News

Guns no defense against comp decline at Sportsman's Warehouse
Weakening demand for guns and ammunition contributed to a 6.2 percent decline in same store sales at outdoor retailer Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings.

The comp decline was offset by an increase in new stores which allowed the company to grow sales by 4.3 percent to $182.5 million and end the third quarter on Nov. 1 with 55 stores. Profits on an adjusted basis to exclude non-recurring expenses were $8.9 million, or 21 cents a share, compared to $7.1 million, or 17 cents a share.
It’s all aboard at Gander Mountain
Seasonal excitement at seven of Gander Mountain’s 154 stores is being driven by a train-themed merchandising initiative called the Holiday Express.

In a first-of-its-kind effort, seven stores in Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, New York and Virginia feature the large seasonal display filled with activities and an area where kids can have a free photo taken with Santa.

Survey: Omnichannel boosts customer expectations

Omnichannel retailing is increasing the reach companies have to their customers, but the strategy is also increasing customer expectations.

According to a survey of marketing decision-makers in omnichannel consumer products organizations from SAP, 86% of respondents agree that omnichannel has meant that customer and consumer expectations of the organization have increased. Eighty-six percent also agree that the benefits of investing in an omnichannel approach to consumer sales clearly outweigh the challenges.
Jennifer in need of cheer at Big Lots

Big Lots hypothetical core customer Jennifer isn’t feeling so cheerful this holiday season as the nation’s leading closeout retailer is eyeing a low single digit fourth quarter comp increase.
Survey: Walgreens, CVS among “Best Retailers to Work With”

NEW YORK — Chain Store age sister publication Retailing Today has released the findings of its first "Best Retailers to Work With" research report. The exclusive research report examines suppliers’ perceptions of the retail industry in areas such as innovation, collaboration, digital readiness, expectations of trading partners and reputational factors.
Deb Shops files Chapter 11, citing “old, tired stores”

New York - Deb Stores Holding LLC, owner of Deb Shops, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware, with plans to close stores and sell inventory if it can’t find a buyer for the business.
Starbucks’ five-year plan heavy on new store formats, food growth and mobile

Seattle - Starbucks Coffee Company isn’t resting on its laurels. The chain’s five-year strategic growth plan—unveiled Thursday at its biennial Investor Day—includes new store formats, expanded food offerings, and digital initiatives.
J.C.Penney enhances iPhone app for holidays

Plano, Texas – Hoping to boost its holiday mobile traffic, J.C. Penney has enhanced its digital presence, including an all-new JCPenney iPhone app. Along with improved navigation, faster browsing and easier access to coupons, one notable feature of the JCPenney app is the ability for customers to scan the barcode of an item to find its availability on jcpenney.com
Cyber Monday leading online sales day Thanksgiving weekend

San Jose, Calif. - Cyber Monday (Dec. 1) saw nearly 30% more online shopping activity than any other shopping day during the 2014 Thanksgiving-to-Cyber Monday holiday timeframe. Data from SLI Systems outlining e-commerce activity across online retailers in the U.S. during the five-day period reveals that Cyber Monday at 10:00 PM EST was the peak online shopping hour. Nearly 40% of the online shopping was conducted on mobile devices. Other key findings from the study include:
Sam’s Club introduces travel app

Bentonville, Ark. - Sam’s Club is introducing a new free Sam’s Club Travel mobile application designed to offer Sam’s Club members savings on hotels, rental cars, vacation homes, and other travel activities. Sam’s Club is the first mass market retailer to offer members a mobile app exclusively dedicated to leisure and business travel needs.
Barnes & Noble Q3 profit slips, ends Nook deal with Microsoft

New York – Consolidated net earnings dropped 8% at Barnes & Noble Inc. in the third quarter of fiscal 2015, to $12.3 million from $13.2 million. An increase in selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses helped drive the drop in profit. Second quarter consolidated revenues decreased 3% to $1.69 billion from $1.75 billion.
Hudson’s Bay launches credit card agreement with Capital One

Toronto, Canada – Hudson’s Bay Company is launching a new credit card program with Capital One Financial Corp. that includes the Saks Fifth Avenue banner. The agreement is also planned to add the Lord & Taylor credit card program in June 2015, subject to certain closing conditions.