Supply Chain & Merchandising

Even with a jump in sales, unanticipated operating expenses and e-commerce snafus took a toll on Boot Barn’s fourth quarter for fiscal 2017.   

Amazon is bolstering fulfillment efforts in the Golden State.   The online giant will open an 855,000-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Fresno, California. The new facility will specialize in handling smaller-sized items such as books, electronic devices and children’s toys.   The Fresno facility will be the fifth warehouse in the state’s Central Valley. Amazon currently operates three fulfillment centers in Tracy and Patterson, and a fourth facility under construction in Sacramento.

Gymboree Corp. could be filing Chapter 11 sooner than expected.   Struggling to manage its debt and churn a profit, Gymboree missed an interest payment due June 1, for its outstanding 9.125% senior notes due 2018. The missed payment was reported in a filing on Thursday, June 1, by the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to CNBC.   

Teens’ demand for slime to fidget spinners helped boost Five Below’s first quarter sales, comps and earnings well above expectations.   For the first quarter ended April 29, the teen value retailer reported a net income of $8.4 million compared to $6.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Meanwhile, the chain’s sales increased almost 21% to $232.9 million, from $192.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016.  

RadioShack Corp. has entered into the newest chapter of its financial saga.   The company, which recently filed for bankruptcy protection, closed 1,000 stores over the Memorial Day weekend. This move leaves the chain with a mere 70 company-owned stores and 500 dealer stores in operation across the U.S., according to Fortune.  

Amazon is preparing to expand its fulfillment capabilities in Georgia.   The online giant will open a new 850,000-sq.-ft. distribution center in Jefferson, Georgia. The facility will employ 1,000 full-time employees. The fulfillment center will pick, pack and ship large items, including household furniture, sporting equipment and gardening tools, among other merchandise. The facility will be the second in Georgia’s Jackson County, and the fourth in the state.   

Amazon’s newest win aims to further improve how it delivers packages.   The online giant won a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on May 30, for an “aerial package delivery system.” While Amazon is no stranger to using drones, the company’s newest air-based endeavor raises the bar another notch.  

Higher customer spending and lower advertising costs not only boosted Dollar General Corp.’s profits, but contributed to better-than-expected first quarter earnings.   For the period ended May 5, the discounter’s net sales increased by 6.5% to $5.61 billion, compared to $5.27 billion in first quarter 2016. Net income fell to $279.5 million, or $1.02 per share from $295.1 million, or $1.03 per share, a year earlier. However, this still beat the average analysts' estimate of $1 per share, according to Thomson Reuters.