NEW YORK — Just in time for the holidays, retailers received some good news about trade. First, right after retailers posted strong Thanksgiving weekend sales, came the news that President Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto had signed a new trade pact — the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement — to
Unemployment is low, and consumer confidence is high. But no matter how well the overall economy is doing, Americans are still focused on saving money. Recent research from the National Retail Federation shows that the preference for value affects where consumers shop and what they buy. A survey of more than 3,000 U.S. adults found
The upcoming holiday season is projected to be a good one for the retail industry. But much of the sales growth will be a result of additional traffic on retailers’ websites rather than in their stores. Online spending during the upcoming holiday shopping season is expected to grow 14.8%, to $124.1 billion, according to Adobe
NEW YORK — Retailers are gearing up for what is expected to be a big Thanksgiving weekend with announcement of special deals and tools to make online and in-store shopping easier. The stakes are high, according to a new survey from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), which found that consumers plan to spend
The recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Sears Holdings Corp. offers another reminder, as if anyone in the industry needed one, of how fragile success in retailing can be. Sears in its prime was as disruptive as Amazon.com is today, and, in fact, it pioneered shopping from home (via catalogs and the U.S. Postal Service)
MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp. is upping its delivery game as it vows to be the “easiest place to shop for the holiday season.” Target said Tuesday that it will become first retailer to offer same-day delivery and drive up service coast to coast. The retailer said its will also offer free two-day shipping to all customers,
CARLISLE, Pa. — Giant Food Stores on Thursday announced plans for a new store format and brand designed for urban neighborhoods. The first of the new Giant Heirloom Market stores is set to open later this year in in Philadelphia’s Graduate Hospital neighborhood. The new store, which is currently under construction, will measure about 9,500 square
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is buying the online apparel brand Eloquii, which specializes in plus size clothing. Terms of the deal, expected to close later this quarter, were not disclosed. “Known for its trend-driven, fashion-focused assortment, Eloquii is all about great-fitting and great-looking apparel specifically designed for women size 14 and up,” Andy Dunn, senior
As this issue of MMR goes to press, the economic forecast for the retail industry looks bright. Unemployment is low and the stock market is high. Consumer confidence is strong, and retail sales projections for the rest of the year, including the holiday season, are rosy. There is really only one dark cloud on the
Shopping is now something people can do nearly anytime and anywhere, by using an app on their phone or talking to a smart speaker in their home. Or even, of course, by going to a brick-and-mortar store. So in a world in which shopping is truly ubiquitous, how can retailers stand out in the minds
The past month has seen retailers from Amazon.com to Target Corp. to Kroger Co. launch new online grocery shopping initiatives.Which raises the question: Do consumers really want to shop for their food in this way? A recent Gallup poll suggests that they do not. Gallup’s latest Consumption Habits poll found that 81% of U.S. adults
CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. said it has picked Scottsdale, Ariz., as the test market for a grocery delivery service using self driving vehicles. Kroger had previously announced a partnership and Nuro to begin testing grocery delivery using Nuro’s technology. The company announced Thursday that the pilot will involve a single Fry’s Food Stores location