Bob Johns
Google+Bob Johns is a contributing writer focusing on the retail, hospitality, and food industries
ARTICLES BY BOB JOHNS
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DICK'S Sporting Goods Hitting Its Stride11/19/2013
DICK’S Sporting Goods, the largest U.S. full-line sporting goods retailer, continues to expand and show impressive sales growth through omni-channel efforts. The company reported same-store sales growth of 3.3 percent and net sales growth of 6.7 percent for the 2013 third quarter. All of this good news comes at a time when retailers are struggling to connect to the consumer and capture sales.
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Is Amazon Killing Free Shipping?10/23/2013
Amazon.com recently upped the requirements to qualify for free shipping from $25 to $35, a 40 percent increase. This marks the first time in 10 years that the company has done so, and comes at a time when retailers with an online presence are testing everything from in-store pickup to same-day delivery. The odd thing about the announcement is timing it right before the holiday season. This may be by design as the company pushes consumers to increase basket size or switch to Amazon Prime, which offers free 2-day shipping as part of a subscription service. By pushing the minimums higher, the company is effectively killing free shipping on many purchases.
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Dollar General Looks To Add Fuel To Market Stores10/21/2013
Dollar General has been busy. The company recently opened its 11,000th store, its most recent quarter’s sales were up 11.3 percent, and it was recognized as Company of the Year in Retail by the American Business Awards. Now, however, they are trying something totally new — fuel stations.
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eBay's Earnings, Revenue, And Growth Jump10/17/2013
Online giant eBay reported its 2013 Q3 results yesterday in a conference call, and the results were stellar in all areas. Overall revenue for the quarter ending September 30 rose 14 percent over a year ago to $3.9 billion. GAAP operating margins increased from 19.6 percent to 20.5 percent, with GAAP earnings increasing 16 percent.
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Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Is Living The Sweet Life With 8.4% Revenue Growth10/16/2013
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory recently released its second quarter 2013 results, and the results are sweet. Overall retail sales grew 19.8 percent, including company-owned same-store sales growth of 1.2 percent. Franchise same-store sales were up 2.4 percent, doubling the company-owned increase.
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Spencer Gifts Is Having A Happy Halloween10/15/2013
Most retailers bring in the majority of their sales in just a few seasons, usually centered around the December holidays. Spencer Gifts, however, has another season that gives them a ghoulish grin, Halloween. Spencer Gifts is the parent company of Sprit Halloween, the seasonal pop-up chain that dominates formerly empty retail spaces this time of year.
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Halloween Takes Center Stage At Meijer10/11/2013
Halloween has become big business for retail, and hypermarket giant Meijer is poised to take advantage. According to a survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF), Americans are expected to spend $2.6 billion on Halloween costumes — $1 billion on children’s costumes, $1.2 billion on adult costumes, and $330 million on pet costumes. When you add in candy and decorations, Americans will spend nearly $6.9 billion on Halloween. This is why Meijer has expanded its Halloween offerings, not only to customers, but their pets as well.
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Staples Takes Battle With Amazon To The Stores10/11/2013
In a move that further distances itself from Amazon, Staples announced that it will match Amazon’s prices in stores beginning November 3, in an effort to boost holiday sales. Staples is not only one of the top office supply companies in the U.S., but it ranks second only to Amazon in online sales in North America.
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h.h. gregg — Your One-Stop-Shop For Electronics, Appliances, and Home Furnishings?10/10/2013
Electronics retailer h.h. gregg is in the process of taking a giant leap to diversify its product offering. Traditionally known for its TVs, electronics, and appliances, the company is knee-deep in a push to carry furniture and fitness equipment nationwide. While on the surface this may sound like a strange fit, when you consider that most electronics are geared toward leisure, this may turn out to be a perfect fit. Also, the company is trying to avoid the same fate suffered by many other electronics retailers, being so tied to a type of product that has ever-reducing margins and increasing competition.
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Jos. A. Bank Wants You To "Like The Way You Look"10/10/2013
Men’s clothier Jos. A. Bank vows to continue to pursue the acquisition of Men’s Wearhouse for $2.3 billion. It has been a whirlwind few months for Men’s Wearhouse. Founder George Zimmer, who coined the phrase, “You’re going to like the way you look,” was unceremoniously fired in June for various disagreements with the board’s management and strategy. It didn’t help that the company’s profits were plummeting along with sales. Men’s Wearhouse stock fluttered after the firing, but had been trending up until the latest profit warnings in September.