News Briefs

Two Saks Global banners will implement a solution used by a sister brand to make informed buying decisions and enhance assortment planning efficiency.

Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman will deploy the NuOrder by Lightspeed ERP platform to visualize and develop assortments in real-time. Fellow Saks Global banner Saks Fifth Avenue has been utilizing the NuOrder solution since 2020.

[READ MORE: Saks to enhance assortment localization with BI]

"With the continuous evolution of luxury consumer shopping preferences, we’re committed to building a luxury fashion assortment that is both relevant and inspiring for our customers," said Paolo Riva, chief brand partnerships & buying officer, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. "We’re pleased to partner with NuOrder in our efforts to drive timely buying decisions in collaboration with our brand partners, enabling us to meet our customers with a refined edit of the latest fashion through highly personalized shopping experiences.”"

Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman buying teams will be able to more easily plan and manage assortments across hundreds of brands, aligning their selections with the evolving tastes of luxury consumers. 

The retailers also expect to be able to collaborate in real-time to curate hyper-personalized assortments based on live data and insights to drive profitability and speed up order writing to get the right products in front of the right customers at the right time.

"With NuOrder’s innovative analytical capabilities, we are continuing to equip our teams with modern tools to ensure our customers' needs are met," said Yumi Shin, chief merchandising officer, Bergdorf Goodman. "We look forward to working with NuOrder to amplify our globally recognized curation and deliver the best in luxury, season-after-season."

Amazon is making a major commitment to build new fulfillment and delivery hubs, data centers and corporate offices in the U.K.

The online giant plans to invest approximately $54 billion in the U.K. by the end of 2027 to build build four new fulfillment centers and new delivery stations across the country. The money will also be spent on upgrades and expansions to Amazon's existing network of more than 100 operations buildings in the U.K., including two new buildings at its corporate headquarters in East London.

In addition, the investment includes part of the $10.9 billion Amazon previously committed to spend between 2024 and 2028 to build, operate and maintain data centers in the U.K. Amazon has committed billions of dollars to data infrastructure development projects across the globe, most recently in Australia and Taiwan.

[READ MORE: Amazon Web Services to invest $5 billion in Taiwan data centers]

According to Amazon, this investment will create thousands of new permanent, full-time jobs in the U.K., including more than 4,000 jobs at fulfillment centers and delivery stations across the country.

Amazon estimates the investment will contribute an estimated additional $51 billion to the U.K.’s GDP, with the data center investment alone expected to contribute $19.1 billion to the UK economy between 2024 and 2028 and support 14,000 full-time equivalent jobs each year.

"Amazon has been proud to serve our customers in the U.K. for the past 27 years," said Andy Jassy, CEO, Amazon. "Thanks to their support, we've grown to be part of over 100 communities nationwide, from developing drone technology in Darlington to producing world-class entertainment at our studios in Bray.”

Social media is a key driving force of consumer overspending, according to a new survey.

More than half (54%) of people regret purchases they’ve made through social media, and four-in-five say they would spend less money if they deleted their social media accounts, according to a new poll of consumers from WalletHub.

Half of those surveyed said that social media is bad for their budget, and nearly seven-in-10 (69%) said that it is bad for their debt. Notably, nearly 20% of those surveyed said they try to look “richer” on social media than they really are.

“It’s difficult to kick this type of habit, but people should definitely consider cutting back on social media for the sake of their budget, especially with tariffs making popular items more expensive,” said Chip Lupo, analyst at WalletHub. “People who are concerned about their ability to resist should remove social media apps from their devices. Trading social media apps in for a budgeting app can also help you pinpoint areas where you are overspending.”

[READ MORE: Here’s how tariffs are affecting consumer behavior]

Additional insights from the survey include the following:

• 60% of Americans are concerned about tariffs making their social media purchases more expensive.
• Despite social media leading to overspending, nearly three-quarters of Americans say they don’t trust financial advice from social media influencers.
• 82% of Americans trust Google search results more than social media influencers.

For its report, WalletHub conducted a nationally representative online survey of over 200 respondents.

Women’s apparel retailer J.Jill has added new talent to its C-suite.

The company has appointed Courtney O'Connor as senior VP and chief merchandising officer, effective June 30. She will succeed Shelley Liebsch, who will be leaving J.Jill to pursue other opportunities.

O’Connor has more than two decades of experience in the apparel and luxury sectors, specializing in retail, wholesale and e-commerce. Most recently, she served as chief merchandising officer for nearly three years at Canadian-founded apparel retailer Club Monaco. 

Prior, she held senior leadership roles at Public Clothing Company and Ralph Lauren, where she managed global merchandising for women's apparel and accessories. Other previous roles include merchandising and buying positions at J.Crew, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. 

“Courtney is a seasoned merchant who brings extensive experience in elevating product assortments to showcase brands’ offerings in a way that best aligns with customer expectations,” said Mary Ellen Coyne, CEO and president of J.Jill, who joined the company from apparel retailer J.McLaughlin earlier this year. “Through thoughtful collaboration she has worked cross functionally to launch new offerings increasing brand visibility and driving sales. As we take steps to enhance the J.Jill assortment and execute toward our next chapter for growth, I am thrilled to have Courtney join the team. I want to thank Shelley for her contributions to J.Jill and wish her all the best."

[READ MORE: J.Jill launches new ad campaign across linear and streaming TV]

Headquartered outside of Boston, J.Jill operates 249 stores nationwide along with its e-commerce website.

Netflix is getting set to debut its most ambitious physical experience to date.

The streaming and entertainment giant will unveil its immersive Netflix House concept later this year, with locations at King of Prussia Mall, located in the Philadelphia suburb of King of Prussia, and Galleria Dallas in Dallas. Spanning more than 100,000 sq. ft., Netflix House will bring some of the company’s most popular shows and movies to life,  including Wednesday, Squid Game, One Piece, Stranger Things and A Knives Out Mystery franchise. In 2027, Netflix House will expand with a third location, in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip at BLVD Las Vegas. 

The Netflix House locations at King of Prussia and Galleria Dallas will both include Netflix Bites, a casual restaurant with food and craft cocktails playing on popular Netflix stories and characters, as well as a store featuring exclusive merchandise that will be updated regularly. But some of the experiences will differ by location.

“At Netflix House, you can enjoy regularly updated immersive experiences, indulge in retail therapy, and get a taste —  literally — of your favorite Netflix series and films through unique food and drink offerings,” stated Marian Lee, Netflix’s chief marketing officer, in a release in June 2024. “We’ve launched more than 50 experiences in 25 cities, and Netflix House represents the next generation of our distinctive offerings. The venues will bring our beloved stories to life in new, ever-changing, and unexpected ways.”

Netflix is expecting big crowds for its new concept. The company is encouraging fans to sign up for its waitlist for presale tickets before the general public.

In February. Netflix Bites opened at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Described as a one-year culinary residency, the restaurant (pictured in accompanying photo) offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner — with each menu item inspired by a hit Netflix show or movie.

The Kroger Co. is leveraging a next-gen platform to analyze up-to-date consumer data for optimized decision making.

The grocery conglomerate is leveraging the Tastewise consumer insights solution to obtain actual data about its customers with a one-minute turnaround time. In order to maintain a competitive edge, Kroger determined it needed to anticipate emerging trends and consumer demands, validate ideas before investing resources into them, and align product offerings with evolving consumer preferences.

By partnering with Tastewise, Kroger has gained access to current data that helps it identify and explore new opportunities and ensure its promotional and merchandising efforts match dynamic consumer preferences. Aligning its product offerings with consumer preferences helps Kroger ensure that products connect with their target audience and enhance customer satisfaction.

Specific areas where Kroger applies Tastewise include crafting dynamic product offerings with consumer preferences in mind to enable effective adaptation to developing trends.

The retailer also utilizes the Tastewise platform to help make informed decisions throughout the development process for new products and initiatives and enhances decision-making with data-based evidence.

According to Kroger, results from the Tastewise implementation include faster validation of ideas and more efficient product development, saving time and thousands of dollars on concept testing.

[READ MORE: Kroger extends retail media network to in-store screens]

Based in Cincinnati, The Kroger Co. operates approximately 2,800 stores under a variety of banners across the U.S., including Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC, City Market, Owen's, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker's, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick 'n Save, Metro Market and Mariano's.