Uniqlo Scraps Price Rise on $2 Socks After Japanese Shopper Outcry
The decision underscores the challenge Japanese retailers face as persistent inflation squeezes household budgets.
Retail
Analysis and advice from the front lines of the retail transformation.
Zalando to Expand to Ireland, Czech Republic
As Amazon has made a big push into fashion, Zalando pared its profit forecast as it spends heavily on logistics and technology.
The Gucci-Gap Divide: How Luxury Is Winning the Race for Millennial Spend
Luxury labels like Gucci and Balenciaga — whose $1,300 'T-Shirt Shirt' spawned countless memes this week — are pulling away from the pack. When was the last time a Gap t-shirt generated that kind of traction on Instagram?
Lululemon Hits Record High on Revamped Stores
Lululemon's recent push to renovate stores paid off in the latest quarter, with traffic rising in the mid-single digit range.
Walmart Unveils Shopping Service for Busy Moms
For $50 a month, members of Walmart's concierge service Jetblack can text their requests and receive same-day delivery from Walmart, Jet and other retailers.
Moncler Experiments with Monthly Product Drops
Moncler is readying monthly drops of its limited edition coats. Chief executive Remo Ruffini hopes to one day extend that pace to other collections.
How Madewell Is Saving J.Crew
Madewell’s double-digital growth is buoying the J.Crew Group as sales at its namesake brand continue to dwindle. President Libby Wadle explains why Madewell is working, and how she plans to keep the momentum going.
Opening Ceremony Lays Off 23 Amid Search For New Investor
The retailer, long known for its downtown cool, has eliminated most of its in-house label’s design team as part of broader restructuring.
With Three New Brands, Target Takes Aim at Gen-Z
The cheap and chic retailer is launching Wild Fable, Original Use and Heyday in a bid to win over a demographic that is critical to its success. Will fickle young consumers bite?
Target's Online Push Pays Off, But Profit Misses Forecasts
Digital revenue rose 28 percent after the chief executive made e-commerce a key part of his $7 billion turnaround plan.
Kohl’s Revenues Top Analyst Estimates
The US department-store chain raised its full-year earnings forecast as its turnaround gains steam.
M&S to Shut a Third of Its UK Clothing Stores
M&S will close more than 100 stores that sell both clothing and food by 2022 as the retailer belatedly adapts to the rise of e-commerce.
Can Walmart Crack Fashion?
Walmart is trying to position itself as a destination for fashion, as it attempts to attract more affluent customers and build an e-commerce presence that can compete with Amazon.
THE NEWS IN BRIEF
Aritzia Seeks to More Than Double Sales by 2032
New categories and brick-and-mortar expansion beyond North America are set to drive Aritzia’s quest to hit $10.5 billion CAD ($7.5 billion).
Pop Mart Quarterly Sales Fall Up to 50% as Labubu Fad Cools
Sales in the Americas fell 70 to 75 percent.
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Says It’s Taken Control of Hugo Boss
The British retail group has pushed its stake in the German apparel brand above 50 percent in a move that will turn Hugo Boss into a subsidiary of Frasers.
Shein Agrees to Pay $100 Million to Settle US FTC Probe
The settlement, equivalent to 44 percent of the ultra fast-fashion company’s second-quarter profit, is the latest blow amid regulatory and tax crackdowns in Europe and the US that have hampered Shein’s growth.
UK Retail Sales Fall 0.4% in September, More Than Forecast
Sales fell in September as above-average temperatures hit demand for autumn clothing.
David’s Bridal Plans Spinoff and IPO of AI Wedding Planning Platform Pearl
Pearl, a subsidiary of David’s Bridal, will own David’s Bridal and license its intellectual property back to the bridalwear brand. David’s Bridal CEO Kelly Cook will serve as Pearl’s CEO.
EBay Will Lay Off 9% of Workforce
The online marketplace is looking to simplify operations and shift resources to its fastest-growing areas, Reuters reported.