OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Washington Spotlight: Retail Caught in the Middle – Here We Go Again
With healthcare reform appearing to be placed on the back burner – at least for now – attention in Washington, D.C. is turning to corporate tax reform. Corporate tax reform is much sticker issue and many of the political dynamics that doomed the healthcare effort seem to be falling into place in much the same way in this conversation. And that could be a real problem for retail operators.
Washington Spotlight: Recess Isn’t So Fun Anymore
With Congress in recess this week, legislators can finally take a break from the grind of D.C. politics – fighting with the other party, fighting with their own party, and of course, the spotlight of a relentless national media. But in a lot of cases, members may have it better in D.C. than back home.

Analysis: Can Abercrombie course correct with key strategic changes?
Washington Spotlight

Later this week, the nomination of Alexander Acosta to be the next Secretary of Labor will likely be voted out of the Senate HELP Committee and head for confirmation on the Senate floor. The administration made headlines just prior to his confirmation hearings outlining cuts to the Department of Labor budget in the neighborhood of $2.5 Billion or roughly 20%.
Report: Traffic declines at Whole Foods Market 'staggering'

The nation’s largest supermarket retailer is stealing customers from Whole Foods Market. That’s according to a report by Cincinnati Business Courier, which cites a new study by Barclays investment analyst Karen Short. Whole Foods has lost up to 14 million customers during the past six quarters, according Short.
Sportswear retailer streamlines trade operations in China

Adidas Group wants to kick off its expansion in China on the right foot. The sportswear brand plans to bolster its retail sales network to 12,000 outlets in China by 2020, with much of the growth slated for smaller cities. However, the company also knows that conducting international trade within China can be difficult and complex due to challenges presented by huge import and export volume, and minimal advance notice of regulatory changes.
Report says vendors starting to pull back from Sears

In the wake of mounting losses and increasing doubts about its viability, Sears Holding Corp. is facing pull back from some of its vendors. That is according to a report by Reuters, which said that suppliers to Sears are becoming more defensive to protect themselves from the risk of nonpayment by doing such things as reducing shipments and asking for better payment terms.
Five changes Macy’s incoming CEO wants to make in the stores

Jeff Gennette, who is set to take the reins of Macy’s Inc. from longtime chief executive Terry Lundgren in approximately one week, gave some hints of how Macy’s store experience is likely to evolve.
Office supply retailer exits Australia, New Zealand

In a move that will help it focus on its North American stores, Staples is selling its Australia- and New Zealand-based operations. Staples announced Tuesday, March 13, that private equity firm Platinum Equity will acquire these stores for an undisclosed sum. The transaction is expected to close in the second calendar quarter of 2017.
Commentary: Retailers need to join forces to solve patent troll problem

Diane K. Lettelleir, senior managing counsel of JCPenney Corp., discusses why retailers can’t wait for the government to solve the patent troll problem in the commentary below: JCPenney and numerous other retailers have been hunted for the last decade by patent trolls that aggressively file suits based on overly broad claims in patents against related but distinct technologies. JCPenney alone has endured dozens of patent troll lawsuits over this period.