This week weighed the value of stores and wholesale, questioned the accuracy of online retail as a job killer and highlighted the far-reaching effects of Amazon.
LL Bean continues to try to shift perceptions by downplaying the catalog and focusing on new ads aimed at outdoorsy types. (AdAge)
Related on SJ: Analyst’s Take: How J.Crew & Yoplait Became Dinosaurs
Kohl’s CEO Kevin Mansell sees other department stores’ contraction as an opportunity for its 1,200-store fleet. (CNBC)
Related on SJ: Transformation Nation: A Comparison of Department Store Survival Plans
Amazon is helping to stifle Japan’s economic growth. (The Wall Street Journal)
Related on SJ: Retail Competition Continues to Hold Prices Down
E-commerce is a job killer, right? If you think so. This economist says your math might be off. (The New York Times)
Related on SJ: Report: Millions of US Retail Jobs at Risk Due to Automation—Or Are They?
How sales of premium leggings killed off another once-booming pants category. (The Washington Post)
Related on SJ: Activewear Brands Emphasize Quality in an Oversaturated Market
What’s a retailer to do when it wants to shrink its footprint but malls are holding on tight to their leases? (The Wall Street Journal)
Related on SJ: Infographic: Apparel Store Closures By Category
Who needs wholesale anymore? The benefits—and drawbacks— of direct to consumer. (Bustle)
Related on SJ: Taking the Fear Out of Direct-to-Consumer Sales
Though marketplace is technically on the table, Amazon’s making wholesale the only real option for brands. (Glossy)
Related on SJ: Prime Day Prompts 200,000 Dress Sales, Sets Amazon Records
