Unemployment falls to 10.2%, but pandemic foils rapid recovery

The improvement could mean little to retailers if the federal benefits for out-of-work consumers, which ran out last week, aren't renewed soon.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 7, 2020

Retail profits won't rebound until 2022 at the earliest, Moody's says

Analysts with the ratings agency expect operating profit in the industry to take a dip of up to 30% this year, and things are even worse in some sectors. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Aug. 7, 2020

Etsy profits skyrocket in Q2

The marketplace's sellers sold $346 million worth of masks in the quarter, at a time executives say has presented an opportunity to gain new customers.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 6, 2020

J.C. Penney's fate up in the air as acquisition talks drag on

Lenders to the retailer are seeking higher bids as previous offers from Simon Property, Hudson's Bay and Sycamore came up short, according to Bloomberg.

By Ben Unglesbee • Aug. 6, 2020

Athleta names interim CMO

Gap Inc. has been shuffling its marketing leadership, with the head of Banana Republic's marketing taking over at its namesake brand in February.

By Cara Salpini • Aug. 5, 2020

Capri, Ralph Lauren quarterly results indicate widespread damage to apparel sales

Even consumers better insulated from the pandemic's financial fallout are reserving their discretionary funds for items in other categories.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 5, 2020

Wayfair makes a profit as Q2 sales spike 84%

The pandemic drove online buying and home office setups, which gave the e-retailer a big boost. But the costs of its business model remain high. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Aug. 5, 2020

New York & Co. parent sells e-commerce business, IP for $20M

RTW Retailwinds, which has struggled amid declining apparel sales, found a buyer in clothing company Sunrise Brands.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 5, 2020

EBay, Prova Group partner on sports memorabilia authentication

The marketplace joins Amazon and others in setting up measures to combat the sale of counterfeit goods, one of the biggest threats to resale.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 5, 2020

7-Eleven to acquire Speedway for $21B

The acquisition is the largest in 7-Eleven's history and will bring its total number of store locations in the U.S. and Canada to nearly 14,000.

By Kaarin Moore • Aug. 4, 2020

Hudson slashes workforce in anticipation of second COVID-19 wave

Executives at the airport retailer don't expect travel to return to normal until 2023, and are turning to vending machines for sales in North America.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 4, 2020

What happened to Lord & Taylor

The country's oldest department store, a chic destination for the middle class, came through wars, depressions and pandemics. It couldn't survive neglect.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 4, 2020

Three years after Fenty Beauty, Rihanna debuts Fenty Skin

Aimed at inclusivity, the products were tested on all skin tones and types, and are also built around key trends like sustainability and clean ingredients.

By Cara Salpini • Aug. 4, 2020

Lord & Taylor to permanently close 19 stores

The department store and owner Le Tote, an apparel rental site, are still operating, and the company said it's seeking a buyer for both businesses.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 4, 2020

Tailored Brands files Ch. 11

The parent company of Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank plans to reduce its store footprint while it remains open through the bankruptcy process. 

By Kaarin Moore • Aug. 3, 2020

Chico's declares bankruptcy in Canada

The struggling women's apparel retailer will permanently close all 10 stores in the country as part of its effort to contain costs and outlast the pandemic.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 3, 2020

Lord & Taylor files for bankruptcy

New owner Le Tote had given the oldest department store in the U.S. and its 38 locations a rare ray of hope when it acquired it for $75 million last year.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 3, 2020

What the pandemic has done to Nordstrom's revamp

This was the year the retailer planned to expand its ecosystem concept and redefine the department store. Instead it's scrambling like everyone else.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 3, 2020

Under Armour beats on revenue, but expects 'highly promotional environment' ahead

There will likely be more volume in the off-price channel as retailers try to shed excess inventory, which could mean even steeper discounts.

By Cara Salpini • July 31, 2020

Designer Brands cuts over 1K positions

The retailer is eliminating some jobs and reassigning others to focus on its warehouse operations. 

By Kaarin Moore • July 31, 2020

Coldwater Creek shuts down

The Sycamore Partners-owned apparel retailer said its stores and website are closed after COVID-19 "led us down a path we were not expecting."

By Ben Unglesbee • July 31, 2020

Walmart cuts corporate jobs as it focuses on omnichannel push

Changes in the retail giant's merchandising and other teams have led to hundreds of layoffs, according to Bloomberg. 

By Ben Unglesbee • July 31, 2020

Pandemic fuels demand, Prime membership in Amazon Q2

The surge in demand was largely in low-margin grocery and consumables and strained the e-commerce giant's fulfillment capacity, which it will expand.

By Daphne Howland • July 31, 2020

Bezos faces US House Judiciary Committee over marketplace fairness, counterfeits

Amazon's CEO and founder defended its third-party sales and touted advantages for both consumers and sellers, but he didn't have all the answers.

By Daphne Howland • July 30, 2020

Overstock's sales get a 109% boost from pandemic shopping

The retailer, after struggling in recent years, was uniquely positioned as an e-commerce player to take advantage of consumers stuck at home. 

By Ben Unglesbee • July 30, 2020