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A cap on credit card fees would hurt department stores most

Apr 29, 2024
Charge cards have become an important piece of the bottom line for department stores, including Nordstrom, Macy’s and Kohl’s.
It's often easier to get approved for a store card than a bank-issued card, but interest rates are higher.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

As higher-income households do more shopping at Walmart, the store is stocking fancier brands

Mar 22, 2024
The fluorescent lit aisles of big box stores don’t scream luxury. But for certain items, consumers just don’t care.
The fluorescent lit aisles of big box stores don’t scream luxury. But for certain items, consumers just don't care.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Retailers like Macy's want a bigger slice of e-commerce ad sales

Mar 13, 2024
Selling ads on e-commerce sites is a $50 billion industry. Amazon dominates retail media, taking in about 75% of ad dollars.

Department stores like Macy's rely on an old shopping model. Can they change?

Feb 27, 2024
In the age of globalism and online shopping, the department store’s strength — as a place for everything — has became its weakness.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

When consumers feel strapped, some brands do well anyway

May 27, 2022
Strong earnings from Nordstrom, Macy's and Dollar General suggest pent-up demand and a reframing of what people consider essential spending.
Dollar Tree said groceries made up a bigger part of its sales last quarter — which could spell trouble for retailers like Walmart and Target.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Back in name only: Toys R Us brand to reappear in more than 400 Macy's stores

Aug 20, 2021
Just a few years ago, the toy retailer closed its U.S. operations and laid off 30,000 workers.
A Toys R Us store in New York in 2018, after the chain said its U.S. locations would close. Macy's plans to use the brand name to boost traffic in its department stores.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images

Macy's furloughs are a sign of COVID-19 troubles for big retailers

Mar 31, 2020
Analysts expect other department stores will follow suit this week.
While brick-and-mortar stores are closed, a lot of big retailers are trying to sell this season’s clothes at a discount online.
Al Bello/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

For big retailers, a mixed bag of holiday results

Jan 10, 2019
We heard a lot of rosy retail forecasts heading into the holiday season. Consumer confidence was high, the economy was strong and sales were going to be great. How’d it pan out? A bit of a mixed bag, actually. Some big retailers, like Target and Costco, have posted strong holiday sales results. Others, like Macy’s […]
A Macy's sign is seen on a Macy's store at CityPlace after reports indicate that it is one of 68 stores that the company plans on closing on January 5, 2017 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
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