Wal-Mart is being sued for both allegedly denying health benefits to same-sex spouses of employees as well as rejecting pregnant employees’ requests to limit heavy lifting, climbing on ladders, and other potentially dangerous tasks. In the former suit, an employee in Massachusetts (where same-sex marriage has been legally recognized since 2004) attempted to add her…
J.C. Penney's stock price closed at a historic low on Friday after it missed its first quarter forecast and said customer traffic was below a year ago. While the department store chain said it can still pull off recently lowered full-year targets for flat sales and improvements in margins, investors pummeled the stock. Penney's stock price closed below $5 a…
Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette, who succeeded Terry Lundgren just last month, announced plans to grow the department store chain's off-price brand, Macy’s Backstage. "We're hoping that by the end of this year, we have a scaleable [off-price] model to aggressively roll out in the future," Gennette said during the company’s earnings call on Thursday. Macy’s has 26…
Healthcare costs are on the rise. This has a particularly big impact on the retail industry, as it's comprised primarily of an hourly workforce with limited options when it comes to obtaining affordable healthcare coverage. This presents retail HR executives with an obstacle to cultivating and retaining a healthy, productive group of employees. While employee…
While it was widely reported over the weekend that outdoor goods retail chain Gander Mountain would be closing all of its 126 stores, the chain's new owner, Camping World Holdings, said it will keep at least 70 of the chain's stores open. Camping World won a bankruptcy auction of Gander Mountain’s assets — including the company's…
With e-commerce now a normal part of everyday life, the number and frequency of in-person interactions is decreasing, and sometimes disappearing altogether. However, even as online shopping pervades, brands are finding important value connecting with customers face-to-face, whether through local pop-up shops, brand-sponsored community events or new brick-and-mortar locations. In-person experiences are often the best…
It was announced this week that Gymboree is looking to close a sizable percentage of its stores as part of restructuring under bankruptcy court protection. MarketWatch reports the children's clothing retailer has reached out to firms known for liquidating companies’ inventories and other assets to help with the closure of up to 350 stores. Discussions around…
Shoppers plan to spend more on mom this Mother's Day than they have in the past 14 years. According to an annual survey of 7,406 consumers by the National Retail Federation (NRF), spending for Mother’s Day will be higher than in any other year in the survey’s 14-year history, with experiential gifts like spa days and restaurant…
Kit and Ace, started by lululemon founder Chip Wilson, is laying off staff in its headquarters and closing stores in the U.S., U.K. and Australia. In a statement, Wilson said the company is shifting focus to its Canadian locations and global e-commerce platform. It isn’t clear how many staff members have been laid off, however.…
“You know, I think that anything you do at Apple … you feel a tremendous onus. You want to carry on the legacy of what it meant. The main objective … our soul is our people. And our job is to enrich their lives, change the world. And so I think that’s the bigger pressure…
