Data & Analytics

Sur La Table names former Abercrombie exec as CEO
Kitchenware retailer Sur La Table has tapped a veteran retailer as its new CEO. Sur La Table has appointed Billy May as CEO. May, who will also join the board of directors, succeeds Diane Neal who retired earlier this year. May joins the kitchenware retailer from Abercrombie & Fitch, where he most recently served as senior VP and member of the executive leadership team. At Abercrombie, May was responsible for marketing, e-commerce, omnichannel and geographies.
Target revs up efforts to transform supply chain with acquisition
Target Corp. has acquired a transportation technology company and, in the process, gotten itself a VP of technology. Target Corp. announced it has agreed to acquire Grand Junction to improve and expand Target’s delivery capabilities and accelerate its investments and ongoing efforts to transform its supply chain. Upon the close of the deal, Rob Howard, Grand Junction’s founder and CEO, will become a VP of technology at Target.

How High-Ticket Specialty Stores Can Win More BTS Sales

Back to school is the retail year’s second most critical season. It’s thought of as that make-or-break stretch that provides momentum into the holiday season. For several years, retailers have seen changes in the way the back-to-school season behaves. This year will be no exception as e-commerce and convenience plays continue to devour consumer attention and wallet share.
Q&A: Why Target is acquiring Grand Junction

Target is looking to expand its delivery capabilities by acquiring Grand Junction, a transportation technology company. Arthur Valdez, Target’s executive VP, chief supply chain and logistics officer, and Rob Howard, CEO of Grand Junction, discussed the acquisition in the following Q&A, posted on the retailer's website. Why did Target decide to acquire Grand Junction?
New centers hold higher costs for tenants

As 20th Century malls give way to 21st Century mixed use centers, retail tenants need to arm themselves against giving away too much away during lease negotiations. That’s the caution of National Retail Tenants Association director Paul Kinney, who strongly advises retailers to consider both long and the short-term implications of the leases they sign.
Vitamin Shoppe launches online subscription service — with a hook

Taking a page out of Birchbox's play book, The Vitamin Shoppe is going to be sending out personalized sample boxes of new products.
Analyst: Penney turnaround is a long-term endeavor

Although J.C. Penney's numbers are not a disaster and represent a significant sequential improvement over the prior quarter, they are nevertheless underwhelming. While we maintain the company is moving in the right direction, the lack of progress on profit and same-store sales both highlight that the turnaround program is a long-term endeavor that will take some time to deliver.
J.C. Penney loss widens on store closing efforts; to boost apparel

Liquidation efforts took a toll on J.C. Penney in its second quarter, which reported earnings and same-store sales below estimates. Penney's net loss widened to $62 million in the quarter ended July 29, or 20 cents per share, from $56 million, or 18 cents per share, in the year-ago period.
Amazon exploring new ways for food delivery — no refrigeration needed

Amazon is looking at food-prep technology first developed for the U.S. military that would allow the online giant to deliver meals that do not require any refrigeration. The technology, known as microwave assisted thermal sterilization, or MATS, was developed by researchers at Washington State University, CNBC reported, and is being brought to market by a Denver-based startup called 915 Labs.
Amazon making inroads in home and kitchen categories

Amazon is making great strides in the home and kitchen space with its Amazon Home store, which curates home and kitchen wares, furniture and appliances. Housewares account for 15% of Amazon's growth in 2016, according to a report from One Click Retail. During the first two quarters of 2017, the growth of the home & kitchen product group has continued on an upward trajectory.
Commentary: Real chance of a turnaround at Macy's, but...

After a torrid opening quarter, Macy's second quarter numbers come as a relief. Certainly, a same-store sales decline of 2.8% is far from good, but it is one of the better performances Macy's has turned in over recent periods. Of course, the question is whether this gentler decline represents a genuine turning point for Macy's, or whether it is simply a bottoming out after years of sharp deterioration.
Kohl's looking better in Q2

Increased traffic gave a boost to Kohl's, which reported sales and earnings that topped analysts’ estimates in the second quarter. The company's net income rose to $208 million, or $1.24 per share, in the quarter ended July 29, from $140 million, or 77 cents per share, in the year-ago period.