#retail-strategy

#retail-strategy

Every year, many dispensaries across the United States experience the same problem: a sudden and sharp decline in revenue between August and September. The numbers are consistent, with most stores reporting a 15-25% drop compared to the final weeks of summer. Yet despite how predictable this shift is, most dispensaries treat it like a surprise. Some stores thrive during this period, particularly those located in college towns where students return in September and fuel higher traffic.

Four years ago Asos, and its fellow online fast fashion purveyor Boohoo, were booming as the high street suffered from Covid pandemic lockdowns, and largely housebound shoppers had cash to spare for slouchy leisurewear. They thought shoppers had been permanently converted to online shopping, and stocked up accordingly, only for Asos to find itself lumbered with a 1bn stock hangover as, post-pandemic, young and old alike once again enjoyed the freedom to try on clothes and stalk the high street.

Case in point: A rotating selection of about 500 items that Dollar General sells in its stores for $1 - which the company calls "Value Valley" - sold at twice the rate of everything else that the retailersold during its second quarter, Vasos said on the company's most recent earnings call. That made the $1 section "one of our strongest performing areas in the quarter," he said.

Mickey Drexler redefined retail by radically remaking Gap and J.Crew, and working alongside Steve Jobs to guide the creation of the Apple Store. Now Drexler assesses some of the biggest stories in the retail industry today, from the weight of crippling tariffs and U.S. manufacturing skepticism to the controversial American Eagle campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney. Feisty as ever, Drexler shares his unvarnished view on in-office work, AI 's limitations, and why leaders need to follow their gut or get out of the way.

Home Depot is building a better future for the doers - homeowners, pros, renters - by making improvement more accessible and confidence easier to find. Not by marketing purpose, but by delivering it.

Starbucks is closing nearly 100 locations nationwide, including 14 in New York, as part of a strategy to focus on human interaction over mobile orders.

Tim Sorenson's appointment as the head of New American Funding's southwest division reflects a strategic choice, emphasizing his capability in driving retail operations and innovative strategies.

Amazon's growth as a mass and premium beauty retailer significantly raises the competitive bar for beauty industry players, particularly traditional retailers and department stores. Future success will depend less on brand exclusivity and more on convenience and enriched online shopping experiences.

Under CEO Patrice Louvet, Ralph Lauren has enticed young consumers by operating 35 "Ralph's Coffee" store-in-stores, serving as a platform to engage with the TikTok generation.

Buying a Labubu from Pop Mart involves a digital frenzy similar to Black Friday shopping, where users compete fiercely to secure a rare figurine.

The design of Trader Joe's tasting kitchen is reminiscent of a "cold war interrogation booth" to ensure unbiased product testing, according to Vice President of Product Marketing, Matt Sloan.

Luckin Coffee has opened its first locations in the U.S., potentially intensifying competition with Starbucks as it has surpassed them in sheer size in China.

The affected employees are part of its store support centres, as Lululemon evolves its organizational structure to operate with more agility and further invest in growth.

Tesco's Chief Commercial Officer Ashwin Prasad emphasized the retailer's commitment to offering great value with the addition of more than 80 products to the Aldi Price Match scheme, ensuring customers receive the best prices on top-tier items like houmous and baby plum tomatoes.

"We want a customer to actually say, 'That almost feels too cheap,'... One out of every 10 hangers...‘Boy, that almost feels too inexpensive.’"

It's not about the number of brands-it's about the right brands, which highlights Saks Global's focus on quality over quantity in their vendor strategy.

"West 40th Street has became a bakery product niche the way there are other [centralised retail] niches in New York," said Dan Pisark, vice president for retail and amenities at Bryant Park Corporation (BPC).

When Asda fired the opening salvos in a UK supermarket price war in mid-March the markets immediately sat up and took notice and the latest updates from Tesco and now Sainsbury's suggest this was the right call.

The brand had noticed over the prior couple of years that more and more Japanese customers were visiting the flagship store.