Strategy

Flying Tiger Copenhagen is expanding its U.S. footprint.   The discounter will open a 2,100-sq.-ft. store at City Point, in downtown Brooklyn, on April 21. The Danish home retailer offers a quirky, ever-changing assortment of  product, ranging from home goods to toys to electronics and more, with many created by the company’s in-house design team in Denmark.  

Birchbox is no longer in the red.   The online subscription beauty retailer has achieved profitability, MediaPost reported, and is returning to television advertising with a spot that speaks to the joy the company’s monthly beauty box brings to its customers.   Founded in 2010, Birchbox had a tough 2016 during which it cut costs and laid off staff. But investments in technology and automation have helped it turn a corner.    

West Elm is expanding in Texas.   The retailer, a division of William-Sonoma, will open its first Fort Worth location this summer. The 10,502-sq.-ft. store will be located at West 7th Fort Worth, an open-air center in the heart of the ‘Cultural District” in Fort Worth, Texas.    The West 7th development encompasses nearly five blocks of pedestrian-friendly urban elements. It is managed by Vestar.  

VF Corp. is getting a new technology leader.   Martin Schneider, the company’s VP and CIO will retire at the end of 2017. Sandra Harris, VP, global business technology, will succeed Schneider as VP and CIO, effective Jan. 1, 2018. Harris also has been appointed to VF’s senior leadership team.  

UPS is taking steps to improve order accuracy.   A new program called Preload Smart Scan notifies workers if they have placed an item in the wrong delivery vehicle. Historically, these snafus forced drivers to travel miles out of their way to correct the mistakes.  

Target’s food-based innovation lab, which was targeted to be shut down, may get a second lease on life.   Target’s Food + Future lab initiative ended up on the retailer’s chopping block — along with other innovative projects — as it refocuses efforts on its core business. However, on Tuesday, April 17, sources said an inves-tor approached the chain with an offer, reported the Star Tribune.   

Walmart continues its online buying spree, but this time the target is a Web domain.   ShoeBuy.com, which Walmart acquired in January, has acquired the shoes.com domain name and related intellectual property for $9 million, according to documents filed with the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Bankruptcy and Insolvency. In an unexpected move, the Canada-based Shoes.com shut down its online sites and brick-and-mortar operations in January.   

Walmart wants its suppliers to join the retailer to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their operations and supply chains.  

Albertsons Companies has appointed Wayne Denningham, currently executive VP and COO, to the new role of president and COO for Albertsons Companies. Denningham will continue to lead store operations with added oversight of marketing & merchandising, supply chain, manufacturing, and integration, all of which will continue under their current leadership.  

One way for U.S retail companies to win in 2017 is to look beyond their domestic borders for growth. As retail executives implement this year’s business plans, they should consider embracing cross-border e-commerce in China to grow now, and in the future.   China is the world’s largest and fastest-growing e-commerce market. Cross-border e-commerce is experiencing explosive growth due to Chinese consumers’ desire for lower prices and higher-quality products.