Although Toys “R” Us improved operating earnings in its most recent quarter, payments on debt dragged its bottom-line results into the red, so it may seem surprising that it not only acquired FAO Schwarz, the upscale purveyor of unique playthings and sometimes elaborate variants on popular brands such as Barbie, but then pulled an expanding program at Macy’s that provided sales...
Retail Industry Archive
June 2009
In its last quarterly conference call, Home Depot struck a relatively pessimistic tone, with CEO Frank Blake saying that, even though 21 out of the company’s top 40 markets recorded a lower rate of comparable store sales decline, “Getting to less bad is not the same as getting to recovery.” Blake still isn’t singing Happy Days are Here Again, but he and Home Depot’s management seemed...
A previously announced initiative to add food to Jamba Juice stores is now no longer such a mystery. The Emeryville, Calif.-based company is adding sandwiches and wraps in addition to oatmeal, currently its sole solid-food item. The launch starts next week in 222 California locations and should hit all 732 units across the country by the end of the year. Promotion for the endeavor is supplied...
Wal-Mart opened its second Hispanic-oriented Neighborhood Market conversion yesterday in Phoenix and, while the format itself remains a test, what the company is learning from it will be put to work quickly. The new format, Supermercado de Wal-Mart, is only the latest in a series of recent company initiatives, such as the expansion of money wiring services, that target Latino consumers and...
Hurricane season looks to be about normal this year according to Planalytics, a weather forecasting firm, but it may have its own quirks that retailers might take into consideration as they help consumers deal with the threat. Retailers in hurricane prone regions often see a big impact from storms that can prompt major sales around preparedness and clean up or that can shut down whole markets...
Sears Holdings and AOL — two companies that haven’t been bearers of much great news lately — are tired of too much negative press out there. So they’ve come up with their own solution, GNN.com (an abbreviation for Good News Network) which will “foray into delivering ‘good news’ at a time when Americans need it most.” The ironic thing here is that GNN.com...
Sears Holding is reviving a holiday season experiment in a partnership with AOL that not only will provide a unique approach to communicating with consumers but also will act as lead initiative in a new marketing campaign the retailer is launching under the theme Life. Well spent. The AOL partnership will generate a website dubbed Good News Now at gnn.com, dedicated to providing uplifting...
Williams-Sonoma could be reaching a turning point with gains on product initiatives and effects of a cost-cutting strategy focused on operational efficiency helping to slow declining financial results. Cutting costs can lead to market share declines and observers are mixed in their appraisal about the long-term impact of Williams-Sonoma’s particular efforts, but Joan Storms, an analyst for...
Wal-Mart’s focus on young people as potential sales drivers in entertainment and electronics – and beyond – has entered a new dimension with a promotion for the Jonas Brothers, one that boosts the retailer’s online operation but also demonstrated how it intends to keep winning new customers even after the recession ends. Starting today, the Jonas Brothers’ tween and teen fans...
Another day, another Sears Holdings concept. This time around the company is launching MyGofer, a showroom-like concept where customers can order items online, or by phone, and then pick them up at a physical location. There is currently one MyGofer, in Joliet, Ill., and the company already has a beta Web site up and running. The store basically sells EVERYTHING, from electronics to clothes, to...
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- Gap Stands Behind Flailing Banana Republic
- Prediction Calls for Happy Black Friday
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- P&G Retail Push Makes Sense, Risks Aside
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Industry Transcripts by Seeking Alpha
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