Merchandising

Eliminating Category Duplication Through the Power of AI
August 22, 2019 at 12:10 pm

No retailer deliberately sets out to complicate the lives and shopping experiences of its customers. In fact, headlines point to ways the industry is doing the opposite, adding convenient fulfillment options or altering store formats to accommodate quicker in-and-out trips. However, if as many as 17 percent of items in a category are duplicative in…

Target Introduces Private-Label Food and Beverage Brand Good & Gather
August 19, 2019 at 3:26 pm

Target Corp. introduced today Good & Gather, a private-label brand that features food and beverage products. Good & Gather, Target's largest owned brand launch, will be available in stores and online beginning Sept. 15. By the end of 2020, Target said the brand will include more than 2,000 products such as dairy, produce, ready-made pastas,…

Macy's, J.C. Penney Both Announce Deals With thredUP
August 16, 2019 at 10:01 am

In less than 24 hours, two major department store chains forged a partnership with online consignment giant ThredUp. On Wednesday, Macy’s announced during its second-quarter conference call that it had launched a pilot with the resale site at 40 of its stores across the country. And yesterday, J.C. Penney said that 30 of its store locations would…

The Upsell and Cross-Sell Bible for Subscription Retailers 
August 2, 2019 at 9:33 am

Not presenting additional products when a customer adds an item to their cart â€” also known as upselling and cross-selling â€” is costing you more than you think. Research from Forrester shows that upsells and cross-sells count for more than 30 percent of e-commerce revenue, so now is the time to make them a priority. To start,…

American Eagle Outfitters Exec Favors No Age Restriction on CBD Products
July 25, 2019 at 12:10 pm

American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) Global Brand President Chad Kessler doesn't think there should be an age restriction on cannabidiol (CBD) products, according to CNBC. The retailer is planning on adding products containing hemp extract to its stores this fall. “We don’t think there should be an age restriction," Kessler said to CNBC. "We are sticking…

Why Big Marketing Bills Make Retail Price Wars Hurt Much More
July 17, 2019 at 12:40 pm

As retailers fight to win online market share, they're forced to up their game and push boundaries to meet customer expectations. The reality of competition in today’s cutthroat world of e-commerce translates into companies looking to one up or match their competitors, which is doing more harm than good to the industry. Many online retailers…

lululemon Launches Selfcare Product Line, Expands Beyond Apparel
June 19, 2019 at 11:30 am

Athletic apparel brand lululemon athletica launched personal care product line Selfcare on Tuesday, reports CNBC. The retailer is expanding outside of its traditional activewear clothing to offer products that target post-workout needs, helping customers freshen up after exercise and get back to their day. Products in the Selfcare line include dry shampoo, deodorant, face moisturizer, and…

Poshmark Expands Into Home Decor Category
June 11, 2019 at 1:12 pm

Poshmark started eight years ago as a way for women to offload their extra clothes and make money, like a more social eBay where people could comment and share the clothes they liked. It has since become a retail empire that racked up an estimated $140 million in revenue in 2018, thanks to its 20…

Long Unsung, Chief Merchants Are Critical in the Age of AI
May 30, 2019 at 9:34 am

These days there's no shortage of additions to the C-suite. Creative job titles abound, and roles that didn’t exist a decade ago like chief experience officer or chief digital officer are becoming more common. The choice to add these positions to the decision-making table reflects the core value of these functions. Companies are realizing that…