From 2019 to 2025, wholesale clubs increased their share of the US grocery market from 8.8% to 11.2%. That may not sound like a big jump – but it necessitates the addition of over $80 billion to the sales line to achieve it, which is a huge swing… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

We’ve had a veritable welter of retail results this week along with a jumble of narratives. The good news is that as Q1 earnings season winds down, it’s clear the period shone favorably on retail. www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Since 2019, Walmart US has grown its annual sales by 41.6%. That’s impressive in its own right. But it’s even more remarkable given that Walmart was already a retail giant. What’s next?   www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Ask consumers whether sustainability is important when buying fashion and most will invariably say yes. They’re not lying. At some level, people like to make sustainable choices. What does that mean for the now Shein-owned Everlane? www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

With earnings numbers coming in thick and fast, we’re getting a much clearer picture of trading during the first quarter. Overall, this was a strong period for US retail… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Another set of exceptionally good numbers from the big daddy of retail - Walmart - underlining that its long run of success continues. The outlook may be more muted than investors want but it remains good… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

When you’re the oldest apparel chain in the US, you have plenty of stories. Some of them – like dressing Lincoln for his second inauguration in 1865 – are pretty impressive. Such a legacy comes with a special responsibility to preserve it for posterity… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

For years, retailers trained customers to expect free returns: order what you like, return what you need to. But now, some retailers want to tighten policies… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

The cost of clothing rose by just over 4% in April – an increase that comes off the back of a long run of previous price hikes. How do consumers react? www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Today’s consumers are overwhelmed with choice. They are also very harried. The combination of these two things mean that many are increasingly looking for ease - especially so in stores were there is a desire to enjoy and savor the shopping experience… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

We've had quite a few US results through for Q1 - with a lot more big names to follow in the coming weeks. So far, the mean average growth rate is 7.9% and the mean comparable growth rate is 1.5%… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Off-price has been on fire. But a great off-price business isn’t simply a function of sweeping up random lots of unsold and excess inventory… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

The products you see in IKEA stores – including the ones with unpronounceable names – aren’t things that the company sources and buys. They’re things the company conceives and designs from scratch… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Columbia Sportswear is trying to engineer better numbers. It is amping up marketing and product innovation. And it is still expanding the retail side, including a new store which showcases its products better and helps connect the brand to consumers… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Is there a place for food at department stores? Yes, there absolutely is. The pattern is well established in many countries, and now the US seems to be catching on… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Weighing bags of strawberry laces and jelly babies is something you’d expect from a traditional sweet shop or, if you’re in the UK, at a corner shop. However, the tradition has been modernized and is now a live-selling phenomenon… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

A&F has been great at real estate. The team has been very proactive about optimizing the store fleet – closing vanity flagships that didn’t make money, relocating and resizing stores in some malls, and opening new shops in underserved locations… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

While overall retail spending looks healthy, not all segments are faring well.. The appliance category is one of those on the wrong side of trends, which is why Whirlpool said that the category was in a recession… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Many mainstream national supermarkets in the US are rather dull. They do a reasonable operational job of stocking the essentials, but they often lack significant points of interest and they are not really designed for those who enjoy food inspiration… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

It’s easy to be boring in retail. Just take products and throw them on a rail. But it’s far more exciting, and way nicer for the customer, to do things with a bit of panache and pizzazz… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

While some other luxury department stores were busy making ill-considered acquisitions with unsustainable financing, Bloomingdale’s was squarely focused on the business of retail… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

IKEA has been opening smaller stores in the US. The aim of the game is convenience. IKEA wants more stores closer to shoppers to improve penetration and coverage; a mid-sized format gives them the ability to achieve that… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

The long, slow process of bankruptcy continues at Saks as the company moves forward with its reorganization. It will now seek votes from creditors to approve its restructuring plan… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

GameStop’s proposed acquisition of eBay can be summed up in one word: audacious. Sadly, the boldness of the bid is not matched by the logic behind it… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Some of Foot Locker’s older stores are uninspiring places. Fortunately, there are some newer formats which remedy many of these problems. And under Dick’s ownership, the business is now committed to elevating the customer experience… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Levi’s is still driving wholesale and Macy’s is an important partner in selling the brand’s lifestyle proposition. It’s a great example of merchants working together for growth… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

There is a connection between crafts and home. Home is increasingly about personalization and those small touches that make a space feel more individual. Michaels explores this in their latest collaboration… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Old Navy has made no secret of its desire to chase the beauty market. It makes sense as its core customers have an above average interest and spend level in the beauty category. Indeed, they often shop beauty and fashion during the same trip… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

There are only five permanent official Nintendo stores in the world. And they’re everything you’d expect from Nintendo: colorful, playful, and great fun. And they hold lessons for all retailers… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Abercrombie Kids has great products – styling is solid and the quality is good. And the newer format allows them to showcase them in a more contemporary environment… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

One of the most dangerous places to drive is the Costco parking lot. The inside of the store also carries its own perils: carts whizzing around, people all over the place, big boxes of things being pulled from shelves… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Current growth at Bed Bath & Beyond is being driven by fewer customers (active customers are down 17%), spending more. The aim to become a destination requires this number to move upward… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

One of the interesting areas where Macy's has made a lot of progress is in how stores feel across the year… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

ICYMI ... here are all the main retail posts and discussions we have made on LinkedIn this week: www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

There is something interesting happening at Kohl’s. While I would not say that any store I have visited of late looks fantastic, they do seem to be making a concerted effort to remedy some of the longstanding issues… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Always a treat to see a little bit of M&S reach the American heartland. This is Per Una in Nordstrom… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Another day, another scare story about stores. This one says 40,000 will close over the next five years. But look at the track record of these forecasts. Previous predictions of 80,000 to 100,000 closures did not come true… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

All change please! The familiar cry on British railways when a train reaches its final destination. But perhaps, with two major CEO announcements, an apt slogan for retail this week… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Are department stores relevant because the sum of their parts is more valuable than the individual parts themselves Yes. But every department in a store should be at least as good, if not better, than specialist retailers that focus on that category… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

The battle for fast delivery continues apace, with another front opening up - this time from Sam's Club. The Walmart-owned format has launched one-hour delivery slots… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Some folks love putting out statements that AI is going to replace this, that, or the other. It's understandable as there needs to be a justification for all the capital being deployed to support the technology. But a big dose of realism is often needed… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

There must be something in the air today. First Best Buy announced a new CEO. Now Lululemon has found its next leader. She comes in the shape of Heidi O’Neill, who will take the helm in September… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

There's a changing of the guard at Best Buy as Corie Barry steps down to make way for Jason Bonfig - a 27-year company veteran. He will take over on October 31… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

March was a robust month for US retail, underpinned by tax refunds - which more people are getting, with the average refund running around 11% higher than last year. However, there are some devils in the detail of the numbers… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

In retail, elegance is sometimes found in simplicity. But simplicity is not easy. It needs to be executed with care so as not to slip into the mundane. www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

In sales terms, the US is one of IKEA’s biggest markets. But when assessed on a per capita basis, it drops right down the rankings. It is way below European markets in terms of penetration… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

ICYMI ... here are all the main retail posts and discussions we have made on LinkedIn this week: www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Inflation has hit lower-income consumers the hardest. However, the biggest behavioral shifts have come from affluent shoppers… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

A few weeks back, Uniqlo opened its 29,000 square foot store. It’s part of a measured US expansion for the Japanese chain, including into more high-profile city locations… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...

Today I did something that, a few years back, I would never have thought possible. I sat on a stage talking all things retail with Tony Spring at the Macy’s Boldly Forward leadership meeting in Chicago… www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...