L Brands sinks as Victoria's Secret loses allure

The company suffered its second-worst day in 35 years of public trading after announcing fourth quarter declines and a grim outlook for the months ahead.

By Corinne Ruff • Feb. 24, 2017

Sears lays off 130 at Chicagoland HQ

The company said the job cuts are part of a “fundamental restructuring of operations” announced earlier this month, targeting at least $1 billion in cost savings on an annualized basis this year.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 24, 2017

Nordstrom buoyed by stellar Rack performance

While the department store chain's e-commerce efforts now represent approximately 25% of full-line sales, its off-price Rack unit has emerged as the company’s primary source of new customers.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 24, 2017

Gap CEO: Apparel bankruptcies an opportunity to seize market share

Art Peck is exploring options to rejuvenate the Banana Republic brand, admitting “I'm not pleased with the performance.”

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 24, 2017

Survey: Digital transformation 2017's top priority for many retailers

Just over 50% of respondents have either not defined or not started implementing a digital transformation strategy, though progress varies by region.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 23, 2017

Wayfair sales soar, but profits remain elusive

Direct retail net revenue through the home furnishings retailer’s five e-commerce sites rose 40% year over year in Q4 to $959 million, but average order value fell and merchandising, marketing and sales expenses exploded.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 23, 2017

Lowe's slashing corporate workforce

The cuts follow a month after CEO Robert Niblock notified employees that Lowe's would eliminate 2,400 jobs nationwide.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 23, 2017

Kohl's rises despite weak sales results, falling profit

Margins were strengthened in the fourth quarter, but analysts say the discount department store has more work to do in order to drive traffic back to stores.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 23, 2017

TJX plots new home decor chain concept, HomeGoods expansion

CEO Ernie Herrman declined to divulge many concrete details, but said TJX will differentiate the chain from its existing HomeGoods unit with unique merchandise.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 23, 2017

Costco, BJ's, Sam's Club: Why millennials love clubbing

Young parents with money to spend are the "center of the bullseye" for the large membership-based retailers.

By Jeff Wells • Feb. 22, 2017

TJX bucks retail trend with rising Q4 sales, traffic

The off-price retailer posted its 21st consecutive year of positive same-store sales.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 22, 2017

Apple pivots marketing to focus on digital, regional efforts

The tech giant is restructuring its agency relationship to reflect the new approach.

By David Kirkpatrick • Feb. 22, 2017

Report: Sycamore snags The Limited for $26.8M at auction

The private equity firm on Tuesday outbid apparel company Sunrise Brands LLC, Reuters reports.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 22, 2017

Sears outsources Kenmore brand to Permasteel for grill line

The fading retailer continues to extract value from its most prized assets — first its real estate, then its Craftsman tool brand and now its household appliances brand.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 22, 2017

Nordstrom's SPACE launches fashion incubator 'The Lab'

Showcasing five emerging fashion designers each season, the boutiques take a page from Silicon Valley’s concept of accelerating promising new ventures

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 22, 2017

Tiffany bows to activist pressure, shakes up board in search for new CEO

The jeweler is adding three new board members through an agreement with hedge fund Jana Partners LLC and former Bulgari CEO Francesco Trapani, who together own 5.1% of outstanding shares.  

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 22, 2017

Macy's warns sales declines will continue after dismal Q4

The struggling department store continues to suffer from constant markdowns and inventory pile-ups, according to analysts.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 21, 2017

Wal-Mart boosts in-store, e-commerce sales on low prices

The retailer's fourth quarter results came at a cost, but analysts say lower margins are a "necessary evil" as the retail giant shifts to a greater focus on digital sales.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 21, 2017

Home Depot rides strong housing market to Q4 earnings beat

As the economy continues to hum and property values stay steady, American consumers are plowing their money into their homes — spending many see as an investment, not simply an indulgence.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 21, 2017

Toys 'R' Us lays off roughly 250 corporate employees

Like many retailers, the struggling toy seller was forced to lean on promotions to drive customers to buy during the holiday season.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 21, 2017

Alibaba, offline giant Bailian team up on far-reaching retail tech initiative

The companies will leverage big data capabilities to boost integration between offline stores, merchandise, logistics and payment tools to improve efficiency and enhance consumer experience.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 20, 2017

Report: Apparel company Sunrise Brands bids on The Limited

Sunrise, which runs apparel brands from celebrities like Eva Longoria and Melissa McCarthy as well as Seven7 Jeans and American Rag, must top the $25.75 million stalking horse offer from private equity firm Sycamore Partners.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 17, 2017

Ralph Lauren taps its first CMO

Jonathan Bottomley will be the company’s first-ever chief marketing officer, and Tom Mendenhall will be brand president for its all-important fleet of men’s brands.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 17, 2017

GNC plummets on $433M Q4 loss, pleads for patience

"This performance simply does not reflect the business model we have today or what we are now capable of delivering for our customers and our shareholders," CEO Robert F. Moran told analysts Thursday.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 17, 2017

ReplyYes lands $6.5M to further m-commerce platform for lifestyle brands

The startup has also inked an exclusive agreement with Universal Music Group to create music, tickets and merchandise shopping opportunities for UMG artists and their fans worldwide.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 16, 2017