Store Tracker | July 28, 2020 Premium US Retail Bankruptcies: Store Closures Set To Spike amid Acceleration in Bankruptcy FilingsIn the wake of the coronavirus crisis, a number of US retailers have filed for bankruptcy. We outline recent developments and their implications for the retail industry, as well as our expectations for the acceleration of bankruptcy filings and store closures through the remainder of the year. Read More
Store Tracker | July 24, 2020 Premium Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2020, Week 30: Ascena Retail Files for Bankruptcy; Tailored Brands Plans To Close up to 500 StoresOur Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker reports on store closures, openings and bankruptcies. This week, there are highlights from Aldi, Amazon and Ascena Retail in the US, and Jigsaw, Johnson Shoes and Stella McCartney in the UK. Read More
Insight Report | July 23, 2020 Premium Retail Reimagined: Leveraging Social Media To Drive Consumer Engagement and ConversionAs part of our Retail Reimagined series, we discuss the importance of social media as a marketing channel for brands to showcase their products and drive conversion—particularly in the context of increased reliance on digital channels due to recent Covid-19 retail shutdowns. We consider the use of social media beyond the crisis and consider the implications for brands, retailers and technology vendors. Read More
Insight Report | July 23, 2020 Premium REITs Becoming Retailers: Mall Owners Are Looking To Acquire Struggling RetailersAmid the rise of bankruptcies in the retail industry and increasing brick-and-mortar store closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, we discuss a selection of US retailers that are potentially facing acquisition by mall owners—and we analyze the strategy behind REITs becoming retailers. Read More
Insight Report | July 22, 2020 Premium Livestreaming E-Commerce Takes Off in the USChina has a relatively mature livestreaming e-commerce market, but we are now also seeing momentum in the US as brands and retailers further explore the use of social media platforms to engage with consumers and boost sales. We discuss selected retailers’ and social media platforms’ moves into livestreaming e-commerce in the US and consider the impact of in-video checkout functionality and social media influencers on consumer shopping behavior. Read More
Insight Report | July 21, 2020 Premium Reshaping Supply Chains for the 2020s: #3—Building a More Flexible and Cost-Efficient Manufacturing System after Covid-19In our Reshaping Supply Chains for the 2020s series, we analyze the technologies and trends that are enabling the evolution of the supply chain. In this report, we discuss the implications of Covid-19 for retail manufacturing and the evolution of technology solutions to streamline processes, reduce costs and improve flexibility in supply chains. Read More
Insight Report | July 17, 2020 Premium June 2020 US Retail Sales: Total Sales Jump 9%; Declines Ease in Apparel while Several Nonfood Sectors SurgeDiscretionary sectors witnessed the easing of sales declines in June, suggesting pent-up demand in nonfood categories post lockdowns. On a year-over-year basis, total US retail sales excluding gasoline and automobiles saw extraordinary growth in the context of a post-crisis environment. Read More
Store Tracker | July 17, 2020 Premium Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2020, Week 29: Muji USA and RTW Retailwinds File for BankruptcyOur Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker reports on store closures, openings and bankruptcies. This week, there are highlights from Muji USA, PVH Corp. and RTW Retailwinds in the US, and Halfords, Lidl and Peter Jones China in the UK. Read More
Event Coverage | July 17, 2020 Register for Free Access Open for Business with Chris Baldwin, BJ’s Wholesale Club: Empathy and Personalization in Club-Store RetailAs part of our Open for Business webinar series, we hosted Chris Baldwin, Chairman of BJ’s Wholesale Club. We present an edited transcript from this webinar, in which Baldwin offered insights into changing consumer demand amid the coronavirus crisis—covering key topics such as personalization and assortment localization. Read More
Event Coverage | July 13, 2020 Register for Free Access Open for Business with Bjoern Peterson, Sensormatic Solutions: The Physical Store and Inventory Accuracy Post CrisisAs part of our Open for Business webinar series, we hosted Bjoern Petersen, President of Sensormatic Solutions. We present an edited transcript from this webinar, in which Petersen offered insights into how retailers can work toward gaining inventory accuracy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis—covering key topics such as consumer demand, e-commerce and fulfillment. Read More
Insight Report | July 10, 2020 Premium Four Months to Singles’ Day: How To Drive Brand Awareness and Store TrafficWith four months to go until Singles’ Day 2020, we provide key strategies for how brands and retailers can increase their presence and exposure on Alibaba’s Tmall platform in the lead-up to the shopping festival. Read More
Store Tracker | July 10, 2020 Premium Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2020, Week 28: Brooks Brothers, G-Star Raw, Lucky Brand and Sur La Table File for BankruptcyOur Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker reports on store closures, openings and bankruptcies. This week, there are highlights from Amazon, Brooks Brothers and G-Star Raw in the US, and John Lewis, Little Mistress and Soletrader in the UK. Read More
Insight Report | July 9, 2020 Premium Retail M&A Deals Unravel in the Wake of the Coronavirus CrisisWe are seeing a slew of companies reassess M&A deals in the context of Covid-19 impacts on sellers’ revenues, cash flow and liquidity. We explore the recent breakdown of such deals across a number of retail sectors—including retail real estate, luxury, apparel and grocery. Read More
Deep Dive | July 8, 2020 Premium 1Q20 US Earnings Season Wrap-Up: Reviewing the Covid-19 ImpactFirst-quarter 2020 retail earnings include the negative impact on sales caused by the coronavirus outbreak. We assess the recent performance of US retailers in terms of revenues, earnings per share and comps, considering consensus estimates and year-over-year changes. With retail sectors weathering the Covid-19 crisis in different ways, sales declines are now easing due to stores reopening post lockdown, but the pace of recovery will vary. Read More
Insight Report | July 8, 2020 Premium Retail Robustness Index: July 2020 Update—A Revised Methodology Due to Changing Retail EnvironmentCoresight Research’s Retail Robustness Index, first published on March 26, evaluated the 100 largest US retailers (by revenue) on their ability to weather dramatic shifts in demand as the Covid-19 lockdowns began. This report updates the scores based on financial reports and store-reopening announcements. We also revise our methodology to factor in the major changes in the retail environment over the last three months. Alongside the report, our infographic summarizes key changes since the previous Retail Robustness Index update. Read More