Macy’s The Struggling Retail Giant
Brianna Miller
Webster University
Company Strategic Direction
The retail giant known as Macy’s has been having a hard time competing with popular online stores like Amazon. In the last couple of years Macy’s has had to close to 120 stores since 2015. The world of retail is changing drastically, which is making power house companies like Macy’s take a different approach to how they manage their money, how to keep and gain customers, and how to cut cost as much as possible. Most department stores are having a hard time keeping customers because millennials are spending and going out less. Lower-income millennials make important financial decisions that may affect their future financial well-being
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In 2016, Macy’s, Inc. continued to see double-digit growth in the digital business, reflecting the success of investments in this space (Macy’sInc). They have created one of the best omni channel experiences in the retail industry and is excited about their plans to continue to improve their digital platforms (Macy’sInc). The Macy’s app received accolades in 2016, including L2 listing the app on its Top 10 Department Stores in Digital ranking (Macy’sInc). This is a smart move on behalf of Macy’s. The more they continue to advance by way of technology the more they’ll be able to compete with other major retailers like Amazon and Walmart. This is important because stores like Amazon are introducing very unique ways to actually keep customers in the comfort of their own homes, by offering ground breaking delivering services. Stores should take notes and …show more content…
The Company plans to attract these customers with new merchandise assortments (Loeb, 2012). Macy’s MyStyleLab and Impulse departments are refocusing their assortment to offer fast-fashions, making shopping more exciting for these Customers (Loeb, 2012).
Today’s customer is a little younger, somewhat more fashionable and more affluent (Loeb, 2012). The company identified the 18 to 30 year old customer as looking for better merchandise while the 13 to 22 year olds are looking for new products (Loeb, 2012). This is a concerted effort by Macy’s to fight the competition like H&M, Uniqlo, or Forever 21 who have gained share of market in this fast moving competitive arena (Loeb, 2012). Fast fashion emphasis means that new merchandise reaches the selling floor quickly and often (Loeb,
2.) In today’s evolving customers, a majority of customers changed their shopping habits. More shoppers research purchases on line and comparison shop. Macy’s must appeal to the new way of shopping and strive to meet the needs of their customer.
These offerings are, in part, a way to offer a tangible lure the uninitiated customers by allowing them to interact with Amazon’s technical platforms, such as what is done in Apple store. Moreover, Amazon is exploring the use of Amazon Go stores. The Amazon Go stores are a kind of convince store concept that will allow a shopper to swipe a code on his or her mobile phone at the entryway turnstile, and then simply pick up and take whatever item they wish from the store, those items being automatically added to their digital cart and immediately paid for when they leave the store. (Robischon, 2017) These types of brick-and-mortar store fronts are very different than what is offered by Walmart and are ways for Amazon to establish a physical approach of retail to best satisfy the customer. This innovative focus should play dividends down the road as instead of simply opening one type of store across the United States, such as what other physical retailers are currently doing, Amazon is seeking to break the proverbial retail ceiling and transform how consumers shop. It may take some time for Amazon to catch Walmart as the global retailer; however, through innovation and making the shopping experience easier, quicker, and more enjoyable, Amazon will most certainly overtake
This report presents data describing the differences amongst the two department stores, their fundamental visions, and comparative statistics. Macy’s or Dillard’s: Differences amongst these competitors There are several aspects you can analyze from each department store. Major pieces do set each one apart from the other. Brand names carried by Macy’s and Dillard’s from an average shoppers point of view can go completely unnoticed unless price is involved. For trend shoppers brand names can either make or break a retail store. It can easily determine if he or she will walk to Macy’s or Dillard’s because they already know the store does or does not carry that brand. This is consistent with each department throughout both stores and
Macy’s Inc. is a well-established, historic and profitable company that is known as a quality yet affordable department store. Macy’s is an American icon; therefore our objective is not to change this image, but to modify it to appeal to a more youthful market.
In this segment, the retailer J.C. Penney will be analyzed against the department store retail industry, with particular emphasis placed upon their competitors, Macy’s and Kohl’s. The major components to be discussed will include the general external environment (i.e. demographics, economics, politics, legal requirements, technologies and global expansion), the industry environment, the competitive environment, the driving forces and the key factors for success within the industry. In terms of the general external environment, the retail industry is a multi-trillion dollar business in the United States alone and maintains operations primarily due to consumer spending. Such purchases rely upon the disposable income of
Threat: Forces shaping the Nordstrom’s strategy is that it is operating in highly competitive environment, where apparel sold by it is not only competing with large organized departmental chains but, also from small independent boutiques in the U.S. As a result competition has become very stiff in retail
it is important to identify key strengths of the company over upcoming threats and weak points. Macy’s differentiate itself from competition with upscale “Celebrity” brand exclusivity, merchandise based on local preferences, and unique store design atmosphere. Based on analysis performed the company weighted strategy is to move towards the online and technology advances with maintaining Macy’s upscale storefront culture, integrating new product offerings with revising promotions to satisfy its target market and expanding operations to a new markets with present demand. From opportunities analysis strategy can be divided in three fragments
Unlike Starbucks, Macy’s is not doing very well, as evidenced by the fact they announced last month the impeding closure of 68 stores (Peterson, 2017). The company has been struggling for a few years with the growth of the internet and online businesses such as Amazon making their brick and mortar stores impractical in modern times. While the number of stores may not seem like as much of a problem as it is, as other companies have had to close down more in recent years or go out of business in general, this is a symptom of larger problems in both the company and the industry.
Macy's Inc. is one of the nation's largest and well known department store chains. Started over 150 years ago, Macy's has continually generated excellent returns for its shareholders and employees. Currently, in the midst of a global recession, Macy's has generated huge profits with same store sales increasing 5.3% year to date. In 2012 same store sales increased 4.6% in the month of February alone (Macy's Inc., 2012). In fact, throughout the duration of 2012, Macy's is projecting even larger profits for its underlying business operations. Even though Macy's has experienced success with both its assortments and brand, its competitors haven't faired so well. Sears, due in part to part to a lackluster holiday season, has been forced to close nearly 120 locations to generate excess liquidity in an effort to shore up its balance sheet (Isidore, 2011).Other competitors who cater specifically to the middle class consumer have also lost significant amounts of market share as consumers trade down due to the economy. This performance is primarily due to the core functions and operations of the business. Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Macy's excels at these forms of management, which has allowed the company to perform at a higher level relative to its peers in the industry.
Macy’s Inc. competes with other major players in the Department Store Retail Industry as well as with discounter, luxury stores, specialty stores, mail order and pure play internet retailers. Key competitors include Sears, J. C. Penny, Kohl’s, Nordstrom,
Not only was this an effect of the changes brought by the Internet, but also a step to compete with successful online retailers like Amazon. In the first year of online operations, Macy’s quarterly sales rose by 16% on its website. In the previous year, their online sales grew by 29% amidst a 7% drop in overall sales. Furthermore, industry estimates approximately its 2018 online sales to amount to $1billion. To better manage both online and offline channels, Macy’s must mix bricks and clicks.
Macy's is one of the premier retailer franchises within the United States. To begin, Macy's Inc. is one of the nation's largest and well known department store chains. Started over 150 years ago, Macy's has continually generated excellent returns for its shareholders and employees. Currently, in the midst of a global recession, Macy's has generated huge profits with same store sales increasing 5.3% year to date. In 2012 same store sales increased 4.6% in the month of February alone (Macy's Inc., 2012). In fact, throughout the duration of 2012, Macy's is projecting even larger profits for its underlying business operations. Even though Macy's has experienced success with both its assortments and brand, its competitors haven't faired so well. Sears, due in part to part to a lackluster holiday season, has been forced to close nearly 120 locations to generate excess liquidity in an effort to shore up its balance sheet (Isadora, 2011).Other competitors who cater specifically to the middle class consumer have also lost significant amounts of market share as consumers trade down due to the economy. Macy's, with its ride array of assortments and products continues to grow as it attempts to capture market share from failing competitors. Macy's is also unique as it operates in a unique market demographic. It is upscale, but not to the extent of Saks Fifth Avenue or a Nordstrom. It is also not as low scale as a JC Penny
Macy’s Inc. is one of the oldest enterprises in the United States, belonging to the department stores industry. (Hoovers.com) It is a national brand, owning 850 department stores. During the development of the company, there had several key decisions that were beneficial for the company. However, in recent years, the competitions in department stores industry become more and more serious.
Furthermore, they offer to the customer the experience to buy in a physical store, compared with Amazon that is one of the strongest competitor, there’s no doubt that the internet, and the mobile web in particular, have changed the way people shop, but there is strong evidence that consumers continue to value the experience of
“Macy’s is constantly drumming up consumer interest with another sale – I think they ran about 80 sales last year. They are well aware that the millennial customer looks for value in department stores. There were similar short duration sale events and other promotional efforts by J.C.Penney and