Dive Brief:
- In preparation for this holiday season, Kohl’s has increased its front-of-store space dedicated to seasonal products such as gifts and holiday home decorations, the retailer announced Thursday.
- The retailer also introduced a new gift shop at the front of the store and curated a wide selection of gifts throughout each location.
- Kohl’s has also created a holiday gift guide with gift ideas across price points and product categories, including apparel, electronics, toys and home goods, per the press release.
Dive Insight:
With the holiday shopping season underway, Kohl's aims to attract shoppers with affordable merchandise and deals between October and December.
The retailer is bringing back its “Bricktober” event this year, offering Black Friday week and Cyber Monday sales in November and extending its holiday deals throughout December. Meanwhile, other major retailers, including Walmart, Target, Amazon and Best Buy, have begun their own holiday sales in October.
The department store has also expanded its assortment of goods, including home decor — with most items priced under $30 — and cold-weather accessories and fashion jewelry.
“We’ve curated an incredible holiday assortment across all of our key categories, to bring the newest and latest styles, products and brands to our customers, at prices they will feel good about,” Nick Jones, Kohl’s chief merchandising and digital officer, said in a statement. “Whether it’s styling your home with the latest holiday decor, picking up a beautiful knit sweater for a friend, or buying a new cookware set to make memories in the kitchen with your kids, we’re confident Kohl’s has everything shoppers are looking for this season.”
In addition to curating its assortment of gifts for in-store shoppers, the retailer is also gearing up to hire store associates in preparation for the busiest shopping season of the year. Kohl’s hosted a hiring event Oct. 12 to Oct. 14 across its stores, e-commerce fulfillment centers and distribution centers, but it declined to say how many seasonal employees it plans to hire this year.
This holiday season comes at a critical time for Kohl’s. The company reported a 4.8% decline in net sales year-over-year in its second quarter, and its net income dropped nearly 60% to $58 million.
The retailer also, though, was able to rein in its stock levels and cut inventory nearly 14% in Q2.
