media if they knew how their data was secure. In personal terms, 35% of consumers said they would purchase from a brand’s social media channel if someone they trusted recommended it.

Although fewer have purchased, more have shopped. Three-quarters of U.S. consumers said they had shopped on Facebook, 50% on Instagram, 29% on YouTube, and 18% on TikTok. Video is a drawer as 31% of consumers said they often watch videos brands post on social media and 22% pay attention to livestreaming from brands. Almost half of Americans, at 46%, have purchased through livestream and would do so again.

In announcing the research, Katie Hansen, senior retail and E-commerce analyst, Mintel Reports U.S., noted, “Social commerce is growing in the U.S., albeit at a much slower pace compared to the rest of the world. This, however, does not mean that brands should ignore the emerging shopping option. Our research shows that nearly half of consumers have made a purchase via social media and 58% are interested in doing so, showcasing that this channel is not going away. Brands have the opportunity to establish and refine their social commerce strategy now, when the channel is still new, by educating consumers about the process of shopping via social media, communicating the safety and security of their data, and leveraging the high engagement opportunities the platforms offer.”

TikTok’s Anita Desai said effective engagement of prospective home and housewares consumers on social media requires a balance of authenticity and entertainment.

Desai, head of home and living for TikTok, discussed the growing opportunity for the housewares business to introduce products and drive sales through the popular social platform during an Innovation Theater session at the Inspired Home Show 2023.

Consumers interested in and influenced by authenticity want to connect with culture and communities, Desai said. With TikTok, she said, community has become akin to demographics in that learning about and addressing the concern of a group of people who are bound by common interests and preferences is the first step in

Desai said behaviors learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, when consumers increasingly embraced video and the creators who made them, haven’t faded. At the same time, she noted, consumers upgraded their homes and continue to value them in part for the changes they made to support lifestyles that evolved during the pandemic.

“We have all gone through that shift of working from home, kids in virtual schools and spending time in our homes, getting reacquainted with our homes, loving our homes, upgrading our homes,” Desai said. “We found that these new habits that people started to learn in the pandemic have remained and grown and become part of how they live lives today.

“We’ve seen that 61% of people on TikTok have developed a new appreciation of their homes coming out of the pandemic,” Desai continued. “Sixty-six percent have a home they want to be a place where their friends and family want to go. And nearly 80% of the people want to put more money in their homes next year.”

Among frequent TikTok users, Millennials are now heading up households; purchased more homes than any other generation in 2021; and account for the largest share of homes with kids at 46%, Desai pointed out. Millennials are fast-tracking lifestyles with, for example, one in three getting married this year.

Desai outlined four keys for businesses to consider when addressing Millennials through social platforms:

• Make it easy for them because they have a lot going on and favor products with clear benefits in a superior shopping experience.
• Authenticity remains critical for maintaining contact with consumers who want what they feel are real connections.
• Addressing wellness concerns in an open and positive way is important — with wellness encompassing body, mind, community and home.
• Millennials want to do things with purpose, including purchasing for their home, and they lack brand loyalty. However, they identify with companies that take a stand on issues they care about.

Desai said TikTok users embrace the social media platform because they favor the entertaining approach to a variety of subjects. They like it when brands reach out to the TikTok communities in which they participate in a way that demonstrates affinity.

She added 76% of people on the platform love how innovative creators get with home products on the site. What they seek includes point-of-view videos on tasks such as cleaning; reviews; home inspiration; satisfaction in use; and quick hacks and tips. She said 71% of users said that TikTok taught them something they didn’t know about home products.

Extensive follow-up from The Inspired Home Show 2023 is already beginning by suppliers, retailers and other allied businesses that attended the show.

So… What did we learn at this year’s show?

We learned the show came at an opportune time for an industry still grappling with what generally was a challenging 2022 that saw a confluence of declining post-pandemic demand and rising living costs that, by most consumer confidence measures, finds the wide swaths of the general public somewhat uneasy about their prospects. That has caused some uneasiness in the home and housewares industry about its near-term prospects. However, The Inspired Home Show offered a promising glimpse into what could be a productive back half as winners from the bounty of new products and programs presented at McCormick Place find their way to selling shelves and websites.

We learned retailers of all sizes and types from North America, Latin America and elsewhere abroad showed up in a shopping mood. Attending buyers, many of which lauded last year’s downsized return of The Inspired Home Show for its quality face-to-face time and new vendor-prospecting opportunity, thought the heightened volume of genuinely new product on display at this year’s much larger show was immediately evident across all categories. This show marked the first time in more than three years many customers had seen exhibitors’ product lines in person. And that still makes a difference.

We learned there is still a big appetite… to learn. Full-house crowds sat in on keynote presentations by the likes of Walmart’s Julie Barber and Justine Van Buren; Pantone Color Institute’s Lee Eiseman; and the IHA Market Watch team of IHA’s Leana Salamah, NPD’s Joe Derochowski and Springboard Futures’ Tom Mirabile. Education sessions in the Innovation Theater covered a range of pressing topics, such as the home products opportunity on TikTok; PFAS chemical regulations affecting housewares; the intersection of consumer food and beverage trends and housewares; inflation’s impact on housewares spending; leading-edge visual merchandising; export opportunities; and much more.

We learned this from year’s Global Innovation Award (gia) winners that inventive product development and inspirational retail theater in home and housewares are by no means lost arts.

We learned that housewares charity during the show was back in full force supporting breast cancer research and other cancer-fighting organizations. The return of the Housewares Charity Foundation gala honored Select Brands’ William Endres, Bloomingdale’s Daniel Leppo and The Home Edit’s Clea Shearer.

We learned the home and housewares industry remains fundamentally resilient, persistent against the most unpredictable turbulence to turn new ideas into new solutions — often evolutionary, sometimes revolutionary — to help retailers make the best choices for their customers and for their bottom lines.

The ultimate test of what we learned at the Inspired Home Show will be graded by whether or not 2023 goes down as a year during which the business reinforced its value and its reputation as a reliable retail growth driver.

We learned there is so much follow-up to be done to make that happen. Well, maybe we already knew that.