It’s not uncommon to hold a grudge against a company for one reason or another, but a Florida man allegedly took his beef a step further with a plot to set off homemade explosives in several Target stores on the East Coast. Why? Authorities say the man wanted to send Target’s stock into a tailspin. [More]
retail
Walmart Continues E-Commerce Shopping Spree, Buys Outdoor Retailer Moosejaw
By 2.15.17
Just a month after Walmart continued its bid to boost online sales with the $70 million purchase of shoe-tailer ShoeBuy, the company has once again added to its e-commerce shopping spree with the $51 million acquisition of online outdoor retailer Moosejaw. [More]
L.L. Bean Reportedly Thinking Of Ditching Free Returns
By 2.10.17
As retailers increasingly shifted toward more restrictive return policies, L.L. Bean’s generous approach to accepting returns has stood out. However, that could soon change as the Bean looks to shave costs. [More]
L’Oreal Looking To Sell Off The Body Shop
By 2.9.17
Another day, another company looking to pull out of a retail entanglement: This time it’s L’Oreal, which has confirmed reports that it’s looking into selling off The Body Shop chain of stores. In other news, today we learned that L’Oreal owns The Body Shop. [More]
Report: TJ Maxx Telling Stores Not To Highlight Ivanka Trump Products, Throw Out Signs
By 2.8.17
Days after Nordstrom announced it would no longer sell Ivanka Trump merchandise at its stores amid slow sales, another big-name retailer is reportedly backing away from brand. [More]
Aldi Spending $1.6B To Upgrade Stores To Be More Whole Foods-Esque
By 2.8.17
Millennials are already apparently flocking to Aldi over Whole Foods’ new, hipper version of its typical stores in favor of lower price points, but now these customers won’t have to forego the more expensive chain’s aesthetic: Aldi plans to spend $1.6 billion to revamp the layout of its stores in order to compete with chains like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Sprouts. [More]
BCBG Max Azria Closing 120 Stores, Reportedly Looking At Bankruptcy Options
By 2.8.17
Following a trend set by Macy’s, Wet Seal, The Limited, and others, mall mainstay BCBG Max Azria plans to close 120 stores at shopping centers around the country, and may file for bankruptcy protection. [More]
Where Do Customers Go When Their Department Store Closes?
By 2.7.17
This year, more than 150 locations for Macy’s and Kmart will close their doors forever. When these stores shut down, where do their former customers take their business? [More]
Report: Hudson’s Bay Looking To Take Over Macy’s
By 2.3.17
Macy’s could soon be heading to Fifth Avenue, or rather, to the parent company of stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Gilt, Hudson’s Bay is reportedly looking to take over the struggling department store. [More]
Nordstrom Says Poor Sales To Blame For Axing Ivanka Trump Line
By 2.3.17
There will be one fewer famous name on products at Nordstrom stores this spring, after the retailer announced it will not be carrying the Ivanka Trump brand in the coming season. [More]
Court To Review Target’s $10M Customer Data Breach Settlement
By 2.3.17
Nearly two years after Target agreed to set up a $10 million fund to reimburse customers affected by its massive 2013 holiday season data breach, a federal appeals court has ordered the judge in this lawsuit to review the settlement. [More]
Wet Seal Files For Second Bankruptcy Since 2015
By 2.2.17
In a move that will surprise no one, young women’s clothing retailer Wet Seal has filed for bankruptcy for the second time in just over two years. This time, the chain will not be re-organizing, and it’s unlikely that a new owner will come along and rescue the business out of bankruptcy. [More]
Target Stepping Away From Innovation To Focus On Core Business
By 2.2.17
In an attempt to attract more customers and drum up sales in the face of fewer visitors and just so-so grocery sales, Target turned to innovation, creating prototype stores of the future and launching a super-secret project “Goldfish” that aimed on disrupting the retail landscape as we knew it. Those efforts are no more. [More]
Ralph Lauren CEO Making A Quick Exit After Butting Heads With The Real Ralph Lauren
By 2.2.17
Just 16 months or so after Ralph Lauren (the person) stepped down from the top spot at Ralph Lauren (the company), his replacement is already on his way out the door. [More]
H&M Slows Down Store Openings, Shifting Focus To Online
By 1.31.17
For years, so-called fast fashion purveyor H&M (which stands for Hennes & Mauritz) has quickly opened store after store around the world to compete with rivals like Zara and others. Now, however, the company says it will slow down its pace of new store openings in order to concentrate on current stores and online sales. [More]
Walmart Ditching $50/Year ShippingPass For Free Two-Day Shipping
By 1.31.17
Less than a year after its national launch, Walmart is pulling the plug on its $50/year ShippingPass subscription service that was intended to compete directly with Amazon Prime. In its place, the big box retailer plans to offer free-two day shipping on millions of products with a lower minimum purchase price. [More]
IKEA Launching Customizable “Open Source” Furniture To Give Customers More Choices
By 1.30.17
Maybe you can’t afford that bespoke chaise with the walnut legs and expensive upholstery, but that doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to having the same living room as everyone else who shops at IKEA: in an effort to help customers living in tight spaces more options, the Swedish furniture company is introducing what it calls its first “open source” furniture. [More]
Kmart Lays Off More Employees, Turns Sales Floor Into Big Pile Of Boxes
By 1.27.17
The apparent inescapable death spiral of Sears continued last week when the retailer laid off an unspecified number of full-time employees from its Kmart stores. [More]
