Supply Chain
August 29, 2016 at 12:14 pm
Signet Jewelers said last week that it would test new technology in some of its Kay Jewelers locations that will confirm the authenticity of the gems it sells. The move comes after allegations arose in May and June that the company was swapping diamonds. During its second-quarter earnings call, Signet CEO Mark Light said that…
August 2, 2016 at 12:21 pm
Sports Authority limped into bankruptcy in March with a straightforward plan to survive as a smaller, more nimble purveyor of sporting equipment and apparel. The first step — close unprofitable stores and sell off its inventory. But almost immediately a fight broke out over who owned some of that inventory: the retailer or the vendors…
August 1, 2016 at 11:17 am
Amazon Launchpad announced last week the creation of a Kickstarter Collection, featuring more than 300 Kickstarter products available for purchase on Amazon.com. Startups featured include Piper, Zivix, Prynt, MudWatt, among others. Consumers shopping the Kickstarter Collection can browse categories such as electronics, wireless accessories, home and kitchen, books, movies and TV, and toys and games,…
July 21, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Birkenstock will stop supplying products to Amazon in the U.S. and will no longer authorize third-party merchants to sell on the site.
July 8, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Nordstrom made a bold move this week by acquiring a minority stake in supply chain software firm DS Co. The platform provides a cloud-based service that will make it easier for suppliers to directly ship orders placed through Nordstrom’s retail partners — i.e., drop shipping. For example, if a customer purchases a shirt from Nordstrom’s website,…
June 30, 2016 at 12:25 pm
Trunk Club will close down its Goose Island, Ill., distribution center and work more closely with its parent company, Nordstrom, cutting 250 jobs in the process, the retailers said in a news release Tuesday. Trunk Club, which was acquired by Nordstrom in 2014, will begin shifting order fulfillment and distribution operations currently handled at its Goose…
June 16, 2016 at 10:57 am
Retailers are dealing with changes in consumer habits and the explosive rise of e-commerce, which have transformed not only the small parcel economy, but the entire supply chain. Understanding the following six key supply chain realities will help improve efficiency, customer satisfaction and, ultimately, the bottom line. We're not slowing down: According to a Sealed Air…
June 13, 2016 at 12:40 pm
Editor’s Note: Welcome to our newest feature, Total Retail Report’s In the News section, where we will highlight and offer our take on the top retail-related news articles of the day. Please let us know what you think about this new feature by posting a comment below. Walgreens Ends Theranos Partnership Walgreens announced last week that it…
June 9, 2016 at 12:11 pm
Target is asking many suppliers to take on up to an extra 3 percent to 5 percent of the cost of promotions and price cuts after slow sales so far this year. Retailers often use price discounts combined with promotions to sell slow-moving items and make room for newer products. Suppliers also have their own offers and…
June 1, 2016 at 10:57 am
The ability to collect and harness data is a key opportunity for retailers that want to truly enable a consumer-centric supply chain. According to a recent Boston Retail Partners study, 62 percent of retailers named customer identification and personalization of customer experience among their top three customer engagement priorities, more than any other initiative. However,…
