News

After four consecutive quarters of year-over-year earnings decline, DSW Inc. got back on track in its third quarter.   The footwear and accessories retailer had adjusted net income of $42 million, or 51 cents per diluted share, a 16% year-over-year improvement and 3 cents above estimates.  

Cyber-criminals will be up to no good this holiday season, and they are using the Europay, Mastercard, Visa (EMV) shift as their way in.    The EMV mandate may be adding a layer of protection at store-level, however, it is increasing card-not-present (CNP) fraud for digital retailers. In fact, global retailers can expect 12% growth in online fraudulent activity in the upcoming holiday season, compared with the same period last year.  

In October of this year, Periscope By McKinsey conducted online research of more than 1,000 consumers in the U.S. to understand their attitudes towards Black Friday and expected shopping patterns.   

As PetSmart continues to expand its brick-and-mortar presence across North America, it also is working on its next generation store.    The company opened its 1,500th store, in Sheridan, Colorado. One of approximately 80 new locations the retailer is opening in 2016, the 18,000-sq.-ft. Sheridan store offers a full line of pet supply products along with pet training and adoption services and a full-service grooming salon.  

Walmart has fired the first shot in the Cyber Monday wars.   The discounter said it will launch its “Cyber Week” sales several days early this year, with the first round to be offered on Friday, Nov. 25, at 12:01 a.m. (EST).   In announcing the deals, Walmart noted it has nearly tripled its online assortment to more than 23 million products from 8 million last year, with the growth partially driven by the increase in the chain’s third-party sellers.     

Canadian outerwear brand Canada Goose, best known for its signature goose-down jacket with fur-trimmed hood, has opened its first-ever U.S. store.   The 4,100-sq.-ft. space is designed to reflect the company’s roots and Arctic heritage. The works of Canadian artisans are showcased throughout the store, which also features gallery-styled displays of vintage pieces from the brand’s archives and a 3,840-pound marble cash-wrap, carved from a single piece of rock and sourced from a quarry in British Columbia.   

Mark Tritton, chief merchandising officer of Target, discusses the chain’s holiday strategy of emphasizing low prices as well as highlighting private-brand clothes and splurges for the season in an interview with the Associated Press.  

The online retailer credited with disrupting the mattress category may be moving into the physical space.   Casper, which delivers its mattresses folded in a box, has plans to open a fleet of physical stores, according to help wanted ads placed on its website, according to the New York Post.