Neil Saunders’ Post

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Thursday, March 21: 🐶 Chewy on Wednesday surprised Wall Street with a profit for the quarter, but post-earnings share gains for the online pet-products retailer evaporated as it signaled muted prospects for the year ahead. 📈 The National Retail Federation is forecasting that the country’s retail sales will increase anywhere between 2.5% and 3.5% this year, a solid but still slower pace than the 3.6% seen last year. 💵 Discount grocers smell opportunity amid rising prices ALDI USA and Dollar General plan massive expansions across the United States, and rivals have ambitions of their own. 👔 UNTUCKit is adding 14 new stores this year in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. with plans to have nearly 100 locations by the end of 2024. The first seven stores are scheduled to open by May. 🍎 The Justice Department is poised to sue Apple as soon as Thursday for allegedly violating antitrust laws by blocking rivals from accessing hardware and software features of its iPhone. 🏬 J. Jill manages to expand its fleet, by one store. The women’s apparel retailer saw decent sales during the holiday quarter, thanks in part to an extra week, and boosted its margins. 5️⃣ Five Below is backing away from self-checkout to limit theft, after hit to profits. ‘The benefit of strong sales performance to our profitability was offset by higher-than-anticipated shrink headwinds,’ CEO says 📦 The Federal Communications Commission is investigating Amazon and other retailers over the alleged marketing and sale of wireless signal jammers, the agency said Wednesday. 🍽️ It's become increasingly common for restaurants to charge customers' credit cards even before they step foot into an establishment, let alone order food or drinks. 🍪 A classic American cookie is reimagining its ingredients. Chips Ahoy! is debuting a new recipe for its original cookie as the brand revamps its taste with improved chocolate chips, the company said. 🇩🇪 German perfume retailer Douglas is expected to price its €907m IPO at the bottom of the range, as European listings pick up pace. The CVC Capital Partners-backed firm is expected to price its shares at €26 each. 🇨🇳 Micro-sized retailers in China's smaller cities are increasingly opening online outlets to grow their businesses, with a greater number of women entrepreneurs operating such stores. ♻️ A new report from the US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) suggests that only a fraction of Amazon's plastic packaging actually gets recycled. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Saturday, August 17: ✂️ Kroger has confirmed its plans to invest $1 billion in price cuts if it consummates its merger with Albertsons. Kroger is coming under even sharper scrutiny as it seeks to complete its merger. 🏥 Walgreens has named two people to key leadership positions. Tracey Koller is the new chief merchandising officer and Sharmila Sudhakar was appointed head of Walgreens digital commerce. 🖥️ E-commerce shoppers started changing their shopping behavior in July 2024 - shifting toward lower-cost items and alternatives. The fastest growth is now in orders under $100. 📦 Amazon Warehouse was rebranded to Amazon Resale this week. Shoppers can save on discounted items of used, pre-owned or open-box products through Amazon Resale, according to a company announcement. 🏀 Stanley has partnered with Calia, the women's athletic wear brand exclusive to DICK'S Sporting Goods, to launch a limited-edition collection of tumblers and workout gear. 🤖 Select customers in the Los Angeles area may have their next burger delivered via a robot. Shake Shack is rolling out sidewalk delivery robots in partnership with Serve Robotics and Uber Eats. 🍎 Kamala Harris’ anti food price gouging proposal could create more problems than the one it’s trying to solve, some economists say. This includes weakening competition. 📈 Retail sales in July came in above expectations, the government reported on Thursday, painting an optimistic picture of consumer spending that could ease concerns about the strength of the economy. 👍🏼 The University of Michigan's gauge of consumer sentiment has risen to 67.8, according to a preliminary August reading, up from 66.4 in July, the first gain after four months of declines. 💳 The CEO of the UK's Morrisons, Rami Baitiéh, has admitted that the supermarket chain "went a bit too far" with its rollout of self-checkouts, and is now cutting back on the technology. 🍗 Impossible Foods has opened its first in-person foodservice concept in Chicago, Illinois. The pop-up, called Impossible Quality Meats, showcases the company's range of plant-based beef, chicken, and pork-style products. 🇨🇳 Retail sales in China increased by 2.7% in July, up from 2% in June, the National Bureau of Statistics has reported, although it also noted a deceleration in industrial production and investment growth. 🧸 Mattel, Inc. has appointed Sai Koorapati as senior vice president and chief technology officer effective Monday. 💰 Suppliers of bread, dairy, chocolate and beer in Russia have informed retailers of impending price increases of up to 40% over the next month. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Thursday, June 13: 👕 Shares of Oxford Industries fell after the owner of the Tommy Bahama and Lilly Pulitzer clothing lines cut its full-year sales and profit outlook, saying that consumers have become more cautious than originally anticipated. 👟 Nike suffered a setback in its bid to trademark the capitalized version of the word “footware” for tech-related products after a European Union court upheld a complaint from German rival PUMA Group. 🛠️ Lowe's Companies, Inc. names chief marketing officer: Jennifer Wilson was promoted to the role and oversees a number of initiatives including the company’s retail media network. 🍋 Amazon Fresh is trying to remind customers it's not just a fancy returns point. The stores are offering a series of grocery coupons for patrons who use the stores to drop off items that they ordered on Amazon. 💍 Kohl's plans to boost sales by expanding its jewelry options.The retailer had previously reduced space for jewelry to make room for Sephora, but now aims to re-establish its presence. 🎯 In an interview with the WSJ, Gretchen McCarthy - Target's supply chain chief - said that a focus on using consumer aisles as fulfillment centers for same-day delivery helped streamline the flow of consumer goods. 🥫 Grocery prices stayed flat in May, after ticking down the month before. But menu prices, a source of frustration for budget-conscious consumers, are still going up — even as restaurants brag about their discounted meals. 🏭 Nordstrom expects to complete the transition of operations from its fulfillment center in San Bernardino, California, to its West Coast omnichannel center in Riverside, California, during its second fiscal quarter. 🍟 California’s new $20-an-hour minimum wage law for fast food workers plunged visits to popular chains as restaurants like McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King hiked prices to offset higher costs, according to a study. 🇨🇦 Canadian discount retailer Dollarama L.P. reported lower-than-expected first-quarter sales growth as consumer demand begins to level off. Rrevenue for the three months reached C$1.4bn ($1bn), up from C$1.29bn a year earlier. 📉 The chairman of the Federal Reserve Board has warned the battle to tame inflation is not over as policymakers signalled the central bank would cut rates only once this year. 🎮 A selloff in GameStop shares on Wednesday corresponded with a surge in volume for call options believed to be owned by Keith Gill, better known by his online handle Roaring Kitty. 📸 Creating another artificial intelligence tool for its sellers, eBay has introduced a photo background enhancement feature to improve product images, the e-commerce veteran announced. 🪧 About 6,000 grocery store workers are set to vote on strike action after the expiration of their union contract with the Kroger-owned Food 4 Less chain. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

The move to Omni Channel fulfilment continues with more optimisation in process & speed. Now we need to ensure that packaging for Omni Channel is designed for purpose.

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Saturday, March 16: 📦 Amazon announced its first Big Spring Sale. The six-day promotion will run from Wednesday through March 25. Unlike past big promotional events, sales will be available for all customers. 💵 Dollar stores have mushroomed across the US. But their rapid growth appears to be hitting a speed bump as their low-income customers struggle with inflation, cuts to government benefits and other problems. 📈 US consumer sentiment and inflation expectations remained relatively unchanged in March, according to a survey by the University of Michigan. The preliminary reading for the overall consumer sentiment index was 76.5. 🏬 Macy's has announced the nomination of “a seasoned real estate industry executive with more than 35 years of experience across real estate advisory, investing and finance” as a director. 🧾 A California state senator is planning to soften a proposal that would have banned self-checkout lanes at large grocery stores. Lola Smallwood-Cuervas' proposal, initially worded as a "narrow ban," will now be changed to "regulate." 🚚 Amazon has acknowledged mistakenly charging online merchants for advertising products that shoppers couldn't purchase, Bloomberg reports. Despite flagging the issue, Amazon initially denied there was a problem. 🍔 McDonald's was hit by a system failure Friday that closed restaurants and disrupted online and app orders around the world, including in the United States, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. 🥕 Whole Foods Market is planning to close two stores and its Dartford distribution centre in the UK. The proposed closures will see the Whole Foods Market stores in both Richmond and Fulham Broadway shutter. 🏅 French sports retailer Decathlon is launching a rebrand as it anticipates a growth in demand for sports gear ahead of this year's Paris Olympics. Decathlon is an official sponsor of the event. 🇨🇦 Sobeys parent company Empire Co. Ltd has reported declining adjusted profits in its third quarter as it competes for price-conscious shoppers. Empire plans to renovate a quarter of its stores and expand its discount stores. 🏭 The Commerce Department says that US business inventories were unexpectedly unchanged in January as increases in stocks at retailers were offset by declines at manufacturers and wholesalers. 🍫 Cocoa plants in Ivory Coast and Ghana have stopped or cut processing because they cannot afford to buy beans, with chocolate prices around the world likely to soar as a result. 🍼 Consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser has lost a US legal case claiming its baby formula contributed to the death of a premature child. The news sent the company’s share price down 20% to its lowest point in more than a decade #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Monday, December 9: 🛒 When Costco Wholesale reports quarterly results on Thursday, the financials and earnings call will offer more narrative on one of the bigger trends in retail this year. Costco’s stock is up more than 50% so far this year. 🏆 For the second year in a row, JCPenney was awarded the number one spot in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Award for Best Department Store. The chain has more than 600 stores across the US and Puerto Rico. 🏬 Macy's longtime Brooklyn home could soon become a showplace for experiential entertainment retail for companies like Netflix, Universal and Lego, according to the partnership that just purchased the property. 🎬 Netflix is capitalizing on the success of hit show “Squid Game” by launching a range of merchandise, including tracksuits and whiskey, to engage fans and boost revenue. 🍔 Shake Shack's founder, Danny Meyer, said that always saying "yes" to the customer is risky. Too much customization, he said, may not work in favor of the business or the customer. 🏥 Research indicates that nearly 30% of US drugstores that were operational in the last decade had shut down by 2021, with Black and Latino neighborhoods being the most affected by the closures. 💳 PayPal’s path to monetizing Venmo is increasingly focused on major e-commerce companies. PayPal offered Cyber Monday shoppers 25% off TikTok Shop purchases if they paid out of their Venmo account 🚢 Many retailers came through relatively unscathed by Donald Trump’s tariffs imposed starting in 2018. This time around, though, tariffs have the potential to bite more, notes The Wall Street Journal. 📈 Consumer sentiment in early December rose for the fifth consecutive month. That’s according to the University of Michigan’s gauge of consumer sentiment, which increased to 74.0 in a preliminary December reading. 🥂 The UK's Tesco has reported a significant increase in demand for no and low-alcohol beverages, with sales expected to rise by 15% in the lead-up to Christmas compared to last year. 🧤 QVC has issued a recall for 1.1m pairs of oven gloves after discovering they posed a burn hazard to customers. The company has received 162 reports of insufficient heat protection. 🇯🇵 Japanese supermarket chain Ito-Yokado will reduce its number of permanent employees by around 1,000, or nearly 20% of its workforce, by the end of February 2026. 🚬 Snoop Dogg has unveiled an online store, SWED, offering cannabis flower and hemp-derived products, shipping to over three dozen US states. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

There’s no room for price gouging in an ultracompetitive business like retail, Target CEO Brian Cornell said Wednesday. In an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” the retail chief disputed campaign talking points accusing grocers of inflating prices. He said retailers have to be responsive to customers or risk losing business. He was asked by CNBC’s Joe Kernen, who referred to comments by Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and asked if Target or its competitors ever benefit from price gouging. Harris last week proposed the first-ever federal ban on “corporate price-gouging in the food and grocery industries,” saying some companies are charging excessively and fueling household inflation. “We’re in a penny business,” Cornell responded, noting the small profit margins in the retail industry. He described the many places that customers can turn to check for lower prices or to find merchandise elsewhere, from going to stores to browsing on their phones to compare the prices of a gallon of milk at different retailers. Target’s retail chief made the comments after the discounter beat Wall Street’s expectations for earnings and revenue on Wednesday, but struck a cautious note with its full-year guidance. It said it expects comparable sales, which take out the impact of store openings and closures, to be on the lower side of its range of flat to up 2%. Yet it raised its profit guidance, saying it expects adjusted earnings per share to range from $9 to $9.70, up from the previous outlook of $8.60 and $9.60. Inflation and consumers’ outrage about high prices have continued to loom large for companies like Target. A wide range of retailers, including Home Depot, Walmart and Macy’s, have reported over the past two weeks that cautious consumers are being picky about where they’re spending. Cornell said on “Squawk Box” that the retailer is trying to appeal to “a consumer who is managing their budget carefully” and said “value is in our DNA.” Target is one of the consumer brands that has responded to shoppers’ concerns by lowering prices. It cut prices on about 5,000 everyday items, such as diapers and peanut butter, to try to drive higher traffic and sales. Others, such as McDonald’s, have debuted value meals. So far, those discounts have shown signs of resonating at Target: In the quarter, customer traffic across Target’s stores and website rose 3% — even as shoppers put a little less in their shopping carts than they did a year ago. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said last week that prices have come down in many merchandise categories, but said that inflation “has been more stubborn” in the aisles that carry dry groceries and processed foods.

Kohl’s Corp. has partnered with Instacart to offer same-day delivery from all of its 1,172 U.S. stores. Customers can now receive Kohl’s merchandise in as little as an hour through Instacart, with pricing matching in-store prices and the ability to accumulate Kohl’s Rewards. Kohl’s is categorized as an Apparel & Accessories retailer by Digital Commerce 360 and offers a variety of products, including home decor, skin care, and pet items, all available through Instacart. Kohl’s is No. 23 in the Top 1000. The database is Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of the largest North American online retailers Kohl’s Corp. reported net sales declined in both its fourth quarter and fiscal 2023 ended Feb. 3, 2024. Q4 net sales declined 1.1% to $5.7 billion, despite an extra week of trading this year compared to Q4 2022. Kohl’s saw growth in net income. Online sales declined 10% in the quarter but improved as the quarter progressed, with December and January sales only down "mid-single digits" year over year. Instacart's partnership with Kohl’s is part of a series of agreements with retailers, including Hy-Vee and Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG), to offer same-day delivery and expand delivery capacity. Additionally, Instacart announced a partnership with Uber to deliver Uber Eats orders to Instacart customers. #kohl's #instacart #samedaydelivery

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Thursday, September 19: ✂️ The US Federal Reserve Board cut interest rates on Wednesday for the first time in four years, stepping back from its aggressive bid to cool the world’s largest economy and reduce inflation. 🫙 Tupperware, known the world over for its plastic food storage containers, has filed for bankruptcy after years of falling popularity and financial troubles. The brand has become less popular with younger consumers. 🥑 The FTC and attorneys for Kroger and Albertsons have concluded a three-week court battle. Judge Adrienne Nelson will review the case and has set a deadline of September 27th for all parties to submit their final arguments. 💻 In a bid to grow its digital business — and compete with more off-price retail players — Simon Property Group has rebranded and expanded its online marketplace to include a wider selection of discounted products. 📦 Amazon is raising pay for its more than 800,000 US warehouse and transportation workers and giving them Amazon Prime for free. It will raise wages by at least $1.50 an hour. 🏫 After a challenging second quarter, Urban Outfitters is investing in UO College Shops, a multi-state marketing activation focused on comfort, college culture and curated experiences. 👕 Bonobos has launched a fall campaign with a robust digital media strategy that is entitled Fit is a Feeling. It reminds consumers that the menswear brand was founded on fit offerings and craft. 🥦 Stuart Rose, the former boss of Marks and Spencer and Topshop, is to take charge of running the UK's Asda as the struggling supermarket’s co-owner Mohsin Issa steps back from executive duties amid falling sales. 🎄 Thirty-two percent of US consumers plan to start their holiday shopping between July and October. And nearly as many — 29% — plan to start in November. 🛋️ Steelcase says big corporate customers are ordering less office furniture. Shares fell after hours on Wednesday after the office-furniture maker’s third-quarter sales outlook came up short. 🍫 The Hershey Company has struck a deal with C4 Energy. Hershey’s namesake milk chocolate and Reese’s peanut butter and chocolate will soon be sold as protein powders. 🥣 General Mills has posted a smaller-than-expected drop in quarterly sales on Wednesday, benefiting from improved demand as the Cheerios maker cut prices for some of its products. 🍭 M&M's is preparing to introduce a new holiday flavor called Toasty Holiday Peanut, featuring roasted peanuts with cinnamon, vanilla, spiced sugar, and caramel. 🥕 Instacart is introducing new enhancements to its FoodStorm order management solution designed streamline ordering for retailers and customers. 🏠 The number of housing starts ticked up in August as mortgage rates continued their descent from multiyear highs. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Wednesday, August 7: 🥕 Shares of Instacart  jumped in extended trading Tuesday after the company forecast gross transaction value above Wall Street expectations, and as it looks to partner with bigger retailers and banks on more restaurant orders. ✂️ Kohl's has announced changes to its credit and customer service departments, resulting in job changes and eliminations. It has informed a few dozen employees in customer service that their jobs are being eliminated. 👟Under Armour is acquiring Unless Collective, a zero-plastic regenerative fashion brand founded and led by Eric Liedtke, a former Adidas executive. The deal is expected to be completed later this week and Liedtke will join UA. 🥫 Ahold Delhaize has reported a net second-quarter profit of €499m ($545.5m), up from €468m a year earlier, boosted by an underlying operating margin of 4.2%, beating the 3.9% expected. 🍕 Yum! Brands has reported a mixed quarter as both Pizza Hut and KFC reported declining same-store sales. But sales trends have improved in the U.S. compared with the prior quarter thanks to a focus on value meals. 💵 Pop culture toy maker Funko has agreed to pay over $2.1 million in plaintiff legal fees to resolve litigation alleging that former Funko CEO Brian Mariotti and others leading the company breached their fiduciary duties. 💳 Americans are increasingly turning to their credit cards to cover everyday expenses, with debt hitting a new record high at the end of June. Americans now owe a record $1.14 trillion. 📺 The Walt Disney Company said it would raise prices for nearly all of its streaming plans and introduce “continuous playlists” — channels showing a steady stream of curated content — on Disney+ later this year. 👚 Joining a wave of other retailers implementing AI technology, ThredUp has launched multiple new artificial intelligence-driven shopping tools to improve product discovery on its platform. 🍔 White Castle slashed the price of its famed sliders to the lowest level in more than a decade, becoming the latest fast food chain to offer a discount in a bid to entice financially strapped customers. 🏬 Simon Property Group has reported increases in leasing volumes, occupancy, shopper traffic and retail sales volumes, resulting in the highest level of Q2 real estate net operating income in its history. 🇪🇺 Eurozone retail sales were 0.3% lower in June than in May, figures from the European Union's statistics agency showed Tuesday, bucking economists’ expectations for a continued rise in sales. 🇧🇩 H&M has told its suppliers in Bangladesh that it won’t seek discounts due to delays that might occur after factories were shut down by protests involving supporters of ousted leader Sheikh Hasina. 🍎 Apple retail store workers in Towson, Maryland, the company's first in the nation to unionize, have ratified a three-year contract. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews