GameStop, which acquired ThinkGeek owner Geeknet in June, has announced plans to open ThinkGeek's first branded physical store in Florida on Sept. 25. More are planned, too, with each boasting what's described as a "modern, bright, open floor plan" and an array of merchandise spanning games, films, TV and comics.
Borrowing from the playbook of upscale grocers such as Whole Foods Market and Wegmans, Target is aiming to serve alcohol right in the store. Angie Thompson, a Target spokesperson, confirmed that the Minneapolis-based retailer applied in August for liquor licenses to sell and serve alcohol at a planned store near Chicago’s Navy Pier. If approved, it…
Back to School (BTS) represents big business for retailers as consumers spend billions of dollars preparing kids for the upcoming school year. The second largest shopping season, BTS also serves as the transition into the all-important fall/winter product line. While retailers will certainly be judged on their BTS revenue, industry leaders have another, equally important…
Macy's debuted its new discount concept called Backstage last week, offering up a sneak peak of the department store chain’s off-price format. Is this a case of too little too late, or the end of the era? Perhaps a little of both. Macy’s Backstage is a discount outlet much like Nordstrom Rack, Off Fifth by Saks Fifth…
A listing of all the top tips that appeared in the pages of Total Retail — both print and web — in 2015. From analytics to email marketing to merchandising to shipping and more, there are tips here for all retailers, no matter the size of your company.
Gap continues to struggle as it reported a drop in second quarter 2015 sales – a sign that their customer base continues to erode. Gap Global reported negative comparable store sales of 6 percent vs. negative 5 percent last year. Banana Republic Global reported negative comparable sales of 4 percent vs. flat last year. Only…
Chico's, in the midst of cost-cutting plans, reported better-than-expected revenue and adjusted earnings for its latest quarter Wednesday, though bottom-line profit took a sharp fall. The women's retailer also said it would sell its Boston Proper direct-to-consumer business and close its existing 20 stores. Earlier this year, Chico's said it was shoring up its finances by lowering…
Houston-based Stage Stores plans to close 90 stores, as it cut its earnings forecast and said "economic softness" is hurting sales. Stage Stores runs 850 department stores in 40 states under the Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage names. The 90 stores set to close in coming years represent 4 percent of total sales.…
Terry Lundgren, CEO of Macy’s, borrowed this quote during his opening remarks at the University of Arizona Global Retailing Conference in Tucson, Ariz. back in April, attributing it to NYU-Stern Marketing Professor Scott Galloway, who also happens to be one of the world’s experts in digital marketing. Calling stores “the new black” is a nod…
On Thursday, Gap reported declines in quarterly sales and profits, and according to The Wall Street Journal, Gap CEO Art Peck said that the retailer was hard at work trying to copy the approach used by fast-fashion brands. Like H&M, Gap plans to test small runs of merchandise in its stores and then find out…
