Household Goods/Hardware Stores

After years of declining sales, Bed Bath & Beyond is facing an existential crisis. WSJ’s Suzanne Kapner explains why the company has fallen on hard times and looks forward to what’s next for the veteran retailer. Photo Illustration: Laura Kammermann/WSJ…

Employers are losing their patience with empty desks in the office. Companies including investment giant Vanguard Group, workplace technology company Paycom Software Inc. and others have sent directives to employees in recent weeks, urging workers to follow existing hybrid schedules or to come into the office on additional days in 2023, according to internal memos viewed by The Wall Street Journal and interviews with employees. In some cases, bosses have told those who fail to comply that they could…

If brands next year flood social media with computer simulations of A-list endorsers, for example, remember this year’s marketing videos starring deepfakes of Elon Musk and Tom Cruise. Our report on deepfakes was the most-read CMO Today story in 2022.  Other widely read articles by CMO Today covered big shifts in brands’ marketing strategies, efforts to improve customer experiences and the growing use of AI in marketing, which is poised to spread even further in the new year. …

Some employers racing to snap up workers in the tight labor market are omitting a step once considered crucial to hiring: the job interview. United Parcel Service Inc. has bulked up its staff without conducting job interviews for package handlers and seasonal drivers. Home Depot Inc. has sent job offers as quickly as 24 hours after candidates apply, in some cases eliminating the interview process. Gap Inc. has dropped job interviews…

Costco’s store results varied regionally, with sales up more in the U.S. than in Canada. Photo: frederic j. brown/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images…

More retailers are packing up goods in stores for delivering e-commerce orders as they look to speed up shipments, streamline inventory and make more use of their bricks-and-mortar sites.  Beauty goods retailer Ulta Beauty Inc., department store chain Macy’s Inc. and apparel seller Tilly’s Inc. are among those expanding their store fulfillment, joining merchants such as Best Buy Co. and…

While many retailers are discounting, canceling orders and otherwise scrambling to get rid of a glut of goods filling their stores and warehouses, some are embracing their higher inventory levels. Merchants including Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc., Lowe’s Cos. and Walmart Inc. say the rising stocks signal a recovery from last year’s shortages driven by supply-chain disruptions and put them in a strong position to take advantage of consumer demand…

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. BBBY 4.88% is gearing up for what could be a make-or-break holiday season as the company struggles to keep its stores stocked and win back shoppers.More than 40% of the retailer’s products were out of stock in October, according to DataWeave Inc., an analytics company that tracked online availability of 150,000 items. That is nearly twice the level it was in the first half of the year, DataWeave said.  Jesse Acosta…

Best Buy Co. and Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. reported mixed quarterly results but said sales wouldn’t fall as much as previously expected, signs that consumers are feeling the pinch of high inflation but still buying some electronics and sporting goods. Best Buy said profits fell and comparable sales dropped 10.4% in its third quarter, but the results weren’t as bad as investors had feared. The company slightly raised its sales target for the fiscal year…

Easing supply-chain pressures mean American consumers can look forward to their first normal holiday season in three years, industry executives and analysts say. They project full store shelves—and even deals—as retailers work through gluts in product categories from toys to furniture.“The script has been flipped,” said Steve Pasierb, president of manufacturing group The Toy Association. “From a supply-chain standpoint, it’s the opposite of last year.”…