Content about Retailing

New York -- TJX Cos., Gap Inc., The Buckle and Zumiez all reported better-than-expected same-store sales for April, even as concerns about the job market bit into other retailers’ results.
   

Irvine Co.'s The Market Place is too big for one city. It sprawls across two. Split in two by Jamboree Road, the southern half of the 120-store, 165-acre center resides in Irvine, Calif. The northern half is in Tustin.

The huge regional destination center combines open-air lifestyle retail with big-box retail. Nationally known value- and quality-driven store names offer apparel, books, electronics, fitness, groceries, home furnishings and decor, movie theaters, restaurants, various services, sporting goods, toys, and on and on.

Go offline, young man: That appears to be the mantra of e-commerce merchants these days.

As competition in the world of online retailing heats up — with Amazon's ever-burgeoning dominance posing the biggest threat — more pure-players are taking the brick-and-mortar plunge. It's a reminder, many experts say, of the strong appeal of the in-store experience — even when stacked up against the convenience of online shopping.

Now, as the recession finally begins to lift, brick-and-mortar retailers are studying their real estate concepts and pondering what comes next.

Some will pare store counts, partially in response to online competition. Some will cut store square footage. Others are expanding store numbers and square footage. Some are expanding fulfillment center square footage. Some are not changing. Careful about that.

What are you doing? Is it what you should be doing?

What are retail real estate advisers and technology providers recommending?

Armond, N.Y. -- First quarter online shopping in 2013 grew more than 20% over the same period last year, and more than five times in-store sales growth, helping drive up department store and home goods purchases, according to the IBM Online Retail Index.  
 
The IBM Index comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Census Bureau report which announced in-store sales for the January through March 2013 period were up 3.7%.

The IBM Online Retail Index also found:

Boston -- Research findings released Thursday by mobile-retail marketer Swirl found that a full 76% of women prefer shopping in stores over shopping via their smartphones.

“What Women Want When Apparel Shopping,” which polled 1,000 women shoppers, also revealed that 53% of women have between one and five shopping apps on their smartphones. Yet, still, they opt for the store experience.

Here’s an interesting take on pop-up stores by Felicity Pogson, associate design director, interiors, Dalziel & Pow, London:

Dallas -- 7-Eleven will rebrand convenience stores in Ohio’s Cuyahoga and Lorain counties as part of a 19-store lease from Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Gas Partners LP.

The effective date of the leases will vary, but all leases are expected to be in place by March 31, 2013.

Westlake Ace Hardware is showing off a new, fresh design at its location in Bolivar, Missouri. The 17,845-sq.-ft. store has an organic and modern feel, with a wood and metal façade and polished concrete floors. Garage-style doors (kept open, weather permitting) and skylights allow natural light into the space. The format works to encourage browsing and helps make Westlake a preferred destination for project needs. (Westlake was designed by JGA, Southfield, Mich.)

The recent announcement that retail giant Walmart plans to open more than 100 of the brand’s Neighborhood Market stores in 2013, and as many as 500 Neighborhood Market locations over the next few years, has industry analysts and observers talking. They have my attention, as well.

New York -- Aeropostale Inc. reported an unexpected loss for its fourth quarter, hurt by declining same-store sales and store asset impairment charges. The teen apparel chain also forecast a loss for the current quarter, citing markdowns and a weak economy.

"We anticipate a challenging first quarter as a result of expected margin pressures from holiday carryover inventory, and the impact of a weak macroeconomic environment,” said Aeropostale CEO Thomas Johnson.