Merchandising

Wal-Mart found itself in the middle of this gun control push yesterday, with CNBC's Eamon Javers; Matt Lewis, Daily Caller; Margie Omero, Momentum Analysis; Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post; and Lars Larson, The Lars Larson Show.

Select Kmart locations will carry apparel and accessories collections developed by pop superstars Adam Levine and Nicki Minaj in an effort to boost sales. Both collections will also be available via the ShopYourWay.com social...

Since CEO Robert Hansen took over American Eagle last year, the company has become the analyst favorite in teen retail, with earnings per share up a stunning 37 percent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, Abercrombie & Fitch is just stabilizing and Aeropostale is struggling. The reason American Eagle is doing so well is because it's doing one thing better than anyone else in the business, according to Dorothy Lakner, an analyst at Caris & Co. It comes down to merchandise assortment.

The youth-centric retailer Urban Outfitters is hawking its Christmas merchandise along with some nasty language. The company is pushing much more than knits and tees on the pages of its Christmas catalog, which contains a "Merry Christmas B****es" mug and wrapping paper, and an "It was all F***ing awesome" picture book.

Victoria's Secret's runway show doesn't air until Dec. 4, but one image from the show won't make the final cut: Karlie Kloss draped in a feathered headdress and turquoise. The look struck a sour chord with the U.S.’ indigenous communities. That's hardly a surprise considering this kind of thing has been done before and it rarely goes well. Let's count the most recent ways: (1) Last year's Urban Outfitters Navajo Hipster panties controversy (2) Last month's Gap "Manifest Destiny" fiasco (3) Victoria's Secret's sexy little geisha kerfuffle from two months ago and (4) America's Top Model making Native American Mariah Watchman dress like Pocahontas for a photo shoot.

Williams-Sonoma, the North America-based retailer that specializes in high-quality products for the home, today announced that it's launched its newest direct-to-customer brand, Mark and Graham, specializing in personalized gifts and accessories. As the newest brand to join the Williams-Sonoma portfolio, Mark and Graham will offer colorful and timeless products personalized with a choice of more than 50 custom monograms and creative type treatments. The brand will offer its products through an exclusive direct mail catalog and an e-commerce website.

This February, Ralph Lauren will shutter its sporty tween label, Rugby — best known for its preppy-chic take on boarding school garb — eight years after the brand's launch. All stand-alone stores are slated to close their doors later this winter, as well as the brand's e-commerce shop, Rugby.com. 

For retailers that sell home repair items and emergency supplies, a storm like Hurricane Sandy represents a logistical puzzle and a big sales opportunity. Few retailers have in place plans as firm as these retailers do for when a storm hits. Like its competitors - Wal-Mart and Lowe's - Home Depot's corporate eye was squarely on Hurricane Sandy a week ago, when the company's supply-chain managers and merchants began preparing for the advancing storm by moving high-demand goods

Macy's is hoping to entice the coveted 13- to 30-year-old market with the launch of its millenial initiative. The initiative involves the rollout or expansion of more than 20 brands for its Macy's mstylelab (primarily serving customers ages 13 to 22) and Impulse (primarily serving customers ages 19 to 30) departments. According to Macy's, the millenial generation, which is the largest and most diverse in America, is expected to spend an estimated $65 billion this year.

Move over, Navajo panties. Urban Outfitters has been supplanted as the retailer most hated by Native Americans. Gap started selling a "Manifest Destiny" T-shirt recently, but the retailer removed the shirt from its stores after a flood of complaints organized by members of the Native American community. Critics left angry Facebook messages, sent tweets and posted negative reviews of the shirt on Gap's website.