Articles by Vivian Wagner

Livestream shopping has grown in popularity in recent months, and it's likely to become even more prevalent in the future. The technology and its business model deliver an interactive experience for brands, influencers, or celebrities to promote and sell products and for consumers to participate by asking questions and shopping during the event The...

More than 56 million Americans freelanced last year, according to the Freelancers Union With the increasing amount of workers turning to part-time, freelance, and contract work for a variety of reasons, a growing number of businesses are now based on the gig economy model....

Collaboration between employees, teams, and clients is more important than ever before, and there are a variety of new technologies and platforms available to facilitate communication and group work The E-Commerce Times spoke with several experts in the field of collaboration software and technologies to get their take on the many ways that people ...

The arts have seen a shift in the last year away from in-person gatherings, but that doesn't mean that performances, showings, and other creative activities have stopped. Rather, they've been transformed, becoming increasingly virtual and digital The E-Commerce Times spoke with experts in the arts, design, and marketing to see how these fields have...

Workplace ergonomics enhancements can simultaneously help reduce risk factors that lead to musculoskeletal injuries while providing better human performance and productivity Now that so many people work from home, ergonomic workspaces, furniture, and design have become a key concern when setting up a home workplace or company offices of the future....

Decluttering has become a popular pastime of late. With everything from online consultants to organizing apps available, those who want to clean up their act have never been in a better position to do so Similar to other traditionally in-person services, home organizing practitioners have set up virtual shops to connect with clientele in the new no...

The start of a new year often brings with it a renewed commitment to organizing, rethinking, and restructuring life and work The E-Commerce Times spoke with productivity experts to get their perspective on apps, platforms, and techniques that help organizations and individuals become more efficient....

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the U.S. and worldwide. Americans consume 400 million cups per day, making the U.S. the world's leading consumer of coffee E-commerce and coffee go hand-in-hand. As the market grows -- and becomes more competitive -- coffee companies are coming up with more creative ways to get their products t...

Pets and e-commerce are a natural combination, and that's been especially true during the pandemic. More than two-thirds of American households own at least one pet. As pet owners increasingly opt to shop from home, pet-related companies are stepping up their game to grab a share of industry expenditures forecasted for 2020 to reach approximately ...

Cosmetics companies traditionally have relied on in-person retail sales to attract new customers and maintain existing clientele. The pandemic, however, has upended the cosmetics industry, bringing new challenges as well as a host of opportunities for companies that are agile and creative enough to take advantage. The E-Commerce Times spoke with e...

Mobile shopping apps have, in the midst of the pandemic, become central to online retail operations, and they're clearly here to stay. In fact, by 2021, mobile e-commerce, or m-commerce, sales are expected to account for 54 percent of all retail e-commerce sales The E-Commerce Times spoke with m-commerce specialists to find out what's behind the ra...

Meal kits from services like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh, as well as deliveries from various grocery retailers, are becoming more popular than ever. With people balancing work and home life and often trying to avoid in-person shopping, the convenience and safety of meal kit delivery have made them an increasingly appealing option for many consumers ...

The world of fitness and exercise has been fundamentally changed by the pandemic. People are doing more workouts at home, purchasing home gym equipment, and relying more than ever on remote fitness coaching The E-Commerce Times caught up with insiders from the health and wellness industry for perspective on how the population is staying active at h...

More people than ever now work from home as a result of the pandemic, and this shift has necessitated a rethinking of how home offices are designed and furnished. The E-Commerce Times checked in with providers of workspace furniture and accessories for insights on how the adaptation to WFH has affected home office setups "It seems that the new foc...

While many people have been stuck at home during the pandemic, virtual travel marketing has emerged to help fill the void felt by those who yearn for faraway places The E-Commerce Times caught up with some virtual travel experts to discover how they're using augmented and virtual reality, video and other technologies, to give folks the opportunity ...

Restaurants have been drastically and, in some cases, permanently changed in recent months. Many of the establishments that have survived the initial round of the pandemic have moved to take-out, delivery, or curbside-pickup models. Others have significantly altered their dining experience, ordering and payment processes. While these changes in th...

The pandemic has exposed one fundamental, seemingly contradictory reality: people like to shop online, but they also crave in-person experiences This era has also made clear that there's an answer to this conundrum: to provide shopping experiences that combine both physical and digital elements. Also known as "phygital" experiences, these strive to...

Curbside service is one of the more popular strategies that businesses and consumers now use to navigate the 'new normal'. They can order online, show up at a business, pick up their items, and be on their way. Ideally, it's a contactless, convenient experience for all involved "Curb demands from multiple users have increased over the past few year...

Though initially isolating, the coronavirus pandemic has spawned a whole new world of digital parties and get-togethers. People stuck at home are finding innovative ways to socialize, participating in everything from virtual beer tastings to online book club meetings While the event landscape has been permanently altered by this shift, people and b...

The pandemic era has seen a resurgence of interest in growing, tending, and harvesting fruits and vegetables from one's own patch of land or city balcony The more people are stuck at home -- and the more concerned they become about their food supply -- the more appealing gardening has become....