News

Party City buys franchise stores
Party City Holdco Inc. is increasing its corporate-owned store count. The company has entered into an agreement to acquire a master franchise group representing 18 franchise stores in North Carolina and South Carolina for a purchase price of $31 million. Prior to the acquisition, the company’s retail operations included 765 company-owned Party City stores and 164 franchise stores.
Two states accounted for nearly 30% of grocery store openings last year
The Lone Star State and Golden State are ripe areas for grocery store expansion. In 2016, more than 440 grocery stores opened in the United States, adding 18.8 million sq. ft. of space. And 27% of those stores opened in two states: Texas and California. That’s according to JLL’s latest Grocery Tracker JLL’s latest Grocery explores four trends transforming the grocery shopping sector.

DHL expands its breadth to accommodate omnichannel retailers

DHL is helping high-volume retailers speed up “the last mile” of their omnichannel shopping experience. DHL eCommerce, a division of logistics company Deutsche Post DHL Group, is expanding the functionality of its fulfillment centers in Columbus, Ohio, and Riverside, California. Specifically, the logistics company is investing in storage and mechanization to support the growing needs of its U.S.-based e-commerce retail partners that ship between 300 and 15,000 orders per day. They will also manage both B2C and B2B transactions.
The Science Behind Successful Online Gifting & What To Avoid To Protect Your Brand

People love to give gifts.
Discounter on hunt for new chief merchandiser

The chief merchandising officer of Dollar General Corp. is retiring. The retailer announced that James “Jim” W. Thorpe, executive VP and chief merchandising officer, will retire from Dollar General effective April 15, 2017. Dollar General said it has started a search for a successor and will consider both internal and external candidates for the job.
Three ways Amazon Go’s automation will impact the retail industry

Could “paper or plastic?” become a question of the past? In early December, Amazon opened its checkout-free store concept, Amazon Go, in Seattle. Initially open only to employees, the store is expected to open to the public early this year. With the e-commerce giant’s “just walk out” technology, customers are able to swipe their app when they enter, pick up items they want off the shelves, and exit without cash registers or lines.
Gifting retailer unloads product line, but gains new business partner

1-800-Flowers.com’s latest business move puts the company in a strategic position to more cost-effectively expand its assortment. The gifting retailer said Wednesday that Ferrero International S.A will acquire the company’s Fannie May Confections Brands, including its subsidiaries Fannie May Confections and Harry London Candies.
Penney losing key executive to Hershey

The chief marketing officer of J.C. Penney is leaving the company after two years on the job. Mary Beth West is leaving the department store retailer on March 31 to become senior VP and chief growth officer of the Hershey Co. She will join Hershey on May 1. West joined Penney in April 2015 after serving on the company’s board of directors for 10 years.
Commentary: Downtick in February largely a temporary blip

After solid start to the year, retail is now back in softer growth territory. While the 2.1% rate of overall expansion is not disastrous, it is much lower than the past few quarters and is largely the result of higher gas prices which buoyed sales at gas stations by 15.8%. The pure retail number is more concerning, with the 0.8% increase being the slowest growth recorded since February 2013.
Report: Walmart to acquire another online retailer

A fashion blog is reporting that Walmart will acquire an online fashion brand known for its eclectic and quirky styles. Walmart’s Jet.com division will acquire Modcloth, reported CNBC, which cited the Jezebel fashion blog. The report comes on the heels of Walmart’s acquisition in February of online outdoor apparel brand Moosejaw.