Management

Kevin Plank, the founder of Under Armour, is returning to the helm of the Baltimore-based athletic wear maker, the company announced in a Wednesday afternoon press release. Plank is set to be president and CEO starting April 1. He will succeed Stephanie Linnartz, who had been in the position for little more than a year.…

Estée Lauder is cutting 3 percent to 5 percent of its global workforce as part of a restructuring program that aims to increase profits and become more nimble in a challenging international environment, reports ABC News. The layoffs were announced Monday as the New York cosmetic giant reported falling profits and revenue in the second…

Levi Strauss & Co. is planning to reduce its corporate workforce 10 percent to 15 percent during the next six months as part of its “productivity initiative” to drive long-term growth. The initiative, a two-year program named Project FUEL, is designed to accelerate the execution of Levi's brand-led and direct-to-consumer first strategies while fueling long-term…

Retail layoffs are hitting especially hard recently. Macy’s is laying off about 3.5 percent of its total headcount, which amounts to roughly 2,350 employees, and the iconic department store is closing five locations. Also last week, online furniture seller Wayfair said it is cutting about 1,650 jobs, or 13 percent of its global workforce. The Wall…

Let’s face it: The holidays were stressful, involving significant amounts of both travel and planning — whether that be for the aforementioned travel or for shopping, gifting, entertaining or giving thanks. But add to that list one more item imparting more than its fair share of stress this year: the rising cost of living. That…

Nike on Thursday unveiled plans to cut costs by about $2 billion over the next three years as it warned about a “softer” revenue outlook for the second half of the year. The athletic brand plans to simplify its product assortment, increase automation and its use of technology, streamline the overall organization, and leverage its…

Challenging economic and labor markets combined with evolving consumer behaviors have required many retailers and brands to adjust their ways of doing business. However, times of uncertainty and disruption present an opportunity for companies to rise above the competition, increase market share, and win their customers’ loyalty. To accomplish this goal, retail organizations need to…

Insights That Will Help Your Business Maximize Sales and Profits

Accurate demand forecasting is crucial for retailers year-round, but especially so during the holidays, when they experience significant surges in demand. These surges can potentially disrupt processes across the business, from inventory to labor operations. Without proper preparation, those disruptions can impact the customer experience, jeopardizing business results during one of the most critical periods…

According to the most recent Mastercard SpendingPulse report, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment, U.S. retail sales on Black Friday (Nov. 24) were up more than 2.5 percent year-over-year (YoY) excluding automotive, not adjusted for inflation. Key trends included from the Black Friday shopping data include the following: E-commerce sales were strong: E-commerce…