Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 2, 2025

Seeking to focus more on ecommerce and other digital businesses, Alibaba Group plans to sell its more than 70% stake in Sun Art, operator of RT-Mart and M-Club stores in China, for $1.6 Alibaba plans to sell its stake to private equity firm DCP Capital even though the asset disposal will lead to a $1.8

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Department Stores Planning Shopping Store Operations 162

Inside Retail

JULY 17, 2025

So it is, too, with Japan’s department stores, particularly at the high end, which are trying to scale last year’s dizzy heights when the yen was weak and tourism was rebooting. The department store leadership was well aware this problem would come: Tourism growth was bound to level off, and the local currency would regain ground.

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Department Stores Specialty Retailers Apparel Supermarket 130

Inside Retail

JANUARY 9, 2025

Over the past few weeks, the retail industry has been buzzing about the news of legacy retailer Nordstroms privatisation plans. Nordstrom has been one of the weakest performers in the department store space, Saunders continued, adding that many adjustments are needed to fix recent missteps with merchandising, operations and store standards.

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Department Stores Boutique Store Operations Promotions 130

Retail TouchPoints

APRIL 3, 2025

Its true that many stores are expected to close this year, but this reflects natural churn in the industry, not a new trend. Many of these closures are long-planned, and most are independent of shifts in consumer behavior or broad-based economic pressures. Lets start by looking at the landscape.

Department Stores 147

Department Stores Consumer Location Planning 147

Inside Retail

JULY 14, 2025

“The investment in the new Moorebank omni-channel fulfilment centre will be an important part of our long-term strategy to modernise our supply chain and simplify store operations,” explains Phillip Irvine, Kmart’s GM – next generation supply chain.

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Fulfillment Store Operations Customer Experience Planning 130

Retail TouchPoints

MARCH 7, 2025

Even though more than half ( 56% ) of retailers surveyed by KPMG completed a major payments modernization program within the past year, even more 83% already are modernizing their payment infrastructure, or are planning to do so in the new future.

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Payment Services Fulfillment Department Stores Customer Experience 138

Retail Dive

JUNE 30, 2025

Published June 30, 2025 Daphne Howland Senior Reporter post share post print email license Saks Global has no plans to close stores, executives told analysts earlier this month. With this deal, the department store company will not pursue the $350 million in financing that was slated to close Monday.

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Finance Department Stores Payment Services Marketing 69

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

Many people will be left to handle a store, understaffed, underpaid and without the chance of getting to spend time visiting family. We get a lot of notice of when our schedule is posted, and it really allows us to plan our lives at this time of year. We also have a lot of rules about overtime and agreeing to it,” Harper added.

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Department Stores Wholesale Shopping Consumer 334

Retail Prophet

APRIL 11, 2025

He also set his sights on Saks biggest rival, Neiman Marcus, completing the deal last year, creating by far the largest luxury department store operator in North America. The problem, however, was that the dilapidated state of its stores along with scant staffing levels belied the upmarket fashion message entirely.

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Payment Services Department Stores Fashion Management 40

Retail TouchPoints

MARCH 1, 2021

Sephora is continuing its move away from malls with the announcement of the largest store expansion in its 21-year history in the U.S. More than 260 new stores are slated to open this year, including 60 freestanding locations and 200 shop-in-shops inside Kohl’s department stores.

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Location Planning Department Stores Shopping 328

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

Starbucks Workers United , the union trying to organize Starbucks workers across the country, is planning a “Red Cup Rebellion” on Nov. 16, the retailer’s “Red Cup Day” — traditionally one of Starbucks’ busiest days of the season.

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Planning Department Stores Wholesale Location 290

Retail TouchPoints

MARCH 7, 2023

As part of the retailer’s plans to open 100 locations in 2023, Ross Stores opened 11 Ross Dress for Less and eight dd’s Discounts stores in 13 states during February and March. This is the second year in a row when Ross Stores will grow its footprint by 100 locations while maintaining the same ratio of Ross to dd’s shops.

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Planning Apparel Discount Store Department Stores 264

Inside Retail

JULY 23, 2024

The long-anticipated deal between Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus could create the ultimate department store behemoth at a time when legacy players are facing increased competition from luxury e-commerce companies and a new generation of high-end brands blending premium products with immersive experiences. billion deal.

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Department Stores Specialty Retailers Wholesale Shopping 130

Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 26, 2021

Belk is reportedly nearing a deal to file for bankruptcy, with plans for Sycamore Partners to hand ownership of the retailer to its lenders, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. The move would mark a reversal of Belk and Sycamore’s earlier plan , which would have helped the struggling department store avoid bankruptcy altogether.

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Department Stores Planning Store Operations 279

Retail TouchPoints

OCTOBER 18, 2021

Activist investor Jana Partners has taken an undisclosed stake in Macy’s and is prodding the department store chain to separate its ecommerce business from its brick-and-mortar operations. The online Saks business is valued at $6 billion , with an initial public offering planned for the first half of 2022.

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Department Stores Store Operations Planning Location 258

Inside Retail

JANUARY 23, 2023

“As with most retailers, we remain cautious on the macroeconomic environment for the remainder of the calendar year but are equally confident in the continuing momentum we have within the Customer First Plan and a range of initiatives we are executing.”

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Net Profit Department Stores Store Operations Planning 246

Retail TouchPoints

MARCH 3, 2023

Nordstrom will shutter its six full-line department stores and seven Nordstrom Rack stores in Canada, along with its Canadian website , in a move that is expected to save the retailer $35 million in EBIT in fiscal 2023 compared to fiscal 2022. Nordstrom’s Canadian operations employ approximately 2,500 people. “We

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Department Stores Customer Experience Planning Store Operations 290

Inside Retail

JUNE 30, 2021

From using non-toxic paint in stores to digitising documents to avoid paper waste, more businesses are taking steps to make their physical operations more sustainable. That includes the Japanese department store chain Takashimaya. Takashimaya opened its first store in Kyoto, Japan, in 1831, selling gofuku (formal kimono).

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Department Stores Beauty and Health Accounting Promotions 246

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

million people plan to shop between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday in 2022, representing 69% of all holiday shoppers, according to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Analytics. million people , 69% of those planning to shop across Thanksgiving weekend, heading out for deals. An estimated 166.3

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Shopping Department Stores Planning Accounting 289

Retail TouchPoints

FEBRUARY 27, 2024

has unveiled its Bold New Chapter strategy, signaling a major shift for the iconic department store retailer. Macy’s plans to close 150 underproductive nameplate stores — approximately 50 this year alone — and continue its expansion of smaller-format stores as it prioritizes investment in about 350 go-forward locations.

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Location Department Stores Fulfillment Planning 278

Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 14, 2022

Sears Hometown Stores , an offshoot of the original department store, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. The “original” Sears reached a $175 million settlement with former CEO Eddie Lampert in August 2022 to clear the way for a long-delayed bankruptcy plan. billion.

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Department Stores Planning Store Operations 279

Retail TouchPoints

MAY 29, 2020

Q1 2020 financial results for Costco , Nordstrom and Abercrombie & Fitch encapsulate how three retail verticals — club, department and specialty apparel — are weathering the COVID-19 pandemic. Costco reported a successful quarter, while Nordstrom and Abercrombie discussed plans to handle the fallout. Costco posted a 7.3%

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Department Stores Operating Expenses Store Operations Apparel 191

Retail TouchPoints

JUNE 1, 2022

Regional department store retailer Belk will host shops featuring products and services sold by Conn’s HomePlus in 10 to 20 locations as part of a pilot program that will kick off over the next few months.

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Shopping Department Stores Location Planning 279

Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 26, 2021

Storied British department store chain Debenhams , which entered administration for the second time in April 2020, will live on online following the acquisition of its brand and websites by U.K.-based based digital fashion retailer Boohoo Group.

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Department Stores Fashion Location Planning 264

Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 20, 2021

Sears is planning for the sale or redevelopment of its Hoffman Estates, Ill. Sears has been downsizing its operations for several years and, like many companies, has been working with a mix of in-person and remote work during the pandemic. corporate headquarters, according to The Chicago Tribune and CNBC.

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Department Stores Planning ATS Store Operations 264

Retail TouchPoints

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

During his career, Nick’s been the Chief Merchant for one of the UK’s biggest retailers, led multiple categories for department store Marks & Spencer , and was a key leader in the category and international expansion of the multi-billion-dollar George brand.”

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Department Stores ATS Planning Marketing 278

Retail TouchPoints

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

19 investor day, Ralph Lauren revealed that its growth plans through 2025, which will include opening 250 stores globally. The brand has exited two-thirds of its department store presence in the U.S. and reduced off-price exposure by 26% , but it has also opened 450 new global standalone stores and concessions.

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Department Stores Consumer Planning Store Operations 278

Inside Retail

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Since the retailer’s establishment in 1858, Macy’s has become one of the most well-known department stores in the US, if not the world. Like many retailers, both in the US and internationally, Macy’s has been impacted by the decline in consumer interest in shopping in traditional department stores amidst the rise of online shopping.

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Department Stores Merchant Services Management Store Operations 244

Retail TouchPoints

NOVEMBER 8, 2022

Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass will leave the department store retailer to take on the newly created position of President, LS&Co., 2, 2023, Gass will lead the Levi’s brand and the company’s global digital and commercial operations, at which time she also is expected to join the company’s board of directors. Beginning Jan.

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Department Stores Planning Returns ATS 233

Retail TouchPoints

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

American Dream’s newest tenant will be The ADdress, a 55,000-square-foot multi-brand store in a space that previously had been leased by Century 21 , according to Glossy. The concept was developer by Triple Five Group and is billed as the “first-ever modest clothing department store” (i.e.

Payment Services 276

Payment Services Department Stores Checkout Finance 276

Retail TouchPoints

FEBRUARY 23, 2021

Macy’s Q4 and full-year 2020 results show signs of a turnaround for the department store, hard hit, like many of its counterparts, by the COVID-19 pandemic. 22 Macy’s announced plans to close 45 stores by mid-2021, according to CNBC , part of a previously announced plan to close 125 locations by 2023.

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Department Stores Returns Jewelry Apparel 211

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 26, 2021

Former Bluemercury CEO and Co-Founder Marla Beck initially announced her plans to leave in 2019 alongside the departure of her husband, COO and Co-Founder Barry Beck. The retailer peaked at 187 stores in 2019, but has since downsized to 160 locations as Macy’s works to right-size its footprint.

Beauty and Health 264

Beauty and Health Department Stores Location Planning 264

Retail TouchPoints

JANUARY 9, 2023

The closures are part of the retailer’s Polaris growth strategy , which aims to stabilize the department store as it pursues a return to growth. The Polaris strategy, which involves a combination of customer, operations and store footprint-based initiatives, has had mixed success.

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Department Stores Location Returns Fashion 273

Retail TouchPoints

APRIL 6, 2022

Mall operator Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE (URW) is reportedly looking to divest most of its U.S. The plan, which was first announced in February 2021, may end up seeing a loss on the $14 billion it spent four years ago to acquire some of the country’s top-performing malls. URW valued its U.S. portfolio at $13.2 malls as prime targets.

Payment Services 278

Payment Services Department Stores Advertising Planning 278

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 9, 2024

JCPenney has faced the same challenges that bedevil the entire department store vertical, ranging from lower foot traffic at malls to the high operating costs that come with significant brick-and-mortar investments. distribution center with a new induction, sorting and packing system.

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Point of Sale Payment Services Customer Experience Department Stores 279

Retail TouchPoints

MAY 19, 2022

Poor Q1 results and the departure of two senior executives could further ramp up pressure for the department store retailer to sell itself. Gass noted in a statement that the retailer is “pleased with the number of parties who recognize the value of our business and plan”. Kohl’s reported a 5.2%

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Department Stores Location Marketing Planning 278

Inside Retail

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

Seven & I Holdings, which owns 7-Eleven chain, is set to sell its department store chain Sogo & Seibu to US fund Fortress for US$1.4 The site also said Japanese home appliance store operator Yodobashi Holdings is considering buying some of the Sogo & Seibu sites and diverting proceeds to the US fund.

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Department Stores Supermarket Store Operations Fashion 130