What the last recession can tell us about this one… The Covid-19 virus has stressed – with a few notable exceptions – all retailers. Over the last decade, Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brands were heralded as successful disruption stories that lay bare the inadequacies of stale legacy…
As Under Armour founder and chairmen Kevin Plank unveiled a new brand message – “The Only Way is Through” – SEC filings revealed that in the last quarter a hedge fund made a significant bet on Under Armour’s future performance. Lone Pine Capital LLC purchased a…
A long wait is not the typical experience at Starbucks. But waiting is part of the journey at Starbucks’ newest Roastery on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. On a recent Friday – nearly three weeks after the Roastery opened – lattes were delivered six minutes after they…
Our Investor Services Practice Builds long term relationships with investment firms and their portfolio companies. For nearly four years, consumer confidence has hovered in the mid-to-high 90’s. With an unemployment rate of 3.6% in early 2019, the job market has rarely been as good. And…
On Tuesday, Kohl’s announced a partnership with Facebook to use the social media giant’s consumer information to select a merchandising assortment. The assortment – featuring new or unknown brands – is entitled “Curated by Kohl’s,” and is part of CEO Michelle Gass’s efforts to enhance…
Under Armour announced good news yesterday. Revenue grew, gross margin grew, and inventory levels were down. That’s normally a trifecta of responsible health. But underneath the covers Under Armour still has significant work to do. About the good; revenue was up slightly, driven by international strength and the wholesale business. Simultaneously,…
Finish Line has its struggles. A mall-based retailer – in a crowded space and previously focused on “just shoes” – Finish Line lost share for five years to the lifestyle merchandised Foot Locker and its own supplier’s direct-to-consumer efforts. A strategy to place 300+ shop-in-shops in…
Partnerships could address the very real need to a) reduce the cost of returns and delivery for the retailers, b) drive traffic to locations receiving the returns and c) make life easier for the consumer. PayPal announced an undisclosed investment in Happy Returns, a service…
Simon Premium Outlet VIP members received an invitation to ShopPremiumOutlets.com via email today. Members now have access to a marketplace of the retailers in Simon’s outlets, can browse products on the Simon platform and can purchase either directly from Simon’s site or be re-directed to the retailer….
STORY – a concept described as “narrative retail” – opened in 36 physical Macy’s locations last week. Curiously, there was no digital opening. Narrative retail presents a theme-based, curated assortment that is reinvigorated with a new story every two months. It is meant to generate…
