The US retail industry is going through an upheaval. Right now, store closures across the country are on pace to set a record in terms…
THEN AND NOW
Two garment factory disasters a century apart show how globalization has sapped labor’s power
It would take weeks before the full number of dead from the Rana Plaza factory collapse was clear. “Each time we moved a slab of…
WARY EYE
Trump’s escalating trade war with China has spooked at least one sneaker company
Donald Trump’s threat of a new round of tariffs on China has consumer goods companies on edge. While they were generally spared (paywall) in the…
LETTERS FROM BEZOS
Amazon’s unruly third-party marketplace now sells more stuff than Amazon itself
One of the most surprising things Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos revealed in his April 18 letter to shareholders was that Amazon Prime now has more…
RAISE THE BAR
REI’s stringent new checklist to ensure every product it carries is sustainable
REI has an ambitious new plan to ensure sustainability-minded shoppers feel good about buying any product sold in the outdoors- and fitness-supplier’s stores. For two…
TRADE WARS
The US imposes its highest tariffs on Bangladesh and other poor countries
The US-China trade spat keeps escalating. Donald Trump is now threatening another hefty round of tariffs on Chinese products, after China retaliated to a previous…
FINGERS CROSSED
After a two-year slump, big US clothing and footwear brands look set to rebound
The past two years have been rough for a number of big US clothing and footwear brands. Many have regularly struggled to sell the inventory…
UPHILL BATTLE
Amazon sells tons of clothes, but it still can’t sell fashion
Manny Chirico, the CEO of PVH Corp—the parent company of Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein—offered a frank assessment of Amazon’s role in fashion on a…
FACEBOOK WOULD LIKE ACCESS
Android phone users, Facebook was tracking your calls and texts
Facebook’s reach into its users’ data just seems to keep growing. While the company deals with the fallout of the Cambridge Analytica scandal—and the many…
PERSONAL AT SCALE
Nike is trying to become the next great direct-to-consumer brand
Nike rose to be the world’s biggest athletic brand in a very different retail landscape. Back then shoppers went to stores and bought things, and…
NOT HELPFUL
Trump’s efforts to protect American brands will be a disaster, say American brands
American brands have battled for years for more protection of their intellectual property in China, including better ways to address knockoffs. But some tough talk…
LOOK OUT BELOW
This is the real story of American retail
Forget all the “retail apocalypse” headlines. The phrase suggests the whole industry is collapsing, consulting firm Deloitte says. In reality, it’s not. But it is…
