Just in case you thought it might be some kind of fluke that Walgreens had their Halloween candy out on July 21, we assure you that Walgreens isn’t alone in this sort of wacky midsummer merchandising. Nope: John sent along this photo taken in a Giant Eagle store of a display of seasonally-themed M&Ms and Snickers bars. [More]
retail
Apple Once Again Removes The Competition, Yanks Nest Thermostats From Retail & Online Stores
By 7.24.15
As is Apple’s usual M.O. when it comes to launching products similar to those made by other companies but already being sold in its retail stores, the tech giant is cleaning house and removing the competition. In this case, it’s ditching Google’s Nest thermostat to make room for a device using its own technology. [More]
Amazon’s Apparel Sales Could Surpass Macy’s By 2017
By 7.20.15
While Amazon used to be the site where you bought affordable books, CDs, DVDs, and electronics, the online retailer is quickly gaining ground as a seller of designer apparel and accessories. [More]
Historic A&P Grocery Chain Files For Bankruptcy Again, Plans To Sell Or Close Locations
By 7.20.15
For the second time in five years, 156-year-old grocery store operator Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P) filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, laying out plans to sell off or close many of its stores. [More]
Retailers Turn To Electronic Price Tags To Combat Amazon
By 7.17.15
On Amazon, not only can the price of a product change from minute to minute, but you often have multiple sellers offering the same product at different prices. How is a bricks-and-mortar retailer supposed to compete with that level of flexibility and agility? Not having to print out new price tags every time you tweak a price might be a start. [More]
Amazon’s Prime Day Gets Mixed Reviews, But Company Says Sales Were Up
By 7.16.15
While Amazon’s Prime Day didn’t get off to such a great start with customers reporting they weren’t able to get the “lightning deals” in their carts, it looks like the hype surrounding the Prime member-exclusive deal-day paid off: people were talking and spending money. [More]
Google Begins Testing Buy Button On Select Mobile Searches
By 7.15.15
Google has finally made good on those reports that it would simplify the smartphone shopping experience by allowing users to simply hit a “buy button” to complete a transaction straight from sponsored search results, rather than toggling between retailer websites. Today, the company announced it is officially testing what it calls Purchases. [More]
Walmart Crashes Amazon’s Deal-Filled Birthday Party, Announces Its Own Mega Online Sale
By 7.13.15
UPDATE: Just hours after Walmart pointedly announced it would offer its own mega-sale in response to Amazon’s Prime-member only deal day happening on Wednesday, the online retailer released its own barbed statement, reminding consumers they could avoid missing all the deals by simply signing up for a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. [More]
Want Your iPhone Accessory Sold In An Apple Store? Let Apple Design The Box
By 7.7.15
The accessories department at Apple retail stores across the country are about to get a bit more matchy-matchy, as the retailer prepares to line its shelves with third-party accessories encased in packaging that looks suspiciously like those used for actual Apple products. [More]
American Apparel Closing Some Stores, Launching New Line In Turnaround Effort
By 7.6.15
For much of the past year, American Apparel has been embroiled in a public dispute — and several lawsuits — with founder Dov Charney. It appears that problems for the retailer aren’t just confined to the former CEO’s alleged bad behavior, as the company announced it would undergo a $30 million cost-cutting effort in an attempt to return to its former funky glory. [More]
Sprint Partnering With UK Tech Retailer To Open Up To 500 New Stores In The U.S.
By 7.2.15
There could be a few more Sprint stores in the neighborhood soon, as the wireless company announced plans to partner with one of the U.K.’s biggest technology retailers to open new locations stateside. [More]
Victoria’s Secret Plans To End On-Call Scheduling
By 6.29.15
Employees at Victoria’s Secret will no longer have to call in to find out if they’ll be hawking lotions, perfumes, bras, underwear and other products on any given day, as the company plans to end its use of on-call scheduling. [More]
IKEA Raising Minimum Wage Again, This Time To $11.87/Hour
By 6.24.15
Almost exactly a year after IKEA announced it would raise the hourly starting wage for employees from $9.17 to $10.76, the furniture retailer says it will give workers another 10% pay boost. [More]
Amazon Makes Echo Available To Everyone, Not Just Invited Prime Members
By 6.23.15
If you’ve been patiently waiting for your chance to boss around a speaker, now is your time: Amazon has finally made Echo (also known as Siri in a box) available to the masses. [More]
Amazon, Penguin Random House Avoid Dispute, Reach Deal For Physical & Online Book Sales
By 6.18.15
Public feud avoided. Less than a month after reports began swirling that Amazon and the world’s largest book publisher Penguin Random House could potentially come to blows over a new contract for online book sales, the two entities have reached a long-term agreement. [More]
Amazon Reportedly Working On New Shipping Service That Turns Ordinary People Into Couriers
By 6.16.15
Looking to pick up a few dollars while making your way around town? Then Amazon’s latest attempt to quickly and cheaply deliver packages might be right up your alley, that is if the consumer-turned-courier program comes to fruition. [More]
Apple Store Workers Emailed CEO Tim Cook To Complain About Company’s Bag Searching Policy
By 6.11.15
In newly released documents included in a 2013 lawsuit against Apple, at least two former employees wrote directly to CEO Tim Cook to complain that the company’s policy of searching workers’ bags off the clock as a security measure was insulting and demeaning, and made them feel like “criminals” and “animals.” [More]
Crate And Barrel Closing NYC Flagship After 20 Years Because The Rent Is Too Darn High
By 6.8.15
Your average New York City citizens aren’t the only ones who might be pushed from their preferred neighborhood amid skyrocketing real estate prices: after 20 years inhabiting its flagship store on Madison Avenue, Crate and Barrel is leaving the building behind to avoid paying higher rent. [More]
