target front doors feature

Target, Like Walmart, Takes a Q1 Profit Hit

| Mike O'Brien

Target joined fellow big-box retailer Walmart today in posting a first-quarter earnings figure well below expectations as inflationary strain, inventory overstocks and spiraling costs including from labor and fuel continue to challenge the sector. Same-day services were up 8% — but it had grown a whopping 120% in Q1 of 2021.

Sephora store feature

Sephora Expands Same-Day Delivery with Shipt

| Mike O'Brien

Sephora continues to expand same-day delivery to customers’ doors, providing service in as little as an hour thanks to a new partnership with delivery service Shipt, which is owned by Target. The major beauty retailer already has a same-day delivery partnership with Instacart, on top of its own Beauty on Demand service.

e-grocery fruit order

Walmart, Amazon Most Popular for E-Grocery

| Mike O'Brien

Walmart is the most popular destination for e-grocery ordering, according to a new survey by Chicory, cited by 36% of respondents, followed by Amazon at 23%, and Instacart a distant third at 10%. Target was cited by just under 10% of respondents, followed by Kroger at 7%, Albertson’s/Safeway (3%), Stop & Shop (2%) and Shipt (1%).

walmart fulfillment center

Walmart Q3 Ecommerce Sales Up 8%, Says Holiday Prep in Good Place

| Mike O'Brien

Walmart reported its ecommerce sales in the U.S. increased 8% in the third quarter, and have gained a total of 87% since the same period in 2019, an incredible jump since pre-pandemic days as the retail giant continues to expand digitally, while declaring itself ready for the holidays.

Walmart+ bags 2

Walmart, Target Stepping Up Omnichannel Ahead of Holidays

| Mike O'Brien

In an effort to make ordering and receiving goods easier for the holidays, Walmart and Target have both announced upgrades to their omnichannel strategies as supply chain woes continue to impact inventory stock levels and consumers worry that products won’t be available.

Amazon Kicks Off Peak Holiday Season Two Months Early

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon has announced a raft of Black Friday-like deals designed to jumpstart the holiday spend quite a bit ahead of time and draft ahead of the rest of the retail pack, capturing early consumer interest and hopefully easing some of the massive network strain later in the season.

Omnichannel Holidays: Not Optional for Retailers

| Sharon Gee

Uncertainty around holiday store shopping makes an omnichannel strategy more critical than ever. Retailers need to figure out where to sell, both geographically and through which channels. Based on these imperatives, here are four strategies critical to launching a successful omnichannel campaign this holiday season.

Walmart grocery interior feature

Walmart Concerned About Slipping Grocery Position

| Mike O'Brien

When it comes to the grocery wars, Walmart execs are concerned about the company’s tenuous number one position as well as losing share to fierce competitors, according to brutal self-assessments in a leaked memo and presentation from February obtained by Recode. There are also worries that Instacart is pulling even on e-grocery.

warehouse generic feature

MCM Outlook 2021: Past the Pivots to Ecommerce Operations Efficiency

| Mike O'Brien

Now that the challenges of the lockdown era are behind, and disruptions have solidified into new consumer behaviors and business practices, what’s next for ecommerce operations? In our annual MCM Outlook report, we talk to retail leaders and industry experts to drill down into how companies are faring and what’s working.

Walmart-Target facades feature

Walmart, Target Stepping Up Last-Mile Fulfillment

| Mike O'Brien

Walmart and Target both announced plans Thursday to improve last-mile fulfillment and delivery from their stores, taking alternate routes via an investment in self-driving car project Cruise, and a new sortation facility powered by acquired technologies from Grand Junction and Deliv, respectively.