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]
retail
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]
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]
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]
Twitch Streamers Will Now Sell You Stuff On Amazon
By 9.1.17
You might pay extra to interact with your favorite streaming stars on Twitch, but would you click over to Amazon to buy products that those stars recommend? Amazon hopes that you will, and announced this week that broadcasters on Twitch will be able to earn up to 10% commission on items that they recommend to viewers. [More]
Uber, Mall Team Up To Offer Dedicated Pickup Spots, Human Customer Service Reps
By 8.31.17
In a move designed to lure shoppers back to brick-and-mortar stores, mall giant Westfield is patterning up with Uber to offer dedicated drop-off and pick-up spots in 33 shopping centers — and some will feature real live humans to help with customer service. [More]
Best Buy Is Finally Selling More Stuff, But CEO Says Don’t Get Used To It
By 8.29.17
For the better part of 2017, Best Buy has attempted to dig itself out of a long running sales slump by appealing to customers through revamped, high-tech store displays, and pilot programs, such as try-before-you-buy. These strategies just might be working as the electronics retailer reported higher than expected sales for the second quarter of the year. But will that last? [More]
Perfumania Files For Bankruptcy, Plans To Close 64 Stores
By 8.28.17
You’ll soon have fewer stores to scoop up a bottle of perfume or cologne at a lower price: Discount fragrance retailer Perfumania has filed for bankruptcy and outlined plans to close dozens of stores. [More]
Owner Of Houston Furniture Stores Turns Them Into Shelters For Residents Stranded By Hurricane
By 8.28.17
Thousands of Texas residents have been displaced following Hurricane Harvey’s landfall over the weekend. While many of these people no doubt traveled to stay with friends and family outside of the affected areas, others don’t have those options. Instead, they’ve sought refuge from rising flood waters at community centers, shelters… and furniture stores. [More]
Abercrombie Hopes Updated Stores, Fancy Fitting Rooms Will Bring Customers Back
By 8.25.17
Would better lighting and a place to charge your cellphone make you want to spend more time and money at the mall? Abercrombie & Fitch hopes so. [More]
Walmart, Google Partner Up On Voice-Activated Shopping To Take On Amazon
By 8.23.17
There’s a new kid moving onto Alexa’s block: Walmart and Google have decided to pair up to offer a slew of items through voice shopping by way of Google Assistant. [More]
Kohl’s Revamping Stores, Cutting Down On Retail Space In Online Push
By 8.22.17
Your local Kohl’s could look a bit different later this year: The retailer plans to revamp stores by cutting down on retail space and moving its focus to online sales. [More]
Walmart Imagines Floating Warehouses That Could Rain Down Delivery Drones
By 8.21.17
While Amazon has dreams of delivery drone beehives and parachuting packages, it’s not the only one looking upward: Walmart has plans for a floating warehouse capable of launching flying delivery vehicles so it can rain discount goods on you from the skies. [More]
American Apparel Is Back, Offers Choice Of American Or Non-American Apparel
By 8.15.17
After Canadian company Gildan Activewear bought the American Apparel brand and the company’s assets in a bankruptcy auction, it said it would likely move some manufacturing outside of the U.S., in a big step away from the company’s founding mission. But the brand is back online now, and it’s offering shoppers a choice: Buy “Made in the USA” clothing, or shell out a few bucks less for identical “Globally Made” items. [More]
Dick’s Sporting Goods Hopes Discounted Prices Will Save It From Doom
By 8.15.17
Let’s take a moment to pay our respects to the dearly departed sporting good stores who have passed on in recent years: Sports Authority, Gander Mountain, Eastern Mountain Sports, Sport Chalet, Golfsmith and we’re probably missing a few. Dick’s Sporting Goods has fed on the bones of some of its former competitors, taking over their locations and inventory, but it still needs a plan to stave off the doom that consumed so many of its competitors. [More]
Target Buys Shipping Tech Company To Speed Up Deliveries, Compete With Amazon
By 8.14.17
From drones to airplanes, and fleets of on-demand delivery drivers or employees dropping off packages, many retailers — most notably Amazon — have begun dipping they toes in the logistics and delivery game. Now it’s Target’s turn, as the big box retailer has acquired a transportation tech firm with the intention of speeding up deliveries to customers. [More]
Wells Fargo Accused Of Overcharging Small Businesses
By 8.11.17
The scandals and accusations continue to mount for Wells Fargo. This time, the banking giant is being accused of overcharging small businesses to process credit card transactions. [More]
