Retail Stores

Amazon.com is converting more of its Whole Foods locations into "dark stores," which are dedicated solely to fulfilling online orders. The move is part of an effort by Amazon to keep up with increased demand for groceries during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a FOX Business report. “With stay-at-home orders in place, customers have generated unprecedented demand for grocery delivery,"…

J.C. Penney filed for bankruptcy protection on Friday with plans to permanently close some stores and also explore a possible sale. The department store chain, known for selling family apparel, cosmetics and jewelry at 850 locations, said it reached an agreement with existing lenders for $900 million of debtor-in-possession financing to aid operations while it navigates…

In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Melissa Campanelli and Kristina Stidham discuss an article recently published on Total Retail titled, “Brick-and-Mortar Rethink: 5 Areas to Reconsider,” authored by Melissa Gonzalez, founder of The Lionesque Group. Gonzalez writes that retailers will need to consider a few key areas as they re-engage with customers in…

We are now more than two months into the COVID-19 pandemic, and with that, we’re seeing a new wave of changes in the behavior of shoppers. Many consumers are becoming more accustomed to our current way of life, while also anticipating what shopping will look like for them once this crisis subsides.

Maybe you’re a nonessential retailer cautiously opening pockets of stores across the country. Maybe you’re an essential retailer frantically trying to adjust to this “new normal” while keeping customers and employees safe. No matter which side of the spectrum you’re on, chances are you’re probably thinking about one thing: checklists. Retailers love checklists. Store audits,…

As we navigate the unknown, and slowly prepare for phased regional openings across retail doors, brands and retailers alike can lean in on learnings from the fast and dynamic changes grocers have made to impact efficiencies and create environments that increase safety for the customers they serve. It’s also a time to think “outside the…

Target announced last week that it's in the process of acquiring technology from Deliv, a startup that focuses on last-mile batched delivery. Target is acquiring the technology so it can explore new ways to deliver online orders more quickly while also lowering its shipping costs, according to a May 7 blog post on Target's corporate site. Target…

The spread of COVID-19 has quickly transformed how consumers shop, what they buy and what they want from retailers. And many say these new spending and shopping habits will last long after the crisis lifts. These are a few key findings from Capgemini Research Institute’s "The Consumer and COVID-19" survey of more than 11,000 consumers in the U.S.,…

L Brands, Victoria's Secret's parent company, announced that it has called off its deal with private equity firm Sycamore Partners, CNN reported. L Brands was planning to take the lingerie retailer private, and had reached a $525 million deal with Sycamore Partners three months ago. The deal would have split control of Victoria's Secret, with Sycamore…

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a significant toll on the economy worldwide, and the retail sector has been especially hard hit. While many retailers are still in the reactive phase of store closures due to the drastic shift in consumerism, there's an imperative need to outline a plan that will enable retailers to adapt…