Merchandising

With a focus on increasing shareholder value, L Brands announced last week that it will be shuttering all 23 Henri Bendel stores and the Henri Bendel e-commerce website. The stores include Henri Bendel's Fifth Avenue flagship store as well as smaller-format stores in 11 states. All stores and the website will remain in operation through January 2019, with new merchandise continuing to arrive…

Almost every weather-related headline in the media or corporate annual reports focuses on the associated negative impacts for organizations. And there’s a lot to report: in 2017 alone, there were 330 catastrophic weather events, 31 of which each resulted in damages of more than 1 billion USD. Even "normal weather" impacts nearly every industry on…

1-800-Flowers.com announced yesterday the launch of a new gifting brand, Goodsey. PYMNTS.com reports Goodsey, described by its parent company as a perfect place for “gifting and wishing,” will feature unique items across a wide range of product categories. According to 1-800-Flowers.com, shopping on Goodsey will be a “fun-filled experience of exploration, discovery and delight” that will make…

Amazon Prime Day is known as one of the best days of the year to pick up a new tablet or smart speaker, but this year’s event integrated a new element — groceries. A Whole New World Amazon.com's acquisition of Whole Foods last year rocked the grocery market, which had remained relatively unscathed by the…

Competing in a world dominated by digital powerhouses like Amazon.com makes it virtually impossible to excel without prioritizing effective merchandising — supported by the right tools, processes and people. Our focus at the e-tailing group has always been on merchandising, as we see it to be a key differentiator in digital selling. Therefore, we were…

August is here, and while many of us are soaking in the last summer beach days, back-to-school (BTS) season is already in full swing. BTS is the second most popular shopping season of the year, bringing excitement, nostalgia and, most importantly, sales. On the heels of the National Retail Federation’s 2018 BTS report, which forecasts…

Gross profit margin is — and will always be — a key metric in retail, as it enables you to make critical decisions around your assortment, inventory orders, pricing and promotions. For this reason, it’s important to not only measure your gross profit margins, but to continuously optimize them. Here are three tips to help…

J.C. Penney is expanding the baby products it sells at stores beyond clothing as the department store joins the many other chains trying to claim some of the Babies"R"Us sales up for grabs. The Plano, Texas-based chain is opening baby shops in 500 stores that are near now-shuttered Babies"R"Us locations. That brand closed the rest of…

Outside of the holidays, few shopping seasons capture consumer fervor as much as the back-to-school (BTS) season. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that 2018 BTS spending is expected to reach $82.8 billion. According to Deloitte, that includes 29 million estimated U.S. households buying supplies for the coming school year. Naturally, this has retailers planning for the rush, and the right insights can make or break the BTS season. With that in mind, Wiser set out to collect the consumer data you need to better understand 2018 BTS shopper habits. We surveyed nearly 3,500 shoppers in June to get an inside look at how they prepare to return to the classroom this fall. 

After an extended winter for most of the country, summer is in full swing. Summer creates two major reactions for most Americans. First, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the warmth and fresh air. Second, it's time for social gatherings with friends and families at someone’s house, preferably the one with the great outdoor…