Latest Retail News

Walmart Holiday E-Commerce Revenue Jumps 43%, Comp Sales Growth Is Up 4.2%

Published in News Briefs
Tuesday, 19 February 2019 14:30
Written by Glenn Taylor

While last week provided some discouraging, but potentially skewed, numbers related to sinking December retail sales, Walmart saw significant Q4 growth, suggesting that shoppers were spending for basics and lower-end goods vs. luxury items. The retail giant saw U.S. comparable sales rise 4.2%, beating Wall Street analyst expectations of 3.2%,…

Payless Will Close All Company-Owned Locations Amid Bankruptcy Filling

Published in News Briefs
Tuesday, 19 February 2019 10:37

Paylesswill shutter all 2,100 company-owned stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, according to the Associated Press. The retailer also will wind down its e-Commerce operations, but franchise and Latin America locations will continue operating as usual.

Eddie Lampert Steps Down As Sears Chairman

Published in Retail Movers & Shakers
Friday, 15 February 2019 16:57

In the wake of gaining approval to purchase Sears in a $5.2 billion lifeline bid, Chairman Eddie Lampert has stepped down from its Board of Directors, according to a company securities filing. Lampert had already stepped down as CEO of Sears when the company filed for bankruptcy in October 2018, but remained as Chairman to keep the business afloat during the auction process. Lampert placed the winning bid for the retailer through his hedge fund, ESL Investments, after numerous previous attempts were rejected, so he will still serve as the owner of Sears Holdings as a private company.

Revived FAO Schwarz Moves Beyond Toys Into Home Products, Accessories And Candy

Published in News Briefs
Friday, 15 February 2019 14:32

Three months after FAO Schwarz made its triumphant return to New York City with the opening of its new flagship store at 30 Rockefeller Plaza and the debut of its first airport location at LaGuardia Airport, the iconic retailer has announced that it will expand its product assortment beyond toys to…

Retail Has Biggest Monthly Sales Dip In 9 Years — But Did Government Shutdown Skew The Numbers?

Published in Financial News
Friday, 15 February 2019 10:09
Written by Glenn Taylor

Retail got hit with a rough — albeit controversial — dose of news indicating that many merchants didn’t have a jolly holiday season after all. Overall retail sales fell 1.2% in December, marking the industry’s biggest monthly drop since September 2009, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. The department also said, excluding gasoline station sales, retail sales fell 0.9% in December.Economists polled by Reuters had forecast that retail sales would increase 0.2% during the month. The December retail sales report was delayed by the 35-day partial shutdown of the federal government that ended on Jan. 25. Additionally, retail industry analysts are questioning whether the shutdown affected the completeness of the government’s data gathering, which could have skewed the numbers downward. No date has been set for the release of the January retail sales report.

Recess Opens First CBD-Infused Beverage Shop In New York City

Published in News Briefs
Thursday, 14 February 2019 17:36

Recess, an e-Commerce cannabidiol (CBD)-infused drink retailer, has opened its first brick-and-mortar store in New York City, according to CNBC. The brand sells sparkling beverages made with hemp extract and L-theanine that come in flavors such as blackberry chai. Recess plans to expand its product selection in the future.

Amazon Cancels Plans For New York City Headquarters

Published in News Briefs
Thursday, 14 February 2019 13:00

Amazon is pulling out of its plans to build one of its HQ2 headquarters in Long Island City, Queens. The retail giant doesn’t plan to reopen its search, but will proceed as planned with its Northern Virginia and Nashville campuses. In a process that took more than a year, the…

CVS Health Pilots 3 HealthHUB Stores In Houston

Published in News Briefs
Thursday, 14 February 2019 12:13

CVS Health has opened three pilot locations in Houston with more than 20% of the store space dedicated to health services. The HealthHUB locations feature a broad range of health care services, additional product categories, digital tools and on-demand health kiosks, advice and personalized care.

Payless Could Close All North American Stores In Prospective Bankruptcy Proceedings

Published in News Briefs
Wednesday, 13 February 2019 13:33

Payless is discussing plans to shutter a significant portion, or even all, of its North American stores as the retailer plans for another bankruptcy, people familiar with the situation told Bloomberg. A Payless representative declined to comment on the matter.

Toys ‘R’ Us Gets A Second Chance As Tru Kids

Published in News Briefs
Wednesday, 13 February 2019 12:03

Toy ‘R’ Us has returned from its 2018 demise as Tru Kids Brands, the new parent company of Toys ‘R’ Us, Babies ‘R’ Us and more than 20 toy and baby brands. The new company will be headquartered in New Jersey and run by a team of former Toys ‘R’…

Barneys New York, Simon Malls Take Steps To Sell Cannabis-Related Products

Published in News Briefs
Tuesday, 12 February 2019 15:04

With 56% of U.S. consumers saying they would try cannabis if it were legal, according to a survey by A.T. Kearney, retailers have plenty of incentive to prepare for the potential legalization of additional marijuana-related products. Two big retail names already have decided to hop on board: luxury retailer Barneys New York and…

Walmart And Deliv Mutually Terminate Delivery Partnership

Published in News Briefs
Tuesday, 12 February 2019 11:42

Walmart has ended its grocery delivery partnership with Deliv, according to Reuters. The companies stopped working together in late January, and Deliv has since served the retail giant with a 90-day termination notice, according to people familiar with the matter.

Zulily Refreshes Logo, Color Scheme To Optimize Mobile Shopping Experience

Published in News Briefs
Tuesday, 12 February 2019 11:04

Retailers often refresh their look to represent a change in the customer experience or evoke a new sense of brand identity. While both these reasons apply to Zulily’s decision to refresh its logo and color scheme, the e-Commerce retailer underwent the change for a reason not often applied by retailers:…

Walmart Launches MoDRN Private Label Home Brand

Published in News Briefs
Monday, 11 February 2019 12:26

Walmart is heating up competition in the home furniture and furnishings space with the launch of MoDRN, a private label brand featuring nearly 650 products including beds, sofas, dining sets, barware and countertops. The retail giant certainly has plenty of established opposition in the home space, including West Elm, Wayfair…

RIC19 Store Tours Will Explore Hudson Yards, New York’s Hottest New Retail Destination

Published in News Briefs
Friday, 08 February 2019 17:14

Attendees of the 2019 Retail Innovation Conference (RIC19) will have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the latest in cutting-edge retailing on May 6, the first day of the conference, through an exclusive Store Tours event at the recently-opened Hudson Yards on Manhattan’s West Side. For many, this represents the first…

Warby Parker Harnesses AR Technology To Create 3D Eyewear Previews

Published in News Briefs
Friday, 08 February 2019 13:45

Warby Parker has updated its iPhone app with technology that lets customers virtually try on glasses before buying them, according to Engadget. The new AR tech takes advantage of Apple’s Face ID to render the glasses on a live 3D preview of the user’s face. Shoppers also can use the…

Bankruptcy Court Approves Lampert’s $5.2 Billion Lifeline Bid To Buy Sears

Published in News Briefs
Friday, 08 February 2019 12:40
Written by Glenn Taylor

A federal bankruptcy court judge has approved Eddie Lampert’s $5.2 billion bid to buy Sears, a deal that is expected to preserve approximately 425 stores and 45,000 jobs. Judge Robert Drain heard concerns throughout the three-day hearing from the retailer’s unsecured creditors, but determined that Sears has a credible plan…

Kroger Expands Meal Kits To 500 More Stores, Adds Customization Options Online

Published in News Briefs
Thursday, 07 February 2019 13:06

Kroger and Home Chef are rolling out retail meal kits to 500 additional stores in a host of new cities. Additionally, homechef.com will launch a customizable meal kit feature for online orders, giving shoppers more control over which ingredients their meals will feature.

11 Honoré Partners With Shopify To Host ‘Runway Commerce’ Experience At NYFW

Published in News Briefs
Thursday, 07 February 2019 10:20
Written by Klaudia Tirico

New York Fashion Week (NYFW) kicks off in the Big Apple this week, and companies such as Shopify are getting in on the action with unique partnerships to celebrate the event. For the first time, Shopify will debut a “runway commerce” experience and interactive pop-up alongside 11 Honoré, a luxury, size-inclusive…

JCPenney Will End Home Appliance Sales, Move Furniture Sales Exclusively Online

Published in News Briefs
Wednesday, 06 February 2019 14:47

JCPenney is discontinuing sales of major appliances on Feb. 28, and will make furniture available only via its e-Commerce site and at select Puerto Rico stores. The retailer resumed selling home appliances in 2016 for the first time since 1983 under former CEO Marvin Ellison, who sought to take advantage of…

Target Expands Loyalty Pilot To Five Additional Markets

Published in News Briefs
Wednesday, 06 February 2019 13:47

Target will expand its Target Circle loyalty program pilot from Dallas to five additional markets on Feb. 19. Stores in Charlotte, N.C., Denver, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Mo. and Phoenix will all offer the new perk system, which is open to all loyalty members. While the new program includes 1% back…

NRF Forecasts 2019 Retail Sales Growth Of 3.8% To 4.4%

Published in News Briefs
Wednesday, 06 February 2019 13:15

The National Retail Federation (NRF) has forecast that 2019 retail sales will increase 3.8% to 4.4% to reach more than $3.8 trillion. The online sales growth rate is expected to be 10% to 12%. Overall NRF projections outpace the 3.3% growth anticipated by eMarketer, but fall behind the 4.5% to…

Ketner Group Expands Geographic Presence With New York City Office

Published in News Briefs
Wednesday, 06 February 2019 12:09

Ketner Group Communications has opened a new office in New York City. The location will be led by Account Supervisor Adrienne Newcomb, and will serve as a focal point to help Ketner Group deepen its existing relationships with media and analyst influencers, while building new connections.

Apple Retail Chief Stepping Down In April

Published in News Briefs
Wednesday, 06 February 2019 09:26

After leading Apple’s retail and online stores for five years, Angela Ahrendts, the tech giant’s Senior VP of Retail, will leave the company in April for “new personal and professional pursuits,” according to a company statement. Deirdre O’Brien, VP of People, will take on an expanded role as a Senior…

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