News Briefs

A new survey from a closeout retailer shows that inflation and rising prices are still top of mind for a majority of consumers.

Ollie's Bargain Outlet polled nearly 60,000 Ollie's Army loyalty program members, and found that 85% are extremely or very concerned about inflation and rising prices, while 84% say inflation has at least moderately impacted their household finances.

Almost nine-in-10 (88%) say bargain finds are essential or very important to their household budget. Respondents noted that they feel inflation the most when purchasing groceries, gasoline, household essentials, clothing and shoes, and dining out.

Ollie’s says the survey reveals that consumers are increasingly shopping at discount stores, comparing prices more carefully and stocking up when they find a good deal. In fact, 82% of those surveyed always or often tell friends and family when they find a great discount.

"This survey confirms what we see in our stores every day,” said Eric van der Valk, president and CEO of Ollie's, which conducted the survey ahead of National Bargain Hunting Week (Aug. 10-16). “Families are looking for ways to stretch every dollar, and they trust Ollie's to deliver ‘Real Brands! Real Bargains!’ We're proud to help them save their hard-earned money without sacrificing the brands they know and love."

[READ MORE: Ollie’s enters its 39th state; Q1 sales rise 14.2%]

Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., Ollie’s operates more than 670 stores in nearly 40 states. The chain offers discounts on brand name products in a variety of departments, including housewares, food, books and stationery, bed and bath, floor coverings, toys, health and beauty, and more.

Citi Trends remains on an upward trajectory.

The off-price value retailer of apparel, accessories and home trends primarily for Black families said that its second quarter preliminary unaudited sales results include comparable store sales growth of 10.5%, or 19.7% on a two-year basis.  The increase marks Citi Trends’ eighth consecutive quarter of comp sales growth.

For the year-to-date period through the second quarter, the retailer’s preliminary unaudited sales are $442.5 million with comparable store sales growth of 12.2%.

Citi Trends plans to open 25 stores this year in a mix of existing and new markets, and remodel 50 locations. It’s preparing to accelerate expansion in 2027.

“Customers are responding to our enhanced merchandise assortments and improved value proposition, while our teams remain focused on disciplined execution, converting sales into profit, and accelerating growth,” said CEO Ken Seipel. 

Citi Trends delivered second-quarter sales increases over last year in every merchandise category due to an elevated focus on improved value equation on wear-now product for the summer season, which in turn drove consistent transaction and basket growth in each month, Seipel noted.

“Our unwavering commitment to the Black consumer remains at the center of everything we do, and we are building long-term shareholder value while staying true to our purpose of serving the neighborhoods that depend on us,” he said.

 Citi Trends operates 594 stores located in 33 states.

Costco Wholesale Corp.'s comparative store sales continued to rise in July, with another strong digital performance.

The membership warehouse club giant reported that its net sales rose 10.7% to $23.12 billion the four weeks ended August 2. Net sales for the first 48 weeks increased 10.1% to $273.55 billion.

Total comparable sales at Costco increased 8.9%, with a 10.3% increase in the U.S. and a 4.2% increase in Canada. Other international comps increased 8.9%. 

Digitally enabled comp sales rose 17.7%. For the 48 weeks ended Aug. 2, digitally-enabled comps are up 21.1%.

Total company comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange rose 6.6%, with a 6.9% increase in the U.S,, and a 4.9% increase in Canada. Other international comps rose 6.6%.

The average transaction worldwide increased 5.1%. Excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange, the average transaction rose 2.9%. 

Traffic was up 3.3% year over year. Costco’s strongest performing regions (for comparative sales) were the Midwest, Southeast and San Diego. 

In terms of merchandising categories, foods and sundries comparative sales rose in the low-to-mid-single digits. Better performing non-food categories included jewelry, home furnishings and housewares.

Costco currently operates 933 warehouses, including 641 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 115 in Canada, 43 in Mexico, 37 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 20 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, three in France, two in Sweden, and one each in Iceland and New Zealand. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and China.

A Switzerland-based global athletic apparel and footwear brand is delivering a streamlined direct-to-consumer checkout experience.

On Running has built a platform with financial technology provider Adyen designed to grow with both its brick-and-mortar and e-commerce channels. The scalable, all-in-one solution for physical and digital retailing is designed to scale fast for global markets to comply with local preferences, regulations, and risk profiles, rather than relying on standalone solutions.

In addition, On Running leverages Apple Tap to Pay on iPhone technology that lets customers and associates conduct iPhone-based checkout at the point of purchase. 

Costco Wholesale Corp. has made its debut in the capital city of New York.

A project that Pyramid Management Group embarked on more than a decade and a half ago has now come to fruition. Costco has opened at the company’s Crossgates Mall Complex in Albany.

"This is a moment we've been working toward for a long time, and we couldn't be more excited to finally welcome Costco to Crossgates," said Stephen J. Congel, the CEO of Pyramid Management Group. "This project has been years in the making, and it's a testament to our team's persistence and our belief in the long-term strength of this market."

The new 163,000-sq.-ft. membership warehouse store will reign as the only Costco in New York’s Capital region. Other new tenants recently opened at Crossgates include REI, Crunch Fitness and Primark. Barnes & Noble and Ashley Furniture are slated to open there later this year. 

“Costco is excited to be here in Albany,” said Tony Dotson, the general manager of Costco Albany. “It’s been a long time coming. Over 10 years. So we are ready. Costco is ready.”

A fast-casual restaurant chain on an accelerated expansion plan is ensuring its distribution network can handle increased volume.

Culver’s is leveraging engineering and redistribution services from Armada Supply Chain Solutions to strengthen and scale its distribution network. The retailer, which has been adding 50–55 new locations annually, is projecting a 40% increase in cases shipped annually between 2026 and 2030 as it plans to maintain that expansion pace over the next three to five years including growth into markets such as Pennsylvania, New York and Oklahoma.

Culver's expects Armada redistribution services, network engineering and supply chain orchestration to yield significant cost savings and efficiency improvements through supplier optimization, freight consolidation, and improved supply chain visibility, scaling its supply chain infrastructure as its distribution volume grows.

"At Culver's, we hold every aspect of our operations to the highest standard, and our supply chain is no exception," said Adam Shrif, chief supply chain officer, Culver's. “We selected Armada because they demonstrated the expertise, technology, and commitment required to support our long-term growth strategy. Their ability to orchestrate our distribution network, improve supply chain visibility, and serve as a true end-to-end solutions partner gives us confidence that we can scale efficiently while maintaining the operational excellence our franchisees and guests expect.”

Founded in 1984 in Prairie du Sac, Wis., Culver's is a family-owned fast-casual restaurant chain that ranks among the top 30 largest restaurant brands in the U.S. by systemwide sales and continues to expand its footprint with more than 1,000 locations nationwide.

(Photo: Around the World Photos.)