#retail #uniqlo #apparel #chicago | Neil Saunders There’s a new kid on the block on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. A few weeks back, Uniqlo opened its 29,000 square foot store. It’s part of a measured US expansion for the Japanese chain, including into...

A few weeks back, Uniqlo opened its 29,000 square foot store. It’s part of a measured US expansion for the Japanese chain, including into more high-profile city locations…

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#retail #macys #departmentstores | Neil Saunders Today I did something that, a few years back, I would never have thought possible. I sat on a stage talking all things retail with Tony Spring at the Macy’s Boldly Forward leadership meeting in Chicag...

Today I did something that, a few years back, I would never have thought possible. I sat on a stage talking all things retail with Tony Spring at the Macy’s Boldly Forward leadership meeting in Chicago…

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#retail #allbirds | Neil Saunders In one of the weirdest updates of perhaps all time, Allbirds is changing its name to NewBird AI and is adapting its business to focus on AI compute infrastructure. As part of this, it will become a GP...

In one of the weirdest updates of perhaps all time, Allbirds is changing its name to NewBird AI and is adapting its business to focus on AI compute infrastructure…

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#retail #departmentstores #lighting | Neil Saunders One of the weaknesses of American department stores is that few are true one-stop destinations. Most major on apparel and beauty, with a bolt-on home assortment. And even within home, the in-store pr...

One of the weaknesses of American department stores is that few are true one-stop destinations…

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#retail #retailnews #economy #dailyretailnews | Neil Saunders Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Tuesday, April 14: 👜 Sales at LVMH’s biggest division fell at the start of this year as the war in the Middle East crimped demand for Lo...

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Tuesday, April 14…

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#retail #retailnews #returns #ecommerce | Neil Saunders | 14 comments Returns are a huge problem for the retail industry, especially in fashion. They carry a huge expense that depletes margins and saps efficiency. However, they are also arguably part of the cost of doi...

Returns are a huge problem for the retail industry, especially in fashion. However, they are part of the cost of doing business online. And, despite the fact there is some fraud and abuse, most returns are made for very genuine reasons..,

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#retail #merchandise #apparel | Neil Saunders It’s all too easy to create clutter in apparel retail. There are many causes: a reluctance to back specific styles, buying too much inventory and failing to sell through, or purchasing piecemeal rath...

It’s all too easy to create clutter in apparel retail. There are many causes, but the end-result is always the same: a jumble of confusion that makes the customer work to find what they need.

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#retail #shipping #iran | Neil Saunders A two-week pause in the US-Iran conflict may reopen one of the world’s most strategically essential shipping corridors, but the ceasefire does not equate to permanent stability for retail shipping. ...

A two-week pause in the US-Iran conflict may reopen one of the world’s most strategically essential shipping corridors, but the ceasefire does not equate to permanent stability for retail shipping…

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#retail #departmentstores #saks | Neil Saunders | 11 comments Saks Global has filed its bankruptcy plan and is now looking at rebuilding the business. Rebuilding brand relationships is one of the key tasks ahead. Saks has confirmed that, since the bankruptcy fi...

Saks Global has filed its bankruptcy plan and is now looking at rebuilding the business. Rebuilding brand relationships is one of the key tasks ahead…

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#retail #home #containerstore | Neil Saunders In the home market, it is a case of big fish eating smaller fish. The old Bed Bath & Beyond was swallowed by Overstock. Now the revived brand has snapped up The Container Store. Stores will be gradu...

In the home market, it is a case of big fish eating smaller fish. The old Bed Bath & Beyond was swallowed by Overstock. Now the revived brand has snapped up The Container Store…

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#retail #footwear #allbirds | Neil Saunders | 28 comments One minute you're soaring high multi billion dollar valuation. The next, you're an ex-parrot being sold for a paltry $39 million. The turbulent flight of Allbirds is one for the case study books. It'...

One minute you're soaring high with a multi billion dollar valuation. The next, you're an ex-parrot being sold for a paltry $39 million. The turbulent flight of Allbirds is one for the case study books.

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#retail #apparel #marksandspencer #nordstrom | Neil Saunders In 2025, Marks & Spencer was the most visited UK retailer for clothing. Over a fifth of the UK population walked through its doors, or clicked onto its website, to browse apparel. The high profile is...

M&S is sort of known in the US, but it is not deeply or widely recognized, nor are consumers all that aware of what it does. This means it will need to build a name for its brands…

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#retail #luxury #departmentstores | Neil Saunders While some department stores continue to struggle for relevancy, Bloomingdale's is investing in its future through a strategy known as Dream Big. The goal is to increase the chain's appeal as a desti...

While some department stores continue to struggle for relevancy, Bloomingdale's is investing in its future through a strategy known as Dream Big…

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#retail #youth #stores | Neil Saunders | 10 comments Young consumers are highly digital. In a category like apparel, the proportion of spend they direct online is far higher than it is for older cohorts. Looked at in isolation, this can lead to the con...

Young consumers are highly digital. In a category like apparel, the proportion of spend they direct online is higher than for older cohorts.

This can lead to the conclusion that physical stores are unimportant. However, this is not the case at all.

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#retail #departmentstores #merchants | Neil Saunders Incredulous. That was the first word that sprang to mind when I read Richard Baker’s claim that he had saved department stores. I understand why he’d want to spin that line, but stretching the truth ...

It is certainly true that running a department store is hard. But saving the format does not come through real estate deals, financial maneuvers, or irrational mergers. It comes from attending to customer needs.

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#retail #shoptalk #macys | Neil Saunders Macy's in the Shoptalk house! The heads of both stores and digital were on stage because both matter and, from the customer’s perspective, both are part of one Macy's. One interesting development i...

A few years back, Macy’s was struggling to get the basics right. Now those things have been fixed, and it is looking to the future with new innovations. A big leap forward and one that is very nice to see!

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#victorassecret #shoptalk | Neil Saunders Hillary Super, CEO of Victoria’s Secret, is speaking now at Shoptalk - telling us about how she has turned around the brand… Hillary took the job as it was a challenging turnaround opportunity. She ...

Hillary Super has been doing a great job of turning around Victoria’s Secret. She has succeeded where many before her failed. Why did she take the top job and what’s her vision?

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#retail #shoptalk | Neil Saunders I had a great chat with Anu Narayanan from Anthropologie at Shoptalk yesterday. We unpacked how the business uses data to make the customer experience magical. Some of the highlights: 💡 Data are imp...

I had a great chat with Anu Narayanan from Anthropologie at Shoptalk yesterday. We unpacked how the business uses data to make the customer experience magical.

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#retail #beauty | Neil Saunders Puig and Estée Lauder surprised the beauty industry on Monday, announcing that they are in discussions regarding a potential merger. While Puig is on a growth tear, Estée Lauder remains in the midst ...

Puig and Estée Lauder surprised the beauty industry on Monday, announcing that they are in discussions regarding a potential merger. Is it the right move?

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#retail #shoptalk | Neil Saunders Anthropologie is a store that makes people smile. There is something rather joyful about the assortment, the way it is merchandised, and the sensibility with which it is displayed. There is also som...

Anthropologie is a store that makes people smile.

There is something rather joyful about the assortment, the way it is merchandised, and the sensibility with which it is displayed.

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#retail #stores | Neil Saunders A hat hanging by a door. The smallest detail in a large store. Almost inconspicuous. And yet it was the thing my eyes kept drifting back to; the thing that stayed with me. It seemed to hold a whole...

A hat hanging by a door.

The smallest detail in a large store. Almost inconspicuous.

And yet it was the thing my eyes kept drifting back to; the thing that stayed with me.

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#retail #stores | Neil Saunders A hat hanging by a door. The smallest detail in a large store. Almost inconspicuous. And yet it was the thing my eyes kept drifting back to; the thing that stayed with me. It seemed to hold a whole...

A hat hanging by a door.

The smallest detail in a large store. Almost inconspicuous.

And yet it was the thing my eyes kept drifting back to; the thing that stayed with me.

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#retail #lululemon #namaste | Neil Saunders Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. For those wondering, it’s a yogic mantra to induce peace and tranquility. Alas, those are qualities that have eluded Lululemon of late. After a long run of success in No...

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

For those wondering, it’s a yogic mantra to induce peace and tranquility.

Alas, those are qualities that have eluded Lululemon of late.

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#retail #barnesnoble #stores | Neil Saunders Not every store visit is planned. Sometimes shoppers have a clear mission. They know what they need and which retailer can best help them get it. But many visits are serendipitous. Here consumers h...

Not every store visit is planned.

Many visits are serendipitous. Here consumers have no real mission other than to browse because they want to enjoy themselves or indulge in an undefined purchase…

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#retail #earnings #economy | Neil Saunders Lots more results adding to the Q4 picture this week: 📈 Mean average growth rate: +6.6% 💰 Total dollar growth rate: +7.6% 🛍️ Average comparable growth: +3.3% 🔢 46 retailers growing; 14 shrinking Tot...

Off-price players took 4.8% of the US retail dollar growth in Q4 - which, in the context of the whole market, is impressive and shows the degree to which they are pulling in an ever greater share of shoppers…

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#retail #target #earnings | Neil Saunders | 11 comments Target Q4 results: 💰 Total sales: -1.5% 🛍️ Comp sales: -2.5% 🏬 Store comp sales: -3.9% 📱 Online comp sales: +1.9 📉 Net income: -5.2% There is no way to sugarcoat it; Target badly underperformed over...

Target Q4 results:

💰 Total sales: -1.5%
🛍️ Comp sales: -2.5%
🏬 Store comp sales: -3.9%
📱 Online comp sales: +1.9
📉 Net income: -5.2%

There is no way to sugarcoat it; Target badly underperformed over the holiday quarter. The market grew by 3.4%. Target shrank.

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Mackie’s of Scotland hits fastest growth in its history after distribution wins Mackie's won distribution gains among retailer customers in Scotland, England and Wales and gained new customers through its 'Full Cream Ahead' marketing campaign

🇬🇧 Mackie’s of Scotland hits fastest growth in its history after distribution wins www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/mackies...

‘Mess’ at Calais border costing UK food exporters ‘thousands’ Meat exporters are said to be facing the biggest challenges

🇬🇧 ‘Mess’ at Calais border costing UK food exporters ‘thousands’ www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/mess-at...

#retail #bathandbodyworks #amazon | Neil Saunders | 14 comments Bath & Body Works is one of the best-run retailers in America. So why have its sales been declining since 2022? After all, few retailers execute as consistently well. It is rare to find a bad store o...

Bath & Body Works is a well-run retailer. Few execute as consistently well. It is rare to find a bad store or encounter mediocre service.

So why have its sales been declining since 2022?

The conundrum has two main answers…

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#retail #retailnews #merchandising #stores | Neil Saunders | 12 comments We talk a lot about poor store environments and sub-par merchandising. But one of the things I get asked a lot is: does it really matter? The short answer is not just yes, but yes – it matters a lot....

We talk a lot about poor store environments and sub-par merchandising. But one of the things I get asked a lot is: does it really matter?

The short answer is not just yes, but yes – it matters a lot.

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