News Briefs

Canada’s oldest company has begun selling the inventory at nearly all its stores as it continues to hold out hope for a last-minute option to restructure.

The move comes after an Ontario court on Friday gave Hudson’s Bay permission to proceed with a revised liquidation plan, which will temporarily exclude six stores from the initial list. The company operates 80 Hudson’s Bay stores and, through a licensing agreement, three Saks Fifth Avenue and 13 Saks Off 5th stores, which are also scheduled to close.

The six stores excluded from the liquidation sale include the Hudson’s Bay flagship on Yonge Street in Toronto, a store in the city’s Yorkdale Shopping Center and one at Hillcrest Mall in Richmond Hill, Ontario. The remaining three are in downtown Montreal; Carrefour Laval mall, Laval, QC; and Point-Claire, QC.

“If a solution can be found, there is an opportunity to pull additional stores out of the liquidation, but if a restructuring solution is not found very quickly, (the six) will be added to the liquidation sale,” Hudson’s Bay lawyer Ashley Taylor said during the court hearing, reported the AP.

Hudson’s Bay said its revised plan was bolstered by strong sales during the past week that far exceeded projections, giving the company the flexibility to continue operating the six stores while pursuing a restructuring solution

“Canadians have shown extraordinary support for Hudson’s Bay over the last two weeks and overwhelmed us with their encouragement and endearment for the brand,” said Liz Rodbell, President and CEO of Hudson’s Bay. “We are extremely fortunate to have such an engaged community behind us.”

Hudson’s Bay filed for creditor protection earlier this month citing, among other things, trade tensions between Canada and the United States and a drop in downtown traffic.

The parent company of Tommy Bahama, Lilly Pulitzer, Johnny Was and more is automating its upcoming distribution center.

Apparel company Oxford Industries, Inc. has selected global warehouse robotics provider Exotec to automate its large-scale distribution center in Lyons, Ga. The new 560,000-sq.-ft. facility, slated to open in late 2025, is designed to process more than 20 million units of apparel a year, making it Exotec's largest and most intricate robotic deployment to date. 

Exotec’s Next Generation Skypod system, which will serve as the picking engine for the whole warehouse, will consist of over 450,000 storage locations and more than 450 robots. Exotec will integrate its hardware and software with third-party machinery to offer end-to-end warehouse automation and support receiving, decanting, sorting, and packing, as well as outbound shipment.

[READ MORE: Survey: Automation helps warehouse retention]

With the new technology, Oxford Industries will be able to effectively handle returns, decreasing the amount of time and labor needed to inspect, sort, and store returned items, streamlining the process of making it available for resale.

"We are excited about making this large investment in an expanded facility in Toombs County which, together with the great workforce we already have here, has been a great place for Oxford for many years," said Mark Kirby, Oxford's senior VP of operations. "This new facility, with convenient access to Southeastern U.S. ports, will be supported by Exotec's next generation Skypod system and ensure best-in-class direct to consumer throughput capabilities for our brands."

Founded in 1964, Oxford’s apparel brands include Tommy Bahama, Lilly Pulitzer, Johnny Was, Southern Tide, The Beaufort Bonnet Company and Duck Head.

New data from a popular low-cost shopping app reveals what issues will have the biggest effect on U.S. shoppers in 2025.

A recent survey of 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Shein indicates the most pressing issue for the coming year is inflation, cited by 67% of respondents (more than one issue could be referenced). Tax increases followed at 43%, with 35% of respondents saying that the impact of tariffs on the cost of goods is an issue.

Respondents ages 55 and up expressed even higher concern across all these three categories (72%, 47%, and 45% respectively).

The survey also reveals that when it comes to selecting a clothing retailer, 80% of respondents say price is the most important factor when selecting a retailer. Respondents also placed a lot of importance on brands that offer a variety of styles, making it easier for them to find what they want (56%).

Clothing shopping trends for Shein customers

The survey also looked at how respondents who are Shein customers feel about certain clothing shopping issues:

• More than seven-in-10 (72%) respondents who are Shein customers (and 66% of all respondents) report having a tight budget for clothing shopping.
• Almost all respondents (93%) agree they feel good when they’re able to buy the exact clothing style they want; this jumps to 97% specifically for respondents who are Shein customers.
• More than nine-in-10 (92%) surveyed Shein customers say they try to avoid throwing clothes in the trash and 91% try to find ways to repurpose or recycle.

[READ MORE: Shein to open polyester recycling hub]

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has achieved a significant milestone. 

The company, whose brands include Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and West Elm, is now a member of the S&P 500, a benchmark of the largest and most influential publicly-traded companies in the United States.

“Being included in the S&P 500 is a significant milestone that acknowledges the power of our brand portfolio and growth strategies,” said Laura Alber, president and CEO of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. “We remain committed to driving innovation, delivering exceptional products and experiences to our customers, and creating long-term value for our stakeholders.”

In a statement, Williams-Sonoma said the the company’s growth and strong profitability has been driven by its omni-channel strategy, dynamic brand portfolio, differentiated product offering and dedication to customer service.

The company's inclusion in the S&P 500 follows a strong finish to 2024. Its net revenues rose 8.04% to $2.462 billion for the holiday quarter, ended Feb. 2. Net income totaled $410.72 million, or $3.28 per share, compared to $354.44 million, or $2.72 per share in the year-ago period.

“We are proud of our strong finish to 2024. In Q4, our comp came in above expectations at positive 3.1%," Alber stated in the earnings release. "We exceeded profitability estimates with an operating margin of 21.5% and earnings per share of $3.28."

Whole Foods Market has entered a new partnership to provide an improved customer experience at select curbside pickup locations.

The Amazon-owned natural and organic foods grocer has teamed up with Vehicle Protection Structures (VPS) to install protective canopies over customer vehicles at curbside pickup locations at its stores in Portland, Maine; Omaha, Neb.; and Austin, Texas. The initiative aims to improve the customer experience at Whole Foods stores, protect employees from the elements and improve wayfinding for a smooth pickup process. 

VPS says that by shielding vehicles and employees from sun, rain, and snow, its canopies improve comfort while reinforcing a retailer’s commitment to customer satisfaction and employee well-being.

“Retailers know that curbside pickup is here to stay, and they’re looking for ways to make the experience as appealing as possible for their customers,” said Keith Busam, VP of business development at VPS. “With VPS structures, they’re not only enhancing convenience but also creating a more welcoming and intuitive space that improves traffic flow and reduces confusion. Whole Foods Market’s investment in covered pickup areas demonstrates their dedication to delivering an exceptional shopping experience.”

[READ MORE: Whole Foods Market opening new U.K. store]

Whole Foods Market has more than 535 stores in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, with nearly 90 stores in the pipeline.

(Editor's note: Image courtesy of VPS)

DoorDash is expanding the options customers have for payment.

The on-demand delivery platform is teaming up with artificial intelligence-based global payments and commerce network Klarna to offer Klarna’s flexible payment services to its customers. 

In the coming months, DoorDash customers will be able to utilize Klarna’s seamless range of payment options when purchasing items from retail partners as well as its DashPass annual subscription plan on the DoorDash site or app.

"As we expand DoorDash’s offerings—from groceries and beauty to electronics and gifts—flexible payment options are essential to meeting our customers’ needs," said Anand Subbarayan, head of money products at DoorDash.

When DoorDash customers reach checkout, they will see Klarna as an additional payment option, giving them more freedom to choose how they want to pay. Options will include:

• Pay in full allows customers to pay right away using Klarna’s seamless payments offering.
• Pay in 4 allows customers to pay in four equal interest-free installments.
• Pay later allows customers to defer payments to a future time, such as a date that aligns with their paycheck schedules.

"Our partnership with DoorDash marks an important milestone in Klarna’s expansion into everyday spending categories," said David Sykes, chief commercial officer of Klarna. 

Other alternative payment options offered by DoorDash include a cash-on-delivery feature that lets customers pay for their order with cash on eligible first-party orders fulfilled through its DoorDash Drive white label fulfillment platform.

In addition, customers ordering from a participating DoorDash restaurant partner using its Storefront commission-free online ordering system or Bbot order and pay at table technology can select “gift card” as their preferred payment option during the checkout process via an integration with Paytronix.

[READ MORE: DoorDash enables gift card, loyalty payment]