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Retailers should stop wasting so much time trying to win over millennials because they're often broke. Instead, they should target older shoppers with more money to spend. That's a key finding from a report by Forrester Research Inc. called "The Future of Shopping," which looked at income and demographic changes over the past 40 years.
Mattel said it fired its ex-CEO, contradicting its press release in January in which it said he was resigning.
A new era for RadioShack is upon us — the Sprint-RadioShack era. Sprint on Friday will open up shop in 1,435 RadioShack stores acquired as part of the electronic retailer's recent bankruptcy action, more than
PayPal will be free to work with online retailers and marketplaces including Amazon.com and Alibaba following its split from eBay later this year, according to a new financial filing that details the separation between the e-commerce firm and
Victoria's Secret is getting into fast fashion. The lingerie brand told analysts it is working on speeding up its design and restocking processes. "Basically almost all of our panties today are on some kind of speed program," CEO Sharen Turney said in a conference call. "And those speed programs allow us to read the business on a Monday and be back in stock in the stores within 15 to 25 days." The brand is also working to trim the time between when products are designed and when they hit stores.
Ikea, almost as well known for its Swedish meatballs as its assemble-it-yourself furniture, is about to give its hungry but socially conscious shoppers a vegetarian option: veggie balls. More specifically, vegan veggie balls made with no animal products whatsoever. In a bid to appeal to millennials and those eager for more sustainable food options, the chain on Wednesday said it will add veggie balls to its menu at most U.S. restaurants beginning Thursday. A plate of 10 will sell for $4.49. Also, chicken balls will be sold at its restaurants beginning April 27.
Apple might be implementing changes that discourage the kind of hype-building launch day lines that get headlines with each new device that goes on sale, according to a new memo reportedly from Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts shared with retail store employees and obtained by Business Insider. At least for Apple Watch and the new MacBook, Ahrendts is directing store staff to push customers to order online, rather than try their luck at physical locations.
In a reflection of the growing overlap between shopping experiences on mobile applications and in stores, Macy's is enabling users of its iPhone app to sort items by what's available at a nearby store for those who prefer to purchase from the app and pick up in-store. Macy's updated its iPhone app recently with several new features that address how customers are embracing mobile shopping. In addition to the nearby sorting capabilities, users of the app can now stay signed in for up to six hours without re-entering their information.
It's a big market opportunity with growing sales potential, but retailers can't seem to figure it out. The plus-size apparel market generated $17.5 billion in sales between May 2013 and April 2014, up 5 percent from the year prior, according to market research firm The NPD Group. But that figure likely under-represents the true opportunity of the demographic given that the average American woman is a size 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Walgreens Boots Alliance said Thursday it will close about 200 less-profitable U.S. Walgreens stores and open the same number of stores in new locations. A spokesman told the Chicago Tribune on Thursday that the stores will close during the next three years, with the last closing no later than the end of 2017. The list of stores slated to close is still being finalized. The closings, announced along with quarterly earnings on Thursday, will expand a three-year, $1 billion cost-reduction plan announced last August. The company now plans to cut $1.5 billion by the end of 2017.