Coresight Research reported a total of 9,275 U.S. store closures by major retailers in 2019, 35% higher than the 6,897 closures recorded in 2018 as the bleeding continues. Closings outpaced store openings more than 2 to 1, Coresight found, with 4,454 new doors in 2019, compared to 4,311 in 2018.
Pier 1 Imports said it plans to close up to 450 stores, nearly half of its 942 locations, reduce headcount and shutter some distribution centers along with other expense reductions as the company is reportedly weighing bankruptcy. The company reported a 11.4% drop in same-store sales and a 13.3% drop in net sales in Q3.
Giant omnichannel players such as Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Pier 1 Imports and Target have lowered their free-shipping thresholds to better compete with Amazon. Here are how merchants of all sizes can look into their operations for ways to control their shipping costs.