IKEA’s heritage means there are limits to how far the brand can move upmarket or deviate from its traditional offer. IKEA’s identity rests on the idea that well-designed furniture should be affordable, and if premium collections become too expensive, or services add costs that customers are unwilling to pay, the company risks weakening the very essence of its brand.
The Changing Face of IKEA Read More »
There is an irony here: Crocs built a global empire by convincing consumers to embrace authenticity and disregard appearances. Yet behind the scenes, the company has mastered a very different art: arranging its finances so that profits can appear to have been earned thousands of miles from where its shoes are actually sold. The $4 billion footwear phenomenon has mastered comfort, fashion—and moving profits offshore.
The Curious Morality of Crocs Read More »
The immediate priority for retailers hit by cyberattacks is to understand where critical systems depend on technology that is outdated, remotely accessible, or managed by third parties. The complexity of guarding from cyberattacks is only going to get greater as AI enters more systems and hackers get smarter, more inventive, and more attuned to the practical and reputational damage they can wreak.
What’s Behind the French Supermarket Cyberattacks? Read More »
The work of scientists and researchers deserves celebration, but solid climate, energy, and technology breakthroughs need costly infrastructure and sustained funding to scale. Relying on private philanthropy like the Bezos Fund for climate research says a lot about this country’s expressed values while laying a fragile foundation for our industry’s future.
Breakthrough Work In Sustainable Apparel Read More »
If you thought Sweden was a conservative nation devoted to wellbeing and simple style, keep your eye on developments here as Stockholm increasingly becomes a bellwether for the next phase of its emerging influence. An entire nation believes radical transparency is business as usual and that values-based consumer culture is likely to seep into other markets. The capital’s younger, tech-savvy customers are part of a global movement. Sweden could be an unlikely catalyst to unlock sustainability as a convenient and profitable, truth.
Sweden Is a Beacon for Modern Retail Read More »
While much of the world struggles to reinvent the department store, Chilean and Mexican retail giants are posting remarkable profits — by combining stores, malls, banking and integrated digital commerce into something much bigger.
Why Are Department Stores Indispensable in Latin America? Read More »
Billions of dollars’ worth of refunds have been issued, and America’s retailers have used
So, What Are Retailers Doing With All Those Tariff Refunds? Read More »
The business world thinks Shein’s recent Hong Kong IPO —which valued the Chinese ecommerce fashion giant at only a quarter of its 2022 high—is a sign of the company’s downfall. While Shein probably should have listed in Hong Kong years earlier, observers are wrong to see Shein’s stock market debut as a failure; more likely it is a new beginning.
Don’t Count Shein Out, Yet Read More »
And just like that, we seem to be at war with our closest neighbor, best ally, and first or second-biggest trading partner (depending on how you do the math). Now who’s to blame?
Surviving the Latest Trade War … With Canada Read More »
The latest sourcing choice for U.S. importers? Surprise! It’s China. The Trump tariffs were supposed to punish China by driving American companies to shift their buying to other countries. It hasn’t quite worked out that way. So, it’s back to the tariff future.
The China Tariff Punishment Failed Read More »
