Distribution

Prime retail real estate in Southern California and nearby states is now available after bankrupt Sport Chalet retained A&G Realty Partners to sell its assets.

Rising expenses resulted in an increased net loss at Tuesday Morning Corp. during the third quarter of fiscal 2016, despite positive sales results.

Dallas-based Tuesday Morning reported a net loss of $5.24 million, close to double the $2.8 million loss it posted during the third quarter of the previous fiscal year. On the plus side, net sales rose 11% to $211.38 million from $189.73 million. Same-store sales grew 13.4%, largely driven by an increase in customer transactions.

The retail industry has reached a point of progress with robotics where it is not enough to look at how robots will drive business transformation, but at how they are already doing so.
 
Following are three key retail areas where robots have already begun to make their presence felt:
 
Fulfillment and Distribution

At first glance, hardware cooperative Ace Hardware Corp. and video game chain GameStop Corp. are two retailers with little in common. However, both are leveraging their physical stores as fulfillment points for omnichannel purchases.

Ace is the place with in-store pickup

Oak Brook, Illinois-based Ace Hardware Corp. operates more than 4,400 stores and a distribution network of 14 retail support centers (RSCs) across the U.S. The company leverages this physical footprint to help meet the needs of online shoppers.

The retail industry has reached a point of progress with robotics where it is not enough to look at how robots will drive business transformation, but at how they are already doing so.

Following are three key retail areas where robots have already begun to make their presence felt:

Fulfillment and Distribution

Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) will open a new omnichannel fulfillment center in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, that includes assistance from robots.

The center, opening in July, will run robotic retail technology that HBC says is approximately three-times faster than the typical technology utilized in e-commerce DCs The retailer plans to open the 450,000-sq.-ft. facility through a phased approach, expanding to 617,500 sq. ft. by January 2017.

Don’t overlook the impact that batteries have on retail operations and the bottom line. That’s the advice of IPT’s Ken Murphy, who told Chain Store Age that most retailers don’t realize how much money they spend — and productivity they lose — by constantly having to replace dying batteries in wireless barcode scanners. The problem, he says, is the continued use of subpar OEM batteries.

What is the biggest challenge retailers face regarding the batteries in barcode scanners and other devices?

Academy Sports + Outdoors has opened a 1.6 million square foot distribution center that dramatically increases the company’s ability to support store expansion and omnichannel initiatives.