Kindle to Go ‘Mass Market’

Does anyone believe that the company was not spooked by the iPad launch and now has to go mass market just to keep its relevancy?

Nike Strikes Deal Over Honduran Workers Bottom of Form

NKE was pressured into providing benefits to laid off employees of a factory that it did not even own. Yikes! Will this set a precedent?

Earnings Streak Defies Consumer Fears

Q2 earnings are not at risk. It’s Q3 and beyond. Pay attention to the comments from Masco Corp.

Congress Passes Tariff Bill

Trade groups want more comprehensive tariff relief via the Affordable Footwear Act. That could be a major win for the shoe retailers.

American Apparel Loses Auditor

You mean to tell me that the folks at Deloitte did not see this coming? Their association with APP says all you need to know about Deloitte.

Gap Brand’s Creative Director Exits

Sources suggest that Dennis Leggett was “frustrated working at Gap.” Maybe Mr. Murphy and investors were frustrated at him for being part of 14 years of a brand in decline.

Buckle Seen Hurt by Promotional Climate

MKM analyst Linda Tsai claims June’s disappointing comps were a function of hot weather. Margaret Whitfield at Sterne Agee suggests that comps will rebound when the comparisons get easier. Both are clueless and reflective of their lack of understanding of the company’s underlying business model. The end of the “bling” trend is hurting sales versus LY.

Penney’s Unveils Exclusive Claiborne Line

Will this launch be as much of a disappointment as the American Living launch?

American Eagle Blames IBM as Website Down For Third Day

AEO’s web sales were already a major disappointment versus its peers this year. Now this!

Inflation Could Return To the World of Fashion

We’ll say it again. If product cost inflation comes anywhere close to these projections, 90% of retail EPS projections for next year are much too high.

Zumiez May Bid for Action Sport Retailer West 49

ZUMZ issued a press release later in the week suggesting that it was not moving forward with the transaction due to “not being able to reach an agreement with West 49 on the terms of the due diligence process.” It’s rare when companies essentially agree on the price, but can’t seem to agree on the due diligence process.

McDonald’s Smoothie Launch May Juice Up Entire Category

Howard Schultz of SBUX claimed almost a year ago that MCD’s entry into the premium coffee arena actually boosted demand for premium coffee in general. Yet, the driver of SBUX’s comp store sales in the U.S. over the past two quarters has been average ticket, not transaction growth (transaction growth was -2% over the past two years last quarter). Without any real scientific proof to support Mr. Schultz’s claim of increased interest in premium coffee, are purveyors of smoothies (e.g. JMBA) incorrectly believing a top-line boost is on the way.

Teen Retailers Embrace Small Fries

It’s funny how retailers that just two years ago so ardently believed in the ability to attract an older customer (and failed miserably… Ruehl, M+O, JimmyZ) now believe that they can go downstream and build a kids business. We’ve seen this movie before. Good luck with that.

Tug-of-War in Apparel World

Yikes! +15% to +20% sourcing costs in FY 2011? While this estimate is likely a bit too high, anything close to this estimate suggestive that today’s earnings estimates for the retail sector in FY 2011 are materially too high.

BTS Sales Seen Rising 5.4%

Remember these BTS spending estimates from ICSC Chief Economist Michael Niemara. He thinks we’re going to see a +7.6% rise in July, +5.7% growth in August, and +3.0% growth in September. These estimates are much too high.

Mickey Drexler: Retail Therapist

Interesting article on one of retailing’s icons.

Asda Reins In Price Strategy

Not only is the chain struggling, but wait until WMT converts those weak sales into U.S. Dollars.

Three Different Mobile Strategies

Traditional forms of retailing are changing, helped in one case by the Ipad.

Millennials All About Mobile

Every retail CEO needs to be asked what they’re doing in the social media arena.

Chico’s Sues Caché

Can you say… Catfight!