Bloomberg.com video published Nov 20, 2017: E-commerce has chipped away at the market share of storied retailers like Macy's, Sears, and JC Penney, but it's hardly the only reason the future for these stores looks bleak. Bloomberg Gadfly's Sarah Halzack explains what department stores are up against, and how they might revive themselves before it's too late.
One Retailer's Strategy: Target’s Plan to Win Big This Holiday Season
Target (domain: target.com) offers free shipping beginning November 1st, and most of its holiday assortment will be priced at under $15. Fortune.com video above published Oct 23, 2017.
Department store sales, which peaked in 2001, have been crushed by e-commerce. 16 years of inflation and population growth notwithstanding, department-store sales have fallen by 35%.
Brick-and-mortar sectors that are still considered “online-proof” or “e-commerce resistant”:
- New- and used-vehicle dealers and auto-parts retailers: 21% of total retail sales.
- Grocery and beverage stores: 12.6% of total retail sales.
- Gasoline stations: 8% of total retail sales.
- Restaurants and bars: 12% of total retail sales
Total of above: 54% of all retail sales.Everybody else is "at risk."
See also: Amazon discounts other sellers' products as retail competition stiffens | Reuters.com.
