Melissa Repko of CNBC reports that Walmart is looking to expand its footprint by adding more than 150 large-format stores over the next five years. Repko writes: Walmart already has a huge U.S. footprint. But the retail giant sees room to get even bigger. The company plans to build or convert more than 150 large-format stores over the next five years, it said Wednesday. Some of the locations will be expanded from a smaller location into a Supercenter with a full range of groceries and merchandise, but the majority will be new stores, Josh Havens, a company spokesman, said. Walmart … [Read more...]
Are European Malls Primed for a Comeback?
Mark Faithfull of The Robin Report tells his readers that malls have been through the mill: online retail, consumer recessions, retail bankruptcies, political and economic upheavals, the impact of the experience economy, and, let’s not forget the lockdown closures. Faithfull writes: The argument is simple: malls may not be the income powerhouses they once were but we’re still enduring their pain. Malls have been through the mill: online retail, consumer recessions, retail bankruptcies, political and economic upheavals, the impact of the experience economy, and let’s not forget, the lockdown … [Read more...]
$100 Billion in Merchandise Fraudulently Returned Last Year
Liz Young of The Wall Street Journal reports that more than $100 billion in merchandise was returned fraudulently in the U.S. in 2023, retailers say, up sharply since 2020. She writes: Some companies processing returned televisions for retailers have gotten a surprise when opening the boxes—packaging filled with bricks rather than newly purchased TVs. Others examining returned purchases of purported luxury goods are instead finding counterfeits sent in by customers looking for refunds on full-price, deluxe merchandise. The tactics are part of what logistics experts say is a growing … [Read more...]
Tensions Rise Between Food Suppliers and Supermarkets
Mauro Orru and Jennifer Maloney of The Wall Street Journal are reporting that Carrefour, one of the world’s biggest supermarket chains, is ditching PepsiCo products in France, Italy, Spain, and Belgium over price increases. They write: One of the world’s biggest supermarket chains said it would drop several PepsiCo products to protest what it called unacceptable price increases, a rare public standoff between a grocer and food maker after more than two years of rising prices. Carrefour, which operates thousands of stores across more than 30 countries, said it would stop selling Pepsi, … [Read more...]
The Robin Report – Strategic Shifts for 2024
Are Cardboard Prices Pointing to Better Times Ahead?
Ryan Dezember of The Wall Street Journal reports that cardboard producers are boosting prices for the first time since early 2022, which suggests the economy is revving up. He writes: Cardboard prices are pointing to better times ahead. Producers are lifting prices for the thick paper used to make delivery boxes for the first time since the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates early last year. It is a sign that the inventory hoarding that characterized the postpandemic recovery is ending. If history is a guide, more expensive cardboard also suggests the economy is revving … [Read more...]
Unstoppable Chinese E-Commerce Giant Faltering
An e-commerce giant is losing its lead, reports Raffaele Huang and Liza Lin of The Wall Street Journal. They write: Chinese internet titan Alibaba (BABA) Group Holding once seemed invincible. Now, it is stuck in a slump. The e-commerce giant was a major driver of China’s growing consumer economy as it pioneered online shopping in China. Over the years, it also expanded into cloud computing, physical supermarkets and digital entertainment. Now, its grip on online retail is weakening. In recent months, the company lost a long-running chief executive, while a restructuring plan to revive … [Read more...]
AI Running a Smarter More Efficient Inventory for Retailers
Liz Young of The Wall Street Journal says new tools are aimed at repairing supply chains that were knocked sideways by volatile consumer buying patterns during the pandemic. She writes: Retailers are turning to artificial intelligence technology to better predict shopper demand and repair supply chains whipsawed by volatile consumer buying patterns during the pandemic. Merchants including Walmart, retail-pharmacy giant Walgreens and online fashion seller ASOS are rolling out the increasingly sophisticated technology that takes in everything from weather patterns to social-media trends to … [Read more...]
A Case of the Bah Humbugs for Toy Sales
Harriet Torry and Ben Glickman report that sales of toys and games have slumped as Americans show signs of pulling back. They write: Shoppers couldn’t get enough toys and games during the pandemic. Now, they are finding other ways to spend their time, and that is spelling trouble for toy makers and sellers. Sales of toys have slumped so far this year, down 8% through September compared with the same period last year, according to market-research firm Circana, and appeared poised to be lackluster this holiday season. Imports of toys and games have fallen sharply this year and sales at toy … [Read more...]
Payment for Gifts Is Upending Retailers
Suzanne Kapnar and Imani Moise of The Wall Street Journal report that consumers are shifting away from store credit cards as brand loyalty wanes and interest rates rise. They write: Retailers aren’t just having trouble getting shoppers to buy sweaters and other holiday items this season. Store credit cards are also a tougher sell. The cards, which typically can only be used at a particular chain, have been a lucrative source of revenue for retailers as merchandise sales have slowed. But the stream is drying up as Americans carry fewer cards and increasingly finance purchases with buy … [Read more...]
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