The Thread
Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Marks shares news and views from around the home textiles marketplace.
Back to the Future?
It's been a while since we've seen a company in the retail space like the one that Bed Bath and Beyond is evolving into - a multi-nameplate retailer that operates in a diverse array of product sectors.You have to go back to the late 1980s and early 1990s to find something similar, and even then the examples are ... limited.Until it began spinning off properties in the early '90s, Melville Corp. op... Read More
Comments (0)Trendspotting
Last week's High Point Market officially wrapped up the winter/spring trade show season that began with the big Heimtextil show in January. Combing through home introductions from key shows, here are a few stand-out product directions.1. TextureSurface texture is important in every product category. We're seeing more ruffles, more roushing, pintucking and gathering. Cuffs on sheets and cases are g... Read More
Comments (1)Retail Inspiration
Sometimes you need to recharge your batteries and look outside your own universe. To that end, I recommend the National Retail Federation's "This Is Retail" competition at nrf.com.The contest is now down to 10 semifinalists. Sadly, there are no linen stores among them. Nevertheless, the two-minute videos from the contestants provide a nice pick-me-up - and, who knows, maybe a few ideas.T... Read More
Comments (3)Back to the Future
After Best Buy announced last week that it will close 50 large-format stores and open 100 small Best Buy Mobile stores, Bloomberg News proclaimed: "The Era of Big Box Retail Dominance is Coming to an End."The rise of online shopping was cited as one of the factors along with the "showroom" phenomenon whereby consumers visit a store to check out merchandise in person, then pull... Read More
Comments (1)The E-Game
There was a lot of buzz about ecommerce during the New York Home Fashions Market two weeks ago - a significant, eyebrow-raising amount of talk.Ecommerce buyers I heard mentioned most often included Amazon, macys.com and Overstock. There was also a fair amount of chatter about the appearance of Groupon in New York showrooms during the week. Increasing numbers of suppliers are talking about their f... Read More
Comments (0)The E-Game
There was a lot of buzz about ecommerce during the New York Home Fashions Market two weeks ago - a significant, eyebrow-raising amount of talk.Ecommerce buyers I heard mentioned most often included Amazon, macys.com and Overstock. There was also a fair amount of chatter about the appearance of Groupon in New York showrooms during the week. Increasing numbers of suppliers are talking about their f... Read More
Comments (0)The E-Game
There was a lot of buzz about ecommerce during the New York Home Fashions Market two weeks ago - a significant, eyebrow-raising amount of talk.Ecommerce buyers I heard mentioned most often included Amazon, macys.com and Overstock. There was also a fair amount of chatter about the appearance of Groupon in New York showrooms during the week. Increasing numbers of suppliers are talking about their f... Read More
Comments (0)Pinch Me
Watch out. Something that feels strangely like optimism may be insinuating itself into the industry. There is a growing sense - one we first caught wind of in January at Heimtextil - that it just might be possible to make a little money this year. The sentiment has floated through successive first-quarter trade shows. In preview appointments for the New York Home Fashions Market over the past coup... Read More
Comments (4)The Little Things
Sometimes, it's the little things that capture your attention. Such was the case last week when Walmart said its home department had produced positive comps in the fourth quarter - the first uptick in home comps at America's largest retailer in 2 ½ years. The extent to which this is a positive signal for the country's home business generally links directly to whether one considers Walmart a bellwe... Read More
Comments (1)Gut Check
After JCPenney executives laid out their vision for transforming the store and before they held a special session for the financial community the following day, the company invited analysts to submit questions in advance.The most asked question: How far will sales volume have to fall before you scrap the streamlined pricing and go back to promotions and coupons?There was a reason analysts posed th... Read More
Comments (3)Fingers Crossed
To say the mood at Heimtextil earlier this month was upbeat would be stretching things, but it was definitely hopeful. Where the 2011 business mantra was: "A flat year will qualify as a good year," at the recent show I detected a sense that the coming 12 months might actually produce some growth, however modest. Several manufacturers are expanding capacity again - even as many acknowledg... Read More
Comments (2)Here We Go
Evites went out last week for JCPenney's annual presentation to analysts - the event at which new ceo Ron Johnson has promised to lay out his vision for the company.The minimalistic invitation itself signaled a break in style. It featured a powder blue sky dappled with a few cumulus clouds and the words: "in praise of fresh air ... click here."The click-through leads to the same image an... Read More
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