Inventory

Avoiding the ‘Nike Problem’ of Excess Inventory
January 14, 2018 at 10:31 am

For independent retailers, it can sometimes be helpful to look at how big-name brands and companies are doing in the marketplace to better gauge where your brand stands. Don’t worry, independent retailers can’t really compare themselves to these big players, but they can use them as a litmus test of how the market is shifting…

Calypso St. Barth to Shutter All US Stores, Liquidate Inventory
December 13, 2017 at 1:29 pm

Luxury apparel and accessories retail chain Calypso St. Barth is shuttering all of it U.S. stores and liquidating its remaining inventory. Asset firms Tiger Group and Great American Group are supervising the going-out-of-business sales at the retailer’s 16 stores in New York, Georgia, Massachusetts, Colorado, California, Florida, Arizona, Maryland and South Carolina. The inventory is…

J.C. Penney Eliminates Chief Merchant Role
November 6, 2017 at 10:51 am

J.C. Penney announced last week that it has eliminated the position of chief merchant. The move was made to streamline decision making and promote greater agility within its merchandise buying teams. John Tighe, current chief merchant, will be leaving the company to pursue other opportunities and will not be replaced. All senior merchandising executives will…

Toys"R"Us Vendors Cut Shipments on Bankruptcy Fear
September 15, 2017 at 10:36 am

Some suppliers to Toys“R”Us have scaled back shipments to the retailer as it struggles to refinance debt and avoid a potential bankruptcy filing, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The vendors are balking as Toys“R”Us continues talks with lenders over a new loan that would allow the retailer to stay open while it works…

Nordstrom Launches Retail Location With No Inventory
September 11, 2017 at 12:14 pm

Nordstrom announced the launch of a retail concept and neighborhood hub where customers can shop and access services in a central location — and without merchandise typically found in the retailer's stores. Nordstrom Local, which will launch in West Hollywood, Calif. on Oct. 3., will have a 3,000 sq. ft. footprint, which is much smaller than an average…

Smartphone Cameras: Let Your ‘Digital Eyes’ Capture Real-Time Data
August 18, 2017 at 8:40 am

We’re at the point where the majority of consumers have a smartphone with them at all times, meaning they also carry a camera wherever they go. Whenever something noteworthy happens in the world, there's almost always a picture or video available immediately. And with each year that passes, camera technology continues to improve while the…

From ‘Shark Tank’ to Amazon, Spikeball's Inventory Management Strategy Shines
August 17, 2017 at 9:42 am

Appearing on the television show “Shark Tank” can be a dream come true for many startups and SMBs — that is if you have a strong inventory management strategy. With millions of viewers, brands featured on the show run the risk of selling too much product with too little inventory. When Spikeball, a manufacturer, distributor…

A Localized Approach to Back-to-School Planning
July 24, 2017 at 12:06 pm

Despite the fact that summer is not yet half way over, many retailers are already rolling out full-blown back-to-school floor sets. In a world where timing is everything, is it really necessary at this point? The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts that consumers will collectively spend $83.6 billion on back-to-school items this year, more than…