Summer may be coming to a close, and families are gearing up for the new school year, but that doesn’t mean the retail world is slowing down! Check out some of the top industry headlines of the week!
In-store Wi-Fi and beacons play a starring role in the new age of store ops: Retail TouchPoints has just released the results from its annual Store Operations Survey. More than 100 retail executives answered critical questions regarding their store operations challenges, goals and future investments.
American Apparel employees smash piñata of CEO: Ay caramba! Remember last week we reported that American Apparel may be too far gone to recover? Well, it looks like things are getting worse for the Made-In-America brand. New Paula Schneider is facing a lot of backlash regarding how she’s repositioning the company, as well as new executive appointments and changes to the brand’s core messaging. Workers also reported that they’ve experience a number of hits, including a cut in wages and loss of benefits. We haven’t seen a response from Schneider or a company representative following the video’s release.
Can JCPenney recapture digital leadership?: Let’s face it, although JCPenney has a strong heritage, the retailer has faced a daunting series of obstacles in recent years. Q2 results indicate that the retailer experienced solid sales gains over the period, but one question remains: Can JCPenney become a digital leader and innovator again? This article from Nikki Baird of Retail Systems Research provides a great breakdown of where the retailer is today, and how it can potentially exceed competitors with its new brand and digital marketing approach.
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H&M places all chips on sustainability efforts: A few weeks after I wrote a piece on the dangers of fast fashion, H&M has made several announcements regarding its sustainability efforts. Could this be damage control following the popularity of The True Cost? I’m not so sure. But it’s an interesting approach nonetheless. In addition to releasing a new denim line made entirely of recycled clothing, H&M also has developed a $1.14 million sustainability grant. Called the “Global Change Award,” this new program is designed to encourage folks to share new clothing recycling strategies and ways to enhance apparel sustainability. We can’t wait to see what ideas come to fruition!
What other retail headlines caught your eye this week? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
