Apparel

Online luxury retailer Gilt.com is kicking off its 10th anniversary with the launch of a new website.   The company, a pioneer in online flash sales, unveiled a complete site redesign on Tuesday. Dubbed “The New Gilt,” the site continues to feature daily new arrivals and the flash sales that it's known for, but it will also feature easier site navigation, more exclusive offerings, and edited and dynamic editorial content — all of which will contribute to a more tailored customer experience, Gilt said. 

It's going to be a busy September for Dick's Sporting Goods.   The retailer will open eight namesake stores and two new Field & Stream stores in the first half of September, including three locations in California. The openings will give the company 711 Dick's locations and 34 Field & Stream locations across the country.   

Genesco Inc. announced that Mario Gallione has been named president of the company's Journeys retail division. He most recently served as chief merchandising officer of The Journeys Group.   Gallione will report to James C. Estepa, who will continue to serve as CEO of The Journeys Group. Estepa also remains a senior VP of Genesco. Gallione's appointment is intended as the first step in a succession plan to prepare for Estepa's eventual retirement.  

Whether we’re receiving coupons based on our spending, or product suggestions based on other people’s spending, artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how consumers shop and experience brands. For retailers, meanwhile, AI could increase profits by almost 60%¹. It could be a game-changer in this labor-intensive sector, augmenting the workforce and enabling employees to become more productive.  

In a move to attract more specialized information technology specialists, Uniqlo is renovating its digital DNA.  

Best Buy and Macy’s are stepping up their same-day delivery efforts as they continue to bolster their defenses to compete with Amazon and other rivals.    Best Buy announced on Thursday it is expanding its same-day delivery of online orders from 13 metro areas to 27, with more to come. The retailer expects that customers in nearly 40 cities will be able to take advantage of service for the holiday selling season.  

Boll & Branch, until now an online-only seller of towels and linens, has opened its first brick-and-mortar location at the Short Hills Mall in New Jersey.   Claiming to sell the “World’s Most Comfortable Sheets,” Boll & Branch also offers towels and will inhabit a 2,137-sq.-ft. shop at the high-end, suburban mall known as one of the few to house Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s under one roof.  

Going private may take some pressure off a company, but it is not without its risks.   In June, the Nordstrom family, which owns 31.2% of the department store's stock, announced it planned to explore taking the company private. But in its latest quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Nordstrom executives warned of the potential risks that might come with a move, reported Puget Sound Business Journal.