While one of the chain’s regional competitors, Meijer, took the unusual step of abolishing the plus-size department and sorting clothes by style rather than by size, Kmart is trying something different: The retailer is renaming the section “Fabulously Sized,” while expanding how many of its clothing items are available in, um, fabulous sizes. [More]
Retail Services
Costco Creates A Nightmare Before Christmas In This Seasonal Display
By 9.12.17
It’s the first half of September, which means that it’s time to celebrate our favorite holiday. No, not Halloween or Thanksgiving: The best holiday of all is Christmas/Halloween Mashup, as the classic animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas taught us all. The demands of seasonal displays mean that Nightmares Before Christmas also appear in the real world. Sometimes it’s even done well. [More]
Hotel, Gas Stations Accused Of Price-Gouging Hurricane Harvey Victims
By 9.12.17
By definition, price gouging is the act of increasing the prices of goods, services, or commodities to a level much higher than is considered reasonable or fair. It’s also just a shady thing to do, especially when it involves people already reeling from a natural disaster. To that end, Texas is suing three businesses for allegedly price gouging consumers before and after Hurricane Harvey. [More]
Kroger Drops Lawsuit Against Lidl Over Similar Store Brand Names
By 9.12.17
Are consumers likely to confuse one of Kroger’s store brands, Private Selection, with one of Lidl’s store brands, Preferred Selection? Kroger filed a lawsuit a few months ago against Lidl, a German chain opening its first stores on this side of the Atlantic, claiming that the store brand names were too similar. Now Kroger has dropped the suit. [More]
Vitamin World Files For Bankruptcy, Closing 51 Stores
By 9.12.17
The decrease in foot traffic to malls claimed yet another victim: Vitamin World has filed for bankruptcy and outlined plans to close dozens of stores. [More]
Nintendo Bringing Back NES Classic Next Year, Increasing Shipments Of Super NES Console
By 9.12.17
Nostalgia lovers worried they might miss out on Nintendo’s upcoming miniature Super Nintendo gaming system might be able to breathe a sigh of relief, as the company has increased inventory of the in-demand game, while also offering nostalgia lovers another chance to get their hands on the company’s classic console system — next year, that is. [More]
Pizza Hut Is Sorry-ish That Store Stopped Workers From Fleeing Florida Ahead Of Hurricane
By 9.11.17
For the better part of a week, residents in areas expected to be affected by Hurricane Irma were making plans to evacuate. But at least one Pizza Hut restaurant in Florida tried to restrict employee’s evacuation plans ahead of the storm. [More]
Will Your Smartphone Manufacturer Repair Your Hurricane-Damaged Phone?
By 9.11.17
In times of disaster, we often rely on our smartphones to check on loved ones or connect with relief organizations. But that’s a difficult task if your device has been damaged during the storm. To that end, some smartphone manufacturers are offering free repairs to victims of Hurricane Harvey. [More]
Nordstrom Concept Store Doesn’t Stock Actual Clothing But It Does Offer Booze
By 9.11.17
While you can easily shop for clothes online from the comfort of your couch with a glass of your favorite beverage to hand — would you be willing to leave the house if you could get both wine and professional styling advice? Nordstrom hopes so: The retailer is launching a tiny store that doesn’t stock any actual products, but will offer shoppers boozy beverages to sip while they try stuff on. [More]
Tesla Expanding Supercharger Stations Into City Centers
By 9.11.17
One of the biggest perks of owning an electric car? Skipping the gas station. But because not everyone has a house with a garage that they can charge a vehicle in overnight, Tesla is now expanding its Supercharger stations to city centers. [More]
Best Buy Pulls Controversial Kaspersky Security Products
By 9.11.17
In the modern era, it’s always worthwhile to consider how to protect your systems from unwanted, malicious actors. Kaspersky Labs’ software has been a popular option for doing just that for close to two decades now — but after increasing scrutiny of their founder’s potential ties to the Kremlin, one major retailer has decided to stop selling their security suite. [More]
Walmart Hopes Exclusive Toys Will Get You To Do Your Christmas Shopping There This Year
By 9.11.17
Walmart doesn’t want to share — hot holiday toys, that is. In a bid to undercut competitors and attract more shoppers this holiday season, the big box store is betting big on exclusive toy offers. [More]
Target Slashing Prices On Thousands Of Items As Amazon Heats Up Grocery Wars
By 9.8.17
As Amazon heats up the grocery store wars with new discounts at Whole Foods — which has been bringing in more shoppers since the companies became one — Target is fighting back by promising to cut prices on thousands of items. [More]
Less Is More At Chili’s: Chain Cuts Menu By 40%
By 9.8.17
In a bid to avoid the continuously closing fate of chains like Joe’s Crab Shack, Outback Steakhouse, Bob Evans, and Logan’s Roadhouse, seminal restaurant chain Chili’s is downsizing — its menu, that is. [More]
RadioShack Is Down To Fewer Than 30 Corporate Stores
By 9.8.17
After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice in two years, closing thousands of its corporate-owned stores, and auctioning off its corporate treasures, RadioShack is improbably still around. A new plan for getting out of bankruptcy filed with the court spells out the company’s plans, which involve online sales, franchising its brand, and somewhere between a few dozen and no corporate-owned stores. [More]
79,000 “Trolls” Slap Bracelets Recalled After Injuring Five Children
By 9.7.17
As a child, it was always exciting to receive a book that also included a toy, because well, I was a kid. But as it turns out some of those toys could be dangerous. Case in point: 79,000 slap bracelets included in the DreamWorks Trolls: It’s Hug Time! storybook were recalled after several children were cut by the accessories. [More]
Whole Foods Seeing More Shoppers In Wake Of Amazon Merger
By 9.7.17
Maybe it’s the slightly lower prices, or the curiosity of seeing Amazon Echo speakers being sold in the produce aisle, or even the ground beef sculpted into Amazon logos — whatever the reason, it looks like Whole Foods is seeing a boost in foot traffic in the weeks since it officially became part of the Amazon family. [More]
Gap Closing 200 Banana Republic, Gap Stores; Opening 270 Old Navy, Athleta Locations
By 9.6.17
It’s out with the old — or underperforming — and in with the new at Gap. In a bid to turn around sales and get people into stores, the mall staple says it will close about 200 Banana Republic and Gap locations, while opening 270 Old Navy and Athleta stores over the next three years. [More]
