Rand Gloger

Macy's is adding staff to its women’s shoes and handbags departments in an effort to improve sales. On the company’s third quarter earnings conference call, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc. Tony Spring told analysts that the retailer has been testing this initiative at about 100 locations. “Having dedicated runners to get shoes from the stock room and salespeople available to assist in handbags allows our colleagues to spend more time with the customer,” Spring noted.

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Love it! But those who work in stores only wished their partners at HQ wanted to be in stores without a mandate. It is impossible to be the best in supporting stores or building a customer experience without being in stores often…at night, on weekends and during holidays! And once in stores be uber curious and engage with customers and the team. Ask “what can I do better or to help?”, “what gets in your way?”, “what should HQ change?”… ask these and other questions…and be genuine and authentic or don’t go! Oh, and get in the back room and ask to process freight, complete an Omni order, learn the steps involved in process’ and do the work! The best leaders work in stores with their teams, not simply “visit”. Retail magic still happens where the team, customer and product collide!

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Is your organization ready for the next group of talent? - Kevin tells you how to evaluate it. Kevin Finnegan is the CEO of Finnegan Advisory that specializes in retail recruitment. He has vast experience with massive household brands from his time at Saks Fifth, New York & Company, Old Navy, Gap, and Ann Taylor, to name a few. Kevin brings his tried and true knowledge and tips to those looking to hire and be hired in retail positions around the US. Kevin also shares job winning tips for job seekers in his discussion with Sufiyan I.. The full video is linked in the comments. Is your organization ready? #organization #evaluate #talent #nextgeneration

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People first leadership in action. The investment Walmart is making in its front-line leaders is good for all team members and will result in a better customer experience, and better financial performance. If you don't get the people equation right, you'll never deliver for customers or shareholders. #peoplefirst

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Walmart has removed degree requirements from most of our jobs, with over 75% of our U.S. roles now not requiring a degree.    We are collaborating with The Burning Glass Institute and other leading companies in the Skills-First Workforce Initiative, such as Bank of America, Blackstone, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, PepsiCo and Verizon. Our skills-first approach aims to open up career opportunities, meet employer talent needs and strengthen the economy. The framework will be open source and available to all U.S. employers by September 2025.    Our initial focus is on the nine most prevalent job roles across various sectors, which collectively account for over 11 million American jobs. By creating a shared language, or taxonomy, for assessing and valuing skills, we can promote the widespread adoption of this hiring approach.    Read more here: 

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Kmart used to be the Retail King! Sadly, the crown hasn’t been theirs for quite some time. K-mart's fall from grace can be linked to (but not limited to): ▶️A failure of to innovate in the face of competition from the likes of Wal-Mart (although this is not just restricted to K-mart only, department stores in general are laggards when it comes to innovation). ▶️Second, poor standards of product assortments and visual merchandising. ▶️Finally, a merger with Sears where the only value that K-mart brought to the table was its real estate footprint - there was no desire for those in charge to do well as a retail brand. Put these, and other factors, together and the end result is a once iconic brand goes and bites the dust. Is all hope lost for this retailer? Definitely. It's not worth the time, effort or expense to even try. The K-mart brand has been devalued because of years of leadership level ineptness and reviving it will have limited nostalgic benefit....if that. Thank you Nicole Kirichanskaya and Inside Retail US for including my POV on the story alongside my friend Neil Saunders of GlobalData Retail. #retailnews #retail #stores #innovation #merchandising #kmart #TRE

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Good read for points to consider. I would add a few more. On data, capture the right level of detail that allows observable corrections to improve the scorecards. Get agreement from all stakeholders on the measurement and the details behind the measurement. I remember a previous role where it took several months for accounting and merchandising to agree on the inputs for the margin calculation. Do not underestimate the need for change management. You create a scorecard to ensure success. It will flush issues that require change in the retailer and supplier networks. Leaders must be expect and support those changes. Some of those changes will be uncomfortable and may strike close to home.

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Target reported a rather soft first quarter, with declines in sales and revenue that reflect overall shopping habits. Although the retailer didn’t open the year with a bang, it is setting up for growth later in the year through new initiatives and, hopefully, in a more conducive selling environment. #retailsales #target

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A brand-new course has been launched….. GRAY CAT LEARNING SERIES: MERCHANDISING Merchandising is a critical aspect of how “shoppable” a store will be. Conceal or confuse the customer with your merchandising and it won’t matter if you carry the top brands, the customer will become frustrated and leave the store. Many retailers simply “stack it high and let it fly” without considering the nuances of proper merchandising. By guiding the customer through your store with their favorite products that are easily accessible, the retailer has an excellent opportunity to turn merchandise inventory more quickly and thus increase profits. The goal of this course is to provide you with an overall merchandising strategy to make the shopping experience quick, efficient and easy for the customer. While some customers may wish to “shop” the store and take more time, let that be their choice, not forced into that mode by poor merchandising. Here is the link for the Merchandising course: https://lnkd.in/da7mFFCN Available as an individual course or as part of a company-wide program (contact me for details). Gray Cat Enterprises, Inc. #graycatenterprises #managementconsulting #conveniencestores #franchise #retail #merchandising

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Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Thursday, January 9: 🛍️ JCPenney has merged with Sparc Group, the owner of brands including Aéropostale and Brooks Brothers, to form a new apparel powerhouse called Catalyst Brands. 🛒 Costco Wholesale on Wednesday reported a 9.9% year-over-year sales gain through the final stretch of the holiday-shopping season, marked by a big jump in online sales. 🥦 With no Kroger merger to rely on, grocery chain Albertsons on Wednesday said it would lean into an array of initiatives — e-commerce, wellness, automation and its loyalty program — to drive growth. 👷🏽‍♂️ Robert Chavez, former chief executive of Hermès Americas, has been appointed to the board of directors at Macy's. Questions remain about the impact one board member can have on a struggling retailer. 📺 Best Buy plans to launch a new third-party marketplace in the US in mid-2025, and the opportunity to sell on the platform is gaining attention from brands, even those outside of consumer electronics. 🚢 A potentially crippling strike up and down America’s East and Gulf Coasts has been avoided – at least for now – after longshoremen and the shipping and port companies reached a tentative deal. 💳 Credit card swipe fees, averaging over 2% for credit cards and potentially higher for premium cards, are a significant expense for retailers, totaling over $170 billion annually. 🍪 It’s officially the beginning of Girl Scout cookie season, but it’s the end for two flavors. The Girl Scouts of the USA announced that the “S’mores” and “Toast-Yay!” cookies will be discontinued. 📱 A new survey reveals that TikTok is a popular platform for brand discovery, especially among women. Two-thirds of respondents who discovered brands on TikTok made purchases. ☕️ Starbucks is launching a limited-edition winter menu, featuring the new Cortado, which combines three ristretto shots of blonde espresso with steamed milk in an 8-ounce cup. 🍋 Chick-fil-A Restaurants is cutting nearly 10,000 hours of work per day at its locations through the automation of lemon squeezing, which produces the juice used in one of the fast-food chain’s most popular drinks. 🍺 The US surgeon general’s new push to warn consumers about the link between drinking and cancer comes at a precarious time for restaurant owners trying to pencil out a profit that hinges on alcohol sales. ☁️ AWS, Amazon's cloud computing division, has announced plans to invest “at least” $11bn in Georgia to enhance its infrastructure for cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies. 🥾 Shoes for Crews has named a new CEO. Chris Quinn is succeeding former chief executive Donald Watros who retired after serving in the role since 2017. 👜 Coach CEO Todd Kahn unveiled a new line of Coach Classic products made from Gen Phoenix’s recycled leather material, Helios, at CES. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

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In retail, decisive leadership isn’t optional. It’s survival. “Senior-level leaders are being decisive about what the goal is and what that change is going to be, and then leading from the top. They’re not letting it happen to them.” Our President, Sarah Engel, shared this and more on Inside Retail US’ Retail Untangled Podcast with Amie Larter. Together, they explored how top brands - like ThredUp, Pattern Brands, J.Crew, and Fabletics, with whom Sarah shared a stage at Shoptalk Fall - are thriving through bold, confident leadership in the face of change. They discuss: - What customers want - Understanding how new generations explore and shop - Loyalty, retention, and the industry’s leaky bucket - And, as our friend Steve Dennis has clearly outlined in the market, “Physical retail isn't dead. Boring retail is.” 🎧 Listen to the full episode via the link in the comments! #Retail #Leadership #Marketing

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As a GOOD AMERICAN customer, I can’t wait to experience the store. 👖As a former merchant, having a digital option to showcase styling, fit and product knowledge would have given me the confidence that my merchandising strategy was being executed in the store without having to physically be on location. 📺This is a great way to make sure teams are product obsessed with the constant graphics and that the visual merchandising / styling options are being showcased at the store. 🛍️To make sure this extension of digital is a success, Good American would need to keep the content fresh and consistent with real time inventory and reflective of the current product assortment. Sales associates would still need to be product obsessed but they would also need to show customers what is possible with the digital screens. The experience should augment and assist the sales associate and not be considered a replacement of staff. 🔹The excitement of finding a product on the screen, loving the look and being disappointed if the item or the size is not available could also drive customers away. GA would need to be on top of their inventory position and have a good handle of managing their inventory across all channels. 🗞️Check out more #BrainTrust comments on RetailWire: https://lnkd.in/eDJp--GF #retail #retailnews #goodamerican #cx #stores #merchandising #TRE #TopRetailExpert

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Worrying news from Macy's this morning. The company was supposed to report its full Q3 results tomorrow, but has had to suspend its earnings. The reason? A single employee hid up to $154 million worth of expenses over the course of nearly three years. While Macy’s cannot control the actions of every employee, it is worrying that these are intentional accounting errors that go back to 2021. It also raises the question as to the competence of the company’s auditors. Such things create more nervousness for investors who are already concerned about the company’s performance. I chatted with CNN about the situation. Link to the article in the comments. #retail #retailnews #accounting #earnings #departmentstores

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Retail is evolving once again, and this time, Target is making headlines with a new 'over 18' policy. The Columbia Heights Target in Washington, D.C., now requires all guests under 18 to be accompanied by an adult. This change is part of a broader trend to tackle rising retail crime and inventory shrink. Since the pandemic, our shopping habits have drastically changed. Many of us now prefer online shopping for everyday items and look to social media for opinions on new products. This shift has been tough on specialty retailers of which several have filed for bankruptcy recently. Target’s new policy aims to address the challenges of juvenile crime and theft, especially in busy areas. It's a move to ensure a safer shopping environment for everyone. This highlights the ongoing need for retailers to adapt and innovate in response to changing times. What do you think about this new policy? Do you think that it’s something Target is going to roll out nationwide? Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/gz26EJPT #RetailTrends #Target #RetailSecurity #ShoppingHabits #CommercialRealEstate #RetailStrategy #PostPandemicShopping

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Pictures are worth a thousand words! This picture has me beaming with pride both personally and professionally. My wife, Wynne, sent it after I mentioned our youngest son is eager to take the dog for a walk when she gets off work tonight from Walmart. Wynne is a Store Manager in the Neighborhood Markets and she is pretty awesome! Her picture captures the heart of what makes #Walmart a great place to work - servant leadership. As our Walmart CEO Doug McMillon shared recently with Simon Sinek, “…[I]f I had, in my experience, to boil Walmart down to one word, it'd be serve. And if you gave me two words, it'd be servant leadership.” This picture embodies just a few of the ways our leaders show up… 🛒 Each associate and position matters to servant leaders. Whether retrieving carts for customers, sweeping floors, or stocking shelves, servant leaders are always there to work side-by-side with their associates! 🦺 Associate safety is our priority. How leaders model safety behaviors - are they walking the talk - is key to having a culture of safety! When associates see leaders modeling the behaviors, it reinforces what great looks like at all levels! 😁 How we do our work - with a smile and a can do attitude - matters. Pushing carts is tough, but choosing to smile thru it is a choice! We have to have fun while we work! Recently, we have seen tremendous stories about Walmart Store Managers, including Nichole Hart, #GregHarden, and Mustafa Tovi (who was recently promoted 👏🏼🎉). The constant across all of these stories, including my awesome wife, is that they are all servant leaders! This is the greatest place to turn a #GoodJob into a #GreatCareer! The reality is that #YouBelong at Walmart! Come join us! #apathforeveryone #ServantLeadership #OurPeopleMakeTheDifference #TeamWalmart #ReachYourPotential

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JCPenney and Forever 21’s parent company, Authentic Brands Group (ABG), have officially merged, creating a retail powerhouse that could redefine the struggling mall landscape. This unexpected alliance combines JCPenney’s deep-rooted presence in department stores with ABG’s ability to rejuvenate brands like Forever 21, Aeropostale, and Brooks Brothers. The merger aims to revive declining mall foot traffic by creating an innovative shopping experience tailored to modern consumers. With JCPenney’s vast network of stores and ABG’s youthful brand portfolio, the collaboration hopes to bridge generational gaps and appeal to both legacy shoppers and younger audiences. While critics call this a “zombie” move—reviving fading entities—the merger signifies a bold attempt to counteract retail’s decline. Leveraging ABG’s brand expertise and JCPenney’s infrastructure could usher in a new era of mall-based shopping, merging nostalgia with innovation. This union may transform them from relics into retail revival leaders.

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A really insightful read, a wonderful capture of why great leadership matters. https://lnkd.in/gmBu3Xum

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The high burden of proof to enforce crime and why ORC cases are so long and complex… Retail executives outside of organized retail crime prevention often underestimate how challenging ORC cases can be. It's not as simple as you watch thieves steal, or fences sell products; then you arrest them. We are often met with skepticism about our methodology and comments such as: “Why is it taking so long to bust these guys?” “Why isn’t this case closed?” Here’s how you can respond to this line of commentary. These cases are complex challenges with a lot of moving parts. Let's say I am monitoring a booster/fence transaction. There are “boosters” that steal products. Then there are “fences” that buy from thieves and resell to another party.  Clear proof is required to prosecute this crime. I could be following the entire transaction. The thief walks up with a garbage bag of stolen goods. The fence hands him a wad of cash. Both law enforcement and I witness the entire thing. But we still walk away with zero enforceable evidence. The fence says they didn’t know the goods had been stolen. ORCs need proof every step of the way. They need to witness the theft in person or on video. They also need evidence that the fence knows the goods have been stolen in the form of “dirty dialogue.” Confidential informants (CI) or undercover agents can’t just say, “Hey, I stole this. Want to buy it?” That dialogue often comes from the negotiation and haggling over price. “I almost got caught.” “The security is tougher now.” It needs to be 100% clear to a jury that the fence knew it was stolen. One transaction is not enough. We need to monitor MANY transactions before enough evidence to prosecute. With fences that move millions of dollars worth of product, a small transaction won’t cut it. You need to catch them in the act of moving a pallet or truck of stolen goods. In these cases, we are coordinating with the manufacturer to provide the goods and stage transactions $100K and above. If it's a federal case, the CI or undercover needs to drive out of state and move the goods across state lines back to the fence. Most people think these cases are open and shut. These are just some of the complexities! There are steps to be taken to reduce losses, such as targeting boosters while the longer fence case is developed.  Despite all the advances in modern technology, it still takes time and careful planning to collect the appropriate evidence to enforce criminal activity. With the ThinkLP Complex Investigations module, ORC can conduct investigations, compile all evidence needed for prosecution, and package cases for delivery to law enforcement or a prosecuting authority.  Also, to address the “why isn’t this case closed yet?” question you can generate a timeline at any point that provides all of the steps you have taken on the investigation. #organizedretailcrime

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