http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summaryTue, 11 Jul 2006 01:58:02 +0000http://www.smarterretail.comSmarter Retail15http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/115352138809282710Fri, 21 Jul 2006 22:36:00 +00002006-07-21T18:40:36.356-04:00The WSJ is reporting that Wal-Mart is launching a major overhaul or its stores: WSJ.com - Heard on the Street: "The world's largest retailer by sales is attempting a sweeping makeover aimed at paring its inventory and labor costs while enticing affluent customers, some of whom now buy groceries in its stores, to spend more in other areas. As part of that effort, Wal-Mart will remodel nearly halfhttp://www.smarterretail.com/2006/07/wsj-is-reporting-that-wal-mart-is.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/115258424482994012Tue, 11 Jul 2006 02:17:24 +00002006-07-10T22:17:24.840-04:00Loss leaders don't work with all customers. Grocery stores were the first to pioneer "loss leaders" those really cheap items that the store loses money on, but get you in the store to buy more items. Well it turns out some people hop from store to store only buying those deeply discounted items. Sale Shoppers Annoy Grocers as They Save - New York Times: "Grocers loathe the shoppers known as 'http://www.smarterretail.com/2006/07/loss-leaders-dont-work-with-all.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/91035019Thu, 20 Mar 2003 03:50:08 +00002003-03-19T23:33:17.000-05:00Brand out of focus? Sales of Tommy HiIfiger's line of clothing for plus-sized women have been growing while the brand has been losing ground among teenagers. I don't think the two trends are coincidental. The 18 year old gangster-wannabe wouldn't be happy to be spotted wearing the same jeans as his mother. This is a clear case of losing sight of who your customers are. http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/brand-out-of-focus-sales-of-tommy.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/91037454Thu, 20 Mar 2003 04:28:33 +00002003-03-19T23:31:20.000-05:00Barnes & Noble is deepening its embrace of Book magazine: Book, a magazine filled with book reviews, author interviews and effusive features like "Anita Shreve's Secret Passions" and "Hype! Hype! Hype! Wild Publicity Stunts," grew so fast under Barnes & Noble's patronage that production costs soon overwhelmed any added revenues... Now, Book and Barnes & Noble have restructured their http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/barnes-noble-is-deepening-its-embrace.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/91036918Thu, 20 Mar 2003 04:19:36 +00002003-03-19T23:19:36.936-05:00Gucci is faltering (WSJ: requires subscription) after being reinvented in the 1990s after being bought by the LVMH group: The two rescued Gucci from near bankruptcy in the 1990s. They bought back thousands of product licenses from manufacturers who were sullying the brand by plastering its logo on key chains and umbrellas. They opened Gucci-owned stores, for which Mr. Ford created a common look,http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/gucci-is-faltering-wsj-requires.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/91035243Thu, 20 Mar 2003 03:53:54 +00002003-03-19T23:02:12.000-05:00Speaking of brand diversification, Liz Claiborne added to its string of acquisitions by buying Travis Jeans, a.k.a. Juicy Couture. Over that few years, Liz Claiborne has skillfully bought up clothing lines and chains of stores that are complementary and don't cannibalize each other's business, including: Sigrid Olsen, Lucky Brand jeans, Mexx shops and Ellen Tracy. http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/speaking-of-brand-diversification-liz.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/90968649Wed, 19 Mar 2003 04:03:32 +00002003-03-18T23:04:20.000-05:00Tommy Hilfiger is closing 37 of its 44 specialty shops as it struggles to reinvent itself. Tommy Hilfiger has lost its grip on the hip-hop market: Now the dreadlocks are gone from the advertisements-- and the big red, white and blue "Tommys" are pretty much gone from the streets. The Tommy Hilfiger Corporation has announced that it is moving away from its logo after many of the company's earlierhttp://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/tommy-hilfiger-is-closing-37-of-its-44.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/90968094Wed, 19 Mar 2003 03:54:35 +00002003-03-18T22:54:35.513-05:00The New York Times has more on the Spiegel bankruptcy, citing a default rate of 17 - 20% among its credit card customers: According to David Robertson, publisher of The Nilson Report, a trade journal that reports on the credit card industry, Spiegel had become, in effect, a subprime lender, offering credit to lower-income consumers who, in many cases, would not qualify for the more mainstream http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/new-york-times-has-more-on-spiegel.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/90967395Wed, 19 Mar 2003 03:41:22 +00002003-03-18T22:42:11.000-05:00Why are retailers trying to be banks? Spiegel, owner of the Eddie Bauer line of clothing, has filed for bankruptcy. Troubles at its credit card unit are to blame: The company's troubles were largely linked to its credit card business, which it has been trying to sell for more than a year. To boost sales, the retailer extended credit to risky borrowers and the plan backfired, industry watchers http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/why-are-retailers-trying-to-be-banks.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/90966942Wed, 19 Mar 2003 03:33:24 +00002003-03-18T22:34:24.000-05:00More evidence that focused specialty realtors are thriving during a difficult retail season. Aeropostale and Urban Outfitters both reported strong sales growth. The key, as always, is knowing who your customer is and focusing on serving that customer''s needs in a way to no one else does: "What they're demonstrating with these strong results is how successful a well-focused, differentiated http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/more-evidence-that-focused-specialty.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/90892793Tue, 18 Mar 2003 02:01:21 +00002003-03-17T21:01:21.983-05:00The company you keep. This profile of shopping mall-developer Rouse Co. reveals how shopping destinations are increasingly becoming stratified: Mall building is in turmoil. There are more malls than people want, which forces those of lesser quality to close. People with low to moderate income who used to shop at department stores such as J.C. Penney and Sears increasingly favor "big box" stores http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/company-you-keep.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/90890732Tue, 18 Mar 2003 01:27:27 +00002003-03-17T20:27:27.483-05:00Need more proof you need to keep the right sizes in stock? Shares of Bebe, retailer of trendy women's apparel, plunged 20% when it announced it expected significantly lower earnings. One of the reasons analysts gave for Bebe's troubles: "In essence, the company needs to carry significantly more sizing options to provide a full assortment for the customer. Additionally, the more sophisticated, http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/need-more-proof-you-need-to-keep-right.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/90717634Fri, 14 Mar 2003 16:59:02 +00002003-03-14T11:59:31.000-05:00Here is a very interesting look at the Back to School season by Margaret Webb Pressler at the Washington Post. Back to School is a difficult season for retailers because teens can be very fickle and fashion trends can appear and dissppear remarkably quickly: It is also one season that really keeps retailers on their toes, because if there's one thing that teens seem to agree on, it's that you http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/here-is-very-interesting-look-at-back.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/90717087Fri, 14 Mar 2003 16:48:14 +00002003-03-14T11:48:14.950-05:00Quality over quantity. New Staples CEO has been focusing on improving existing stores instead of opening new stores: At times during the 1990s, Stemberg's Staples was opening a new store every 48 hours. Sargent is slowing down that pace and working to nurture existing markets. The old Staples overwhelmed customers with massive selection -- from 10 kinds of paper shredders to pens shaped like http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/quality-over-quantity.htmlSmarter Retailhttp://www.blogger.com/feeds/5020278/posts/summary/90716573Fri, 14 Mar 2003 16:37:42 +00002003-03-14T11:37:42.373-05:00Sears is struggling (WSJ: requires subscription) to make its credit card division profitable: Among other reasons why some analysts and investors fret: Sears's credit clientele seems more troubled than the average American. "It's one we would expect to experience more credit challenges," says James E. Moss, an analyst with Fitch Ratings. Bankruptcies among the retailer's credit-card holders http://www.smarterretail.com/2003/03/sears-is-struggling-wsj-requires.htmlSmarter Retail