Macy's a Victim of the Country's Trump Divide

In a polarized country with consumers divided over President Donald Trump, Macy’s may have to give up its nonpartisan identity to survive. Ad Age reports that Macy’s has long been the “quintessential midpriced department store,” appealing to both red and blue state shoppers. Macy’s removed Donald Trump-branded merchandise in 2015 after the then-nominee made comments about Mexicans. However, Macy's hasn't removed Ivanka Trump products from its stores, as other retailers have done. These actions left neither side happy with Macy’s, as the department store chain finds itself in the crosshairs of boycotters on both sides of the Trump divide.

Total Retail’s Take: Macy’s has a large number of stores throughout 45 states, but has been struggling as of late. The department store plans to lay off 10,000 workers and shut 65 of its 729 stores this year as part of a plan to close 100 of them. This may underscore the challenges of the company’s strategy to appeal to all Americans, leaving it in a tough position. Furthermore, with new management coming in — longtime CEO Terry Lundgren is retiring at the end of this quarter — it will be interesting to see if Macy's changes its approach to wading into political matters.