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Do emerging mom's today even put any value in the Babies "R" US brand? Is it a liability even? The debate to start anew vs use existing brands is a always fascinating one. Maybe it comes down to why we think it failed in first place. Or maybe this is a kmart/sears discussion. Obsolete brands and models tying their floating debri together in order to survive for just one more day. #retailnews

Kohl's – what do you stand for? First Amazon, then SEPHORA, and now Babies"R"Us? Kohl’s has been diluted. The modge podge of brands, including private labels, and shops within shops need to be cleaned up. The message is no longer clear. The middle class once went to you for fashion at a value for the whole family. Compelling curated collections telling her what she had to buy for every member. The assortment is no longer there. The service is no longer there. I’ve been greeted by employees giving me the up and down as I walk in to make my Amazon returns (and leave buying nothing) my last several trips. You have given families reasons to go to Amazon, Target, and The TJX Companies, Inc. Target has the fashion and quality at a value, and well, Amazon and TJX have the price. Large square footage stores with an abundance of stuff are no longer the answer. What are the top 20 brands within apparel doing most of the work? Focus and double down. Baby is an interesting category to focus on since Buy Buy Baby is no longer the 137 stores it used to be, but the hard work won’t help if everything else isn’t cleaned up. Stats: 💵Q4 net sales fell 1.1% 💵Net income grew to $186M from a loss of $273 the year prior 💵Compared to pre-COVID 2019, sales were down 12.7% #retail #baby #fashion #stores #service #experience

Will Kohl's benefit from its latest third-party venture with Babies"R"Us? On the plus side, adding Babies R Us is more of a help than a hinderance to Kohl's. It bolsters the proposition in an important area of the market and gives Kohl’s more credibility in the space. This should help drive some incremental revenue into the business. There is also a view that if Kohl’s can pull in younger family and family formation shoppers for baby products it can, hopefully, convert them into buying other categories like toys or homewares.    However, for this to work properly, Kohl’s really needs to improve the look and feel of its stores and make its own assortments and pricing more compelling. If it fails to tackle these things, this will be a reasonable venture but one that cannot throw a halo over the rest of the business – much as has been the case with Sephora.   The bottom line is that Kohl’s can add in as many third-party brands and ventures as it wants, but there is a tactic admission here that its own core proposition isn’t good enough. It still needs to work to dispel this view. Great to chat with Inside Retail US about this, link to article in comments. #retail #retailnews #departmentstores #babies #parents

So, while troubled retailer Buy Buy Baby is having issues, Babies “R” Us is back with one store in the American Dream Mall in N.J. five years after bankruptcy filings forced every location to shutter. Perhaps more to come. Also, related retailer Toys “R” Us has run successful pop-up stores in Macy's locations since the beginning of 2021. https://lnkd.in/gkdGM8be #bankruptcy #landlords #retail #chapter11 #chapter7 #reorganization #creditorsrights #debtorcreditorsrights #landlordtenantmatters #landlordtenants #ceosandofficers #ceosanddirectors #officersanddirectors

Mike Ashley’s #FrasersGroup has upped its voting interest in online fashion group #ASOS to 19.3% from 18% previously. Ashley, the third largest overall shareholder in Asos with a 10.6% shareholding also holds a significant voting interest through derivatives. Bestseller, the empire of retail tycoon owner #AndersHolchPovlsen is ASOS’s largest shareholder with a 27% stake. Frasers has been on a seemingly unending buying spree of stakes in rival retailers in recent months. In addition to ASOS, Frasers has acquired stakes in boohoo, Curry’s, N Brown, AO World, as well as acquiring brands that have gone bust such as Missguided and I Saw It First. Shares in ASOS rose 3.8% to 401.8p. More at #Proactive #ProactiveInvestors #LSE #ASC http://ow.ly/E3m6104Sbq1

Interesting news from Kohl's! They're shaking up their in-store offerings by introducing Babies R Us boutiques alongside their existing Sephora partnerships. This move isn't just about adding baby gear; it's part of a strategy to draw in younger customers. Kohl's plans to kick things off with about 200 baby shops across the U.S. This initiative comes at a time when the baby goods retail sector is undergoing significant changes. Kohl's CEO sees it as a promising opportunity to tap into a market that's ripe for innovation. The best part? These partnerships benefit both sides. Kohl's gets to attract a new demographic without the need for additional physical locations, while Babies R Us broadens its reach in a cost-effective way. We will be paying attention to see how it plays out! https://lnkd.in/gc9NAgUP

Despite efforts to close unprofitable stores and innovate, department stores continue to lose customers to online giants like Amazon, agile newcomers like Shein, and budget-friendly off-price retailers such as TJ Maxx. The blunt truth is that most department stores are neither great value for money nor super premium — this makes them very easy to overlook and avoid. They've essentially put themselves in the firing line. To survive, traditional players like Macy's, Kohl's and Nordstrom must, among other things, rethink their entire value proposition by offering unique, fairly priced, and exclusive items that can’t be easily found online. Thanks to The Business of Fashion for including my thoughts in this interesting article on how to save department stores... #retail #retailnews #departmentstores #apparel https://lnkd.in/e2f7fxTp

Many excellent points raised in the comments. The rise of online shopping, driven by promotions and data-driven marketing, has challenged brick-and-mortar stores. Despite great service, customers often prioritize savings. Brands must innovate to reignite interest in physical stores, whether by aligning online and in-store sales, enhancing in-store experiences for social sharing, or reviving exciting events like in-store fashion shows. Additionally, fostering partnerships with local businesses can create a more vibrant retail landscape. Better yet let’s work together to rejuvenate the allure of traditional shopping experiences.