Supply Chain & Merchandising

Bankrupt sporting goods retailer Gander Mountain may live to see another day.   Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Inc. is planning to bid for as many as 80% of Gander Mountain’s stores, Bloomberg reported. Gander Mountain filed for bankruptcy on March 10.  

Always in search of more efficient, cheaper delivery methods, Amazon is exploring a new avenue.   The online giant has created a think tank that is evaluating how driverless vehicles could improve package delivery speeds, according to NewsMax.   The group, which is comprised of 12 members, began brainstorming on the initiative more than a year ago. However, the group is not designing a fleet of driverless vehicles.   

Rite Aid managed to best analyst forecasts for the fourth quarter even as its chairman and CEO noted that "the extended duration of the merger process" with Walgreens Boots Alliance is "having a negative impact" on the company's results.    Rite Aid’s revenue rose a better-than-expected 2.7% to $8.5 billion in the quarter. Same-store sales fell 3.0%, consisting of a 4.3% decrease in pharmacy sales and a 0.3% decrease in front-end sales.  

Albertsons Cos. on Monday appointed the president of its Jewel-Osco division, Mike Withers as  executive VP, retail operations, Albertsons.   Withers will lead the company's East Region operations, while current executive VP, retail operations Susan Morris will lead the West Region. Jim Perkins, executive VP, retail operations Special Projects, is focused on targeted initiatives to accelerate growth. All three executives will continue to report to Wayne Denningham, president and COO, ALbertsons.  

Deckers Brands announced on Tuesday is it reviewing strategic alternatives, including a possible sale.   The decision comes as the company said it has made “significant progress” in streamlining its cost structure, optimizing its retail store fleet, and realigning its brands to improve profitability. Deckers portfolio includes the popular footwear brands Ugg and Teva.  

J.Crew Group is in a reorganization mode as it look to better position itself for growth.   The apparel retailer announced several strategic changes across its organization, including reducing headcount. Approximately 150 full-time and 100 open positions are being cut, mostly from corporate headquarters.     

A convenience store giant has a solution that it hopes will solve a labor shortage — and simultaneously speed up checkout.   7-Eleven Japan is teaming up with four other major convenience store operators in the country to introduce radio frequency identification (RFID)-based point-of-sale solutions — a move that will automate the checkout experience and fight an employee shortage, according to Bloomberg.  

Much like 2016, the first quarter of 2017 has seen a slow start to consumer spending. However, just like last year, this is expected to be a temporary setback. Strong consumer confidence and income growth have set the stage for a spending bounce back in the second quarter.