jeff

“More of the Same” is Not the Way to Prosper When Change in Retail is Rampant: Big 5 Sporting Goods.

I don’t cover Big 5 every quarter.  However, their 10K for the year ended December 30, 2018 requires some discussion.  They seem to be flailing in the emerging retail environment and seem reluctant to respond to all the changes.  They are betting that their old strategy will continue to work. It appears I’m not the

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What Caused Shopko to File for Bankruptcy? Two Parts to the Puzzle.

Last Wednesday Shopko, a general merchandise retailer with 333 stores, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.  On January 17th, SGB Media published an article on Shopko and the filing by Thomas J. Ryan with the title, “Shopko Becomes Latest Casualty Of Online Disruption.” I took umbrage at the suggestion that online disruption was the primary cause

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What Happens When the Apparel You Buy Fits Perfectly Every Time?

Technology that has value tends to get better and cheaper.  I can’t think of a reason that won’t be true for the Zozosuit. “Japanese retailer Zozo, which operates Zozotown, the country’s largest online fashion marketplace, has developed a figure-hugging bodysuit featuring lots of uniquely patterned dots.” “As you turn slowly round, your smartphone takes photos,

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It Probably Wasn’t the Plan; Abercrombie & Fitch’s November 3rd Quarter.

Back in 2012 A&F had 946 U.S. stores.  They ended the most recent quarter with 684 (plus 195 international stores).  In the immortal words of Gary Schoenfeld in his first earnings conference call as CEO of Pac Sun however many years ago it was, “Nobody needs 900 Pac Sun stores.” Nobody needed 946 A&F stores

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