News Briefs
- 2/13/2025
Target doubles down on beauty
Target is expanding its online and in-store beauty assortment with an emphasis on value.
The retailer introducing more than 2,000 products and nearly 50 new brands to its beauty assortment. Prices start at $1.29, with 90% of the new arrivals selling for under $20.
In Target stores, customers will find special beauty displays pointing to new and notable brands. Online, it has curated new makeup, skin and hair must-haves in one place. Also, Target's online beauty studio features a virtual try-on feature that lets consumers try face, eye, lip, nail and hair color options. It also has hair care and skin care quizzes to help consumers land on the right products.
In a special promotion, customers who spend $30 on beauty products from Feb. 22–March 1, will receive a $5 Target gift card through Target Circle.
“We know consumers love shopping beauty at Target because it’s Tarzhay at its best: the combination of amazing products and prices you can’t find anywhere else,” said Amanda Nusz, Target’s senior VP of essentials and beauty. “That’s why our team is incredibly excited to add more than 2,000 new items to our assortment — including science-focused skin care, hair care, nail care, cosmetics and fragrance.”
The product assortment is comprised of top national brands, Target brands and new, emerging brands, including those created by Black, Latino, female and other diverse founders.
In January, Target announced plans to introduce more than 2,000 new items across multiple wellness categories.
[READ MORE: Target expands wellness assortment with emphasis on value]
- 2/13/2025
Chain Store Age will be closed on Presidents' Day
The offices of Chain Store Age will be closed Monday, Feb. 17 in observance of Presidents' Day.
DayBreaker will resume regular ublication on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
- 2/13/2025
Survey: Consumers still changing habits, cutting back due to high grocery costs
Ongoing high grocery prices are leading consumers to cut back on staple items.
New data from software company UserTesting reveals that more than three-quarters (77%) have changed their grocery habits due to rising food costs, with 65% cutting back on staples like eggs and meat due to rising costs.
About nine-in-10 (89%) survey respondents said they are concerned about grocery prices continuing to rise over the next six months, and 51% are more stressed due to higher prices. Nearly 84% of respondents said their grocery bills have increased compared to a year ago, with 25% spending an additional $100 or more each week compared to last year.
[READ MORE: Study: Southern states spend highest percentage of income on groceries]
While almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents primarily shop for groceries at national grocery chains, a large percentage (68%) are shifting to discount retailers like Aldi and Walmart for more affordable options. More than half (52%) have stopped buying a brand they were once loyal to due to rising prices.
When asked by UserTesting what would be most helpful for grocery stores to do in response to rising costs, 42% want grocery stores to do a better job highlighting sales and promotions in-store and online.
According to the latest Consumer Price Index report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall inflation rose 0.5% in January following a 0.4% bump in December.
- 2/13/2025
Fabletics transforming supply chain to support global expansion
An activewear fashion brand is implementing a new enterprise supply chain platform as part of a broader growth strategy.
Fabletics is deploying the Blue Yonder SaaS-based supply chain planning suite, including solutions for demand planning, allocation & replenishmen, merchandise financial planning, and size scaling, to help support expansion of its global footprint.
Leveraging Blue Yonder supply chain planning solutions, carbon neutral-certified Fabletics plans to improve sustainability while also achieving higher planner productivity, better inventory management, and an improved understanding of demand drivers and customer behavior across its direct-to-consumer e-commerce, retail, dropship and wholesale channels.
[READ MORE: Fabletics enters resale market with ThredUp]
Fabletics will also receive recommendations for the right merchandise distribution down to size to help it can optimize inventory, reduce waste and avoid unnecessary markdowns.
In addition, the retailer plans to utilize the merchandise financial planning solution to tie enterprise-wide strategic plans to the execution of shared goals and deploy the size scaling module to conduct low-level, detailed analysis to get the right sizes to each location while decreasing excess, fringe-sized assortments.
Blue Yonder partner Plantensive is assisting Fabletics with the transition.
“Retailers today find it increasingly challenging to manage demand planning, allocation, replenishment, and forecasting due to supply chain disruptions such as labor shortages and rising inflation,” said Vince Beacom, president, global retail, Blue Yonder. “Fabletics is taking the first step in transforming their business to better meet the needs of their consumers and internal teams to expand globally and support their manufacturing process as a result.”
Founded in 2013 and headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., Fabletics operates more than 100 stores in the U.S., Canada and Europe, with expansion into Mexico in 2025.
- 2/12/2025
Hot Topic, AllCampus partner for employee degree benefits
A new retailer has partnered with AllCampus to offer its employees expanded education benefits.
Hot Topic Inc., a leading retailer of music, entertainment and pop culture merchandise, will now offer its more than 9,000 employees access to AllCampus' Workplace Platform, allowing them to take advantage of low-to-no-cost degree options. AllCampus says the collaboration enhances the employee experience by offering cost savings and support in selecting from thousands of discounted degree programs, driving higher benefit utilization, and improving employers' ability to attract and retain top talent.
"At Hot Topic Inc., our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we believe in investing in their futures,” said Janet Acosta, benefits manager at Hot Topic Inc. “This isn't just about education; it's about creating a culture where our team members can thrive, advance, and reach their fullest potential. Partnering with AllCampus allows us to go beyond traditional benefits by providing accessible education opportunities that align with our values. We're excited to take this step forward with AllCampus and see the lasting impact it will have on our team and our company."
AllCampus will help manage Hot Topic's education benefits program by fielding university requests, agreements, and communications, which streamlines the process for Hot Topic. and ensures employees can easily access and utilize their education benefits. It will also provide Hot Topic with data, reporting and tools to measure the impact and value of their education benefit program, maximizing the potential of the program.
Founded in 1989, Hot Topic operates over 900 store locations across the United States and Canada.
- 2/12/2025
Report: Walmart to eliminate nearly 500 corporate positions in New Jersey
A major workforce reduction is coming to Walmart’s corporate offices in Hoboken, N.J. later this year.
Walmart plans to eliminate 481 positions that are currently based in the Hoboken office by June 13, according to a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notice filed with the New Jersey Department of Labor, reported njbiz.com. (In New Jersey, the federal WARN Act applies to companies that plan to lay off more than 50 employees in a 30-day period.)
The filing came about a week after Reuters reported that Walmart is asking employees at some of its smaller corporate sites across the country to move to its recently-opened headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. or its office in Sunnyvale, Calif.
“The 481 number referenced in the WARN notice Indicates all associates affected by last week’s changes, including those who have been offered relocation and the option [to] remain with the company,” a Walmart spokesperson told njbiz.
[READ MORE: Walmart debuts new sustainable, high-tech Arkansas HQ]
The moves are part of Walmart's broader relocation strategy that started last year.
"We are making these changes to put key capabilities together, encouraging speed and shared understanding," Donna Morris, Walmart's chief people officer, wrote in an internal memo to U.S.-based office employees that was reviewed by Reuters. "Through this review process, we have eliminated some roles as we streamline how we work and will also be exiting our office in Charlotte, N.C."