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Retail

More retailers turn to discounts to lure shoppers

by Elizabeth Trovall
May 17, 2023
Target, for example, warned investors of price promotions in the pipeline.
Retailers have increasingly been using discounts and promotions to encourage shoppers to keep spending.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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How brands like Birkenstock and Victoria's Secret stage a comeback

by Kristin Schwab
May 2, 2023
It takes more than trends and nostalgia to become popular a second or third time around. It can take years of hard work.
"How can we not sell, you know, mastectomy or maternity bras?" says Sarah Sylvester, executive vice president of marketing at Victoria's Secret. "Like, why would we turn any woman away for anything that she needs if we’re supposed to be the leader in bras?" Above, an underwear display from 2021.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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As vinyl record sales eclipse CDs, LP pressing plants are thriving

by Henry Epp
May 1, 2023
Streaming is still king, but vinyl sales continue to grow.
Sales of vinyl records by volume overtook CDs in 2022 for the first time since 1987. The resurgence of the format has meant a boom in vinyl manufacturing, but there have been bumps along the way.
Henry Epp/Marketplace
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Latest round of layoffs at Gap Inc. reveal gaps in corporate strategy, analysts say

by Lily Jamali
Apr 28, 2023
The company just announced it would cut 1,800 corporate jobs, in addition to 500 it eliminated last fall.
Gap’s interim CEO said in a statement that recent corporate layoffs are part of a strategy to simplify its operations.
Allison Dinner/Getty Images
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What might happen to all that retail space Bed Bath & Beyond may soon abandon?

by Matt Levin
Apr 24, 2023
There may be more demand for the suburban real estate than there was for sheets and towels.
Bed Bath & Beyond is slated to begin shuttering nearly 360 storefronts across the country, and some landlords may use the opportunity to raise storefront rents.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Here’s why you can’t find 5-pound sugar bags anymore

by Janet Nguyen
Apr 24, 2023
The classic pantry staple can tell us a lot about competition in the grocery space and U.S. sugar policy.
Shed a tear for the 5-pound bag of sugar and make room for its lighter sibling.
Janet Nguyen/Marketplace
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Why are Ikea and Costco expanding as other retailers close stores and lay off staff?

by Kristin Schwab
Apr 21, 2023
Opening new stores may be a way for some retailers to position themselves for both a downturn and a recovery.
Someone who once shopped at Crate & Barrel may now feel more comfortable on an Ikea budget, which could partially explain the retailer's expansion plan.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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Layoffs signal retailers are adjusting to more sharp turns

by Savannah Peters
Apr 17, 2023
Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy are cutting staff as consumers pull back on discretionary spending.
Retail sales had a weak showing in March, and stores like Best Buy and Walmart are laying off workers.
Ken Betancur/Getty Images
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This small-business owner hopes she can stop keeping inventory in her garage

by Sean McHenry
Apr 13, 2023
Ahead of March retail sales numbers, a Seattle candlemaker shares how her economy is doing.
People create their own candles at Noir Lux Candle Bar in Seattle.
Courtesy Colina Bruce
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Water ruined his vinyl, but store owner gets by with a little help from his friends

by Sean McHenry
Apr 12, 2023
Phillip Rollins, owner of OffBeat, says people saw him on the news and supported his shop by helping to clean up and dry things off.
"We had a fire next door and then we had a lot of flood damage due to that fire," said Phillip Rollins. "So we lost a lot of our used records."
Courtesy Phillip Rollins
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