Tariffs threaten to dampen holiday spending

Retailers have little room for error at a time when consumer confidence is showing cracks, an AlixPartners study finds.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 27, 2019

Walmart opens training academy in distribution center

The retailer is zeroing in on the need for skills training and development in its supply chain. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Sept. 27, 2019

Food companies align with international sustainability goals but need to do more, study finds

The Barilla Foundation noted a lack of detailed supply chain analysis as well as insufficient evidence of companies' corporate citizenship.

By Jessi Devenyns • Sept. 26, 2019

AutoZone raises prices to offset tariff costs

The auto parts retailer reported a jump in sales in its recent earnings call despite raising prices to mitigate tariff impact.

By Morgan Forde • Sept. 25, 2019

Sweetgreen will create delivery program with $150M investment

The tech-centric chain also plans to use the funding, which brings its valuation to $1.6 billion, to put more designated delivery locations within office buildings. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 23, 2019

Nike opens new distribution center running on 100% renewable energy

The 1.5-million-square-foot center is located in Ham, Belgium, expanding the company's existing European Logistics Campus on the site.

By Morgan Forde • Sept. 23, 2019

Wing Aviation to begin FedEx, Walgreens drone deliveries in Virginia

The trial is set to begin in designated delivery zones in Christiansburg, Virginia, next month and will serve as a test-case for FedEx and Walgreens to conduct last-mile drone deliveries at scale. 

By Morgan Forde • Sept. 19, 2019

UBS: Tariffs, store closings mean easy pickings for off-price retailers

As other retailers cancel orders, opportunity abounds for stores like TJ Maxx to buy inventory at even deeper discounts. 

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 18, 2019

Stein Mart introduces BOPIS at all its locations

The retailer expects the move will shift about 15% of its e-commerce orders to in-store pickup. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Sept. 18, 2019

UPS and HubBox partner on last-mile delivery, BOPIS solutions

By partnering with UPS and HubBox, retailers can offer online customers a variety of BOPIS-style delivery options. 

By Morgan Forde • Sept. 18, 2019

Fast and free: How shipping expectations are changing retail

Customers have come to expect speedy delivery from their favorite stores, but only some can keep up. 

By Daphne Howland , Ben Unglesbee , Kaarin Moore , Caroline Jansen • Sept. 16, 2019

Walmart plans to expand fulfillment services for Marketplace sellers

Walmart's increased focus on delivery and fulfillment for third-party marketplace sellers will help it compete with Amazon and other online retailers.

By Morgan Forde • Sept. 16, 2019

Are big CPG companies getting serious about reducing plastic packaging?

Nestlé's new research institute will devise more environmentally friendly solutions, and PepsiCo plans to reduce the amount of virgin plastic in its beverage containers by 2025.

By Cathy Siegner • Sept. 16, 2019

Deliv CEO shares 4 reasons last-mile delivery costs skyrocket

At GroceryShop in Las Vegas, Deliv's CEO walked through the costly perils of last-mile delivery, how to avoid them and why grocers have it particularly tough. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 16, 2019

Micro-fulfillment companies adapt to a changing industry

Takeoff Technologies announced a new warehouse model and $25 million in Series C funding, while CommonSense Robotics rebranded as Fabric.

By Jeff Wells • Sept. 16, 2019

Walmart is going national with unlimited grocery delivery plan

After a well-received pilot this summer, the retailer will bring its Delivery Unlimited program to 1,400 stores in 200 additional markets this fall. 

By Jessica Dumont • Sept. 12, 2019

My first Loop: Early days in the circular shopping platform

Dozens (if not hundreds) of consumers have placed orders for common household items from Loop, an e-commerce site launched in May that attempts to eliminate single-use packaging and filler that comes with shopping. Here's one consumer's experience.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 11, 2019

H.H. Gregg returns to brick and mortar with NJ store

Owner Valor Group said that, while physical retail is essential, there won't be the kind of over-expansion that led to the retailer's bankruptcy two years ago.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 11, 2019

Target plans to double seasonal hires dedicated to store fulfillment

In total, the retailer said it will hire more than 130,000 employees for this peak season, up from 125,000 last year. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Sept. 11, 2019

How Cimpress leveraged analytics to cut procurement costs by 11%

The Vistaprint parent company deployed a digital platform across its subsidiaries to centralize bulk contracts while giving brands room to manage specialized orders independently.

By Morgan Forde • Sept. 5, 2019

Discount stores largely mitigate tariffs but still test price hikes

Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Five Below tested multiple price increase strategies in the second quarter as new tariffs are likely to hit consumer-facing product categories in the back half of the year. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 30, 2019

Williams-Sonoma pulling forward 'as much inventory as possible' ahead of list 4 tariffs

The retailer on Wednesday raised its full-year net revenue forecast for the second time this year, even after factoring in the tariff increases the Trump administration announced last week.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 29, 2019

Lowe's looks to improve in-stock status with more efficient supply chain

Improving in-stock status in stores has been CEO Marvin Ellison's number one goal since he took the helm at the home improvement retailer in June 2018. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 22, 2019

Target's same-day fulfillment growing at twice the rate of last year

Target's varied fulfillment services, which include in-store pickup, drive-up and Shipt same-day delivery, accounted for 1.5% of the retailer's sales growth in the second quarter.

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 22, 2019

Kohl's 12-quarter inventory reduction streak ends

As new tariffs encourage inventory pull-forward and fulfillment commitments for e-commerce orders speed up, retailers have had to rethink where to store inventory and what healthy stock levels look like. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 21, 2019