Data & Analytics

Michaels Cos. said increased spending cut into its bottom line in the second quarter. The chain lowered its same-stores outlook for the rest of the year, citing a “choppy” retail environment.    For the quarter ended July 30, the company posted a profit of $35.6 million, compared with $35.7 million in the year-ago period, amid spending to integrate recently-acquired arts and craft wholesaler Lamrite West and the timing of distribution expenses.  

Sephora has brought its tech-savvy Beauty TIP Workshop store format to Michigan Avenue in Chicago, complete with some new flourishes.    At 10,040 sq. ft., the new store is the beauty giant’s 400th freestanding location in North America, and only the fourth here to feature the TIP (teach, inspire, play) format. The other locations are Powell St., San Francisco; Prudential Center, Boston; and Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto.   

Big Lots Inc. isn’t letting soft sales in the second quarter damper its outlook. Instead, the retailer raised its profit forecast for the year.   The discounter on Friday reported fiscal second-quarter net income of $22.7 million, which surpassed analysts’ expectations, from $17.64 million in the year-ago period.   Revenue totaled $1.2 billion in the period, which missed Street forecasts. Same-store sales inched up 0.3%.  

A little over one year since it acquired rival Family Dollar, Dollar Tree reported revenue that missed Wall Street expectations amid lower customer traffic.     Dollar Tree and other discounters are also feeling the impact of a recent change by some states regarding the criteria for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which has made thousands of households ineligible for benefits.      

Destination XL Group Inc. reported a profit in its second quarter amid the ongoing strength of its DXL larger store format.   The retailer of big and tall apparel for men posted net income for the second quarter of $0.2 million, compared with a net loss of $1.0 million in the year ago period.  

Staples wants to make back-to-school shopping virtually effortless.    The retailer announced a new beta test available on its mobile iOS app. Customers can now send a photo of their child’s back-to-school list via the Staples Easy System on the app and a Staples associate will populate the customer’s shopping cart with everything they need.      

Update on retail’s most important time of the year

It’s no secret that online shopping and changing consumer preferences continue to impact physical retail traffic. Despite the shifting landscape, retail sales remain largely intact and, more importantly, are expected to increase year-over-year this holiday season.

November and December are prime time for physical retailers.

Chain Store Age recently sat down with Stefan Weitz, chief product and strategy officer of omnichannel commerce and service provider Radial (formerly eBay Enterprise), to discuss how retailers can offer a seamless experience and have a successful holiday.
    
What is the biggest challenge retailers face when trying to enable omnichannel?

In many cases, it’s thinking they can do omnichannel by themselves.