Operating a website is expensive--not only because programmers are expensive, but because margins are smaller.
For 10 years, Bridge has encouraged stores to beef up spending in preparation for the e-commerce boom. It's easier to spend a little each year over many years than spend money in a panic. Money spent in haste often results in waste. As a reference, when traditional retailers tried to catch Amazon, they often failed in their scramble. Please recall Macy's buying the ...
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Brands and retailers used to be friends. Now they're: 'frenemies.' Brands continue to use the power of e-commerce websites and social media to work around retailers, as evidenced in this news that Nike is no longer selling to Macy's.
Today’s Times shares some of Amazon’s steps during the pandemic to grow its empire.
I used to tell retailers that they don’t know it, but they’re now in: the software business. I missed something in that statement. They are also now in the warehouse business. Websites and warehouses go hand in hand. They’re flip sides of the same coin.
As e-commerce grew, all the major retailers should have been growing their warehouse space. For example: if ...
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It's just 3 days till Black Friday. And on Monday, we have Cyber Monday. Online sales will reach $189 billion this holiday season--a 33% increase over last year. Is your website ready?
I've created these 7 steps to help you get ready:
1. Place products on sale
Be prepared to cut prices more than normal.
Clearly list end dates for sales to create urgency.
Macy's said it has partnered with DoorDash for same-day delivery through nearly 500 Macy’s stores nationwide, with no minimum order required, according to an emailed press release.
Macy's and payments company Klarna on Tuesday announced a five-year partnership that will allow Macy's customers to pay in four interest-free installments.
That is the question my family posed to me last night during our more-frequent FaceTime conversations.
With the passing Labor Day weekend, students entering their in-person or online school year, and the ending of a strange summer season during a global pandemic, people are looking forward to a time that can bring spirit and happiness to the darkness: the holidays.
But how holly and jolly will this holiday season be in terms of shopping? After all, the holidays are notorious ...
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I visited the New York’s Post website--to get my fill of New York gossip--and I was shown a massive advertisement from a leading tabletop brand. (I have covered the brand's logo with yellow rectangles for the privacy of the brand.) Before visiting the Post's site, I had visited this brand's website. The ads appear because the brand has hired some advertising platform to track me around the web, show me ads, and direct me back to its DTC (direct to consumer) site.
Sometimes we are critical of Macy's and the whole Federated chain. But perhaps we should take another look. They give us the legendary fireworks in July and the upcoming Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. But more recently they along with Tishman Speyer have taken on the incredibly complicated restoration of the old Abraham & Strauss cast-iron facade building in Brooklyn. Perhaps this Thanksgiving we should be more thankful.
From the NY Times:
New Yorkers are all too familiar with the wholesale ...
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November 22, 2019
November 22, 2019
Macy's sales were down in the third quarter, its stock is down 55% this year, and it was hacked.
Bridge fights hackers daily, so we know how hard this battle can be. Yet, Macy's seems to be experiencing many issues--some of which are self-inflicted, which leads us to ask: Does Macy's need new leadership?
Retail Dive gives us six reasons via six statistics:
1. 100 stores The number of Macy's locations closed since August 2016, as well as the number of stores that off-price retailer Ross opened in 2019 alone
2. $19 billion Projected off-price sales by 2021
3. $20.4 billion The amount department store sales have dropped over the past five years
4. $14 billion The amount in sales that Costco's Kirkland Signature private label outpaced all of Macy's nationwide sales last year
Amazon most likely has lower prices than most stores--including yours, shares Retail Dive.
Excerpt: "With the holiday sales season underway, Amazon is pricing 20% below other online retailers on average in key product categories, according to a study by Profitero."
You may ask, how is Amazon wining this online price war? I'll share my answer: Bots. Amazon has unleashed an army of bots to crawl and scrub all of your data and websites, and report it back to Amazon ...
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What company in the tabletop industry has invested in a tech company? I don't know of one. I believe our industry should be doing what UPS does and investing in tech--and I'll explain why.
As today's WSJ shares, UPS has a venture capital arm and it has this because smart businesses know that most businesses are becoming more like: software businesses. Therefore, businesses have to ‘buy’ that know-how by investing in a tech company. UPS knows that it doesn't have the internal tech know-how to...
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July 24, 2019
July 24, 2019
Amazon makes returns easy. Macy's has followed suit and now does the same. What are you doing to make returns easier?
Check out this handy chart showing what department stores do for delivery and returns. Ninety-two percent of stores send a shipping confirmation email, but only 31% tell you the estimated delivery day. Regarding returns, 69% email a customer that a package has been received, but only 38% email a customer when the refund has been processed.
Old retail is 80% analog. This consists of: the physical store, staff, customer service training, etc. What you’d expect walking into a Saks or Macy's. And it's about 20% tech: computers, cash registers (POS systems), mobile shopping, Google ranking, apps, hiring social influencers, Instagram, etc.
Today, the retailers that are well positioned, growing, and 'hot' carry the opposite equation: they're 20% analog and 80% tech.
We post a good deal about Walmart and Amazon. What’s to be made of retailers like Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Neiman’s? It appears they’re just struggling to stay alive, shares today’s WSJ. Macy’s net sales fell 2.5% and it’s even considering new uses for its flagship Herald Square location. One may ask: is a sale of the flagship in the works like what Lord & Taylor did? Macy's could sell the location and lease it back.
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September 18, 2017
September 18, 2017
Macy's new head honcho: the web dude. Remember a few ears ago when the web guy was a sort of joke and after thought? Now the web people are the decision makers. Take head.
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July 9, 2017
July 9, 2017
Will Bridge help your store rank higher in Google? Yes, Bridge will help your store rank higher than Target, Wal-mart, Dillards, and Macy's. Check out these results when a customer searches for a gift registry in Texas. Bridge's indie, mom and pop shops ranked higher than national chains. Our retailers even out gunned theknot.com.
Give it a try: go to Google and search for your "gift registry [your state]". How did you store rank vs. other retailers?
To help ensure authentic results, use ...
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June 16, 2017
June 16, 2017
Remember the 80-20 rule? Macy's seems to be enjoying some that: 9% of its customers make up 50% of its sales, reports today's WSJ.
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