Sales & Marketing

There was a time, not long ago, when mall owners crowed about their Sears, Macy’s and J.C. Penneys. Now, one has issued a chronicle of its systematic decommissioning of department store anchors.    That owner is PREIT, and CEO Joe Coradino claims his company was ahead of the curve in the decline of some of the biggest names in retail.  

Current media reporting on the state of physical retail is mostly doom and gloom. But analysts at real estate research company CoStar listened in on the latest wave of Q1 earnings calls and discovered a generally bullish attitude for brick-and-mortar retail among developers.   “I just think the [negative] narrative is a way ahead of itself," a CoStar report quoted Simon Properties CEO David Simon as saying.   

Amazon’s signature Dash button may be getting some competition from a rival very soon.   A patent filing by Walmart reveals that the retail giant could be developing an Internet of Things-based device that tracks how shoppers use products in their homes and then electronically reorders merchandise.  

Online plus-size fast-fashion retailer Eloquii is testing its first physical location, a pop-up shop in the Washington, D.C. area.  

The nation’s largest retailer is introducing special financing for its credit cards that comes with an appealing hook.    The new offer provides no-interest financing plans for the Walmart Credit Card and the Walmart Mastercard Credit Card, with plans extending across either six months or 12 months on purchases. Similar to most plans, customers don’t pay any interest during the promotional period. But the Walmart offer is different from most others in that the interest also does not accrue during the promotional period.

Amazon’s fashion journey may have just hit a bump in the road.   Cathy Beaudoin, the online giant’s president of fashion, has left her post — a position she has held for eight years, reported Business of Fashion.  

Best Buy is extending its reaching into the fast-growing smart home market by teaming up with a company that makes and installs smart devices.      The retailer and Vivint Smart Home announced a partnership, called Best Buy Smart Home powered by Vivint, whereby experts from Vivint will be placed in Best Buy stores to give shoppers advice about smart home devices and installation. The program will start rolling out this summer.   

Look for Martha Stewart to appear on the QVC channel.   Sequential Brands Group announced a multi-year agreement with QVC for Sequential’s Martha Stewart brand. Under the agreement, QVC will launch several categories for the brand, including skincare, fashion apparel, and food and beverage.