It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week, and what we’re still thinking about.
From Birkenstock opening its seventh U.S. store to a candle that smells like KFC’s fried chicken, here’s our closeout for the week.
What you may have missed
Stitch Fix rolls out ‘Stylist Profiles’ to boost customer experience
While other retailers are scrambling to boast about their AI prowess, apparel box retailer Stitch Fix has been slow-launching a new feature, “Stylist Profiles,” that provides details on the humans involved with curating the apparel and accessories in each box.
Customers can now see their stylists’ first name, photo and how many Fixes they’ve curated, along with fun facts, specialties or, in coming weeks, client testimonials. Elements of the new feature have rolled out incrementally over the last quarter to see what resonates, per a Stitch Fix spokesperson.
Warning analysts that “transformations take time,” CEO Matt Baer in September said such changes to the customer experience had already begun to pay off, but that the company would need a couple of years to return to growth.
Lands’ End spotlights personalization
Lands’ End this month opened a holiday concept shop in New York City that focuses on personalization. The store highlights the company’s Canvas Pocket Tote, and allows shoppers to make it their own with on-site embroidery, hand painted calligraphy and an assortment of patches, ribbons and pins.
The Lands’ End Crosby Street Market is open through Sunday.
Birkenstock chooses Boston’s Newbury Street for seventh U.S. store
Birkenstock this week announced the opening of its seventh U.S. store, which is located on Boston’s popular Newbury Street and coincides with the brand’s 250th anniversary, according to a company press release. The location, which offers a full range of clogs, sandals, sneakers, boots and socks, joins the brand’s other U.S. storefronts in New York, California, Florida and Texas.
"Opening our seventh retail store in the namesake city of our iconic Boston clog is a particularly special moment for the brand," David Kahan, president of Birkenstock Americas, said in a statement. "Boston's rich history and contemporary energy perfectly align with Birkenstock’s values of tradition and innovation."
The footwear brand collaborated with artist Kevin Mirsky on exclusive artwork for a limited-time offering of tote bags and stickers at the location, and is rolling out a community campaign shot by local photographer Steph Larsen. “The Boston in Boston” captures Bostonians wearing Birkenstock’s Boston clog and “celebrates the unique character of Boston and its community.”
The store’s interior features cork, felt and leather, which are key materials in Birkenstock’s manufacturing, as well as a brand history section showcasing artifacts from the company’s archives. The store will also sell a new Birkenstock Care Essentials collection, which includes balms, oils and other products.
Retail therapy
A finger lickin’ good holiday
Nothing quite says the holidays like a cracking fireplace, friends and family gathered together, and the scent of freshly fried chicken wafting through the air. At least KFC would like to think so.
The fast-food chain recently announced two “finger lickin’ good” partnerships to help customers check some items off their holiday gift lists. For the homebody that loves to cozy up to the smell of a comforting meal, KFC partnered with Homesick Candles to bring home the restaurant’s most-famous scents. The pair is offering a Bucket of Chicken Candle, Buttery Biscuit Candle and Bucket of Chicken Car Freshener, available to purchase on both KFC’s and Homesick’s websites.
But if that’s not enough, KFC cooked up another partnership, this one with Build-a-Bear, to launch a limited-edition collection that includes a KFC Bucket Costume and KFC Pajama Outfit for stuffed animals, as well as a “KFC Plush Chicken Wristie” that the stuffed animal can wear.
The Build-a-Bear and KFC collection launched Thursday online and in select stores. ‘Tis always the season for fried chicken.
Break me off a piece of that Santa Claus?
The Hershey Company on Monday announced its first ever seasnal Kit Kat shape, Kit Kat Santas.
To celebrate the release, Kit Kat teamed up with Simon Property Group and enlisted Santa Claus himself for a traditional mall photo experience that includes a free Kit Kat Santa for those on his “Nice List.” The Kit Kat Santa Photo Experience will take place Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 at the Roosevelt Field Mall in New York, the Woodfield Mall in Illinois and the Brea Mall in California.
The limited-edition, Santa-shaped candy is now available nationwide at retailers in 8.85 ounce snack-size bags.
What we’re still thinking about
12%
That’s how much net income dropped in Shoe Carnival’s third quarter, coming in at $19.2 million compared to $21.9 million in the year-ago quarter. Net sales were $307 million, down 4% for the quarter, while comparable sales declined 4.1% year over year.
CEO Mark Worden pointed to two hurricanes that disrupted the quarter and a warm October that delayed the start of the company’s winter boot season.
Shoe Carnival lowered its guidance, now expecting net sales to be between $1.2 billion to $1.23 billion versus prior guidance of between $1.23 billion and $1.25 billion.
$5 billion+
That’s how much Ōura — the company behind the Oura Ring — is valued at following a $75 million strategic investment from Dexcom.
The two companies have formed a strategic partnership to bring together Dexcom’s glucose data with Ōura’s data on stress, vital signs, sleep, activity and heart health, according to a Tuesday press release.
“Ninety-seven percent of Oura Members have expressed interest in understanding how the food they eat impacts their health,” Tom Hale, Ōura CEO, said in a statement. “This partnership with Dexcom will enable us to empower our members to make informed decisions and adjust behaviors to positively impact their biometrics and long-term health. Working together, Ōura and Dexcom will help members decide what and when to eat by surfacing correlations between activities like sleep and exercise and members’ glucose levels. And because we know that people are affected differently by the same foods and activities, guidance and insights will be personalized.”
What we’re watching
Retail’s response to the reversal of the DOL’s overtime rule
A federal judge on Nov. 15 struck down a recently expanded overtime rule, which changed the threshold of overtime pay from $35,568 to $43,888, and would have raised it further in 2025. As a result, the roughly $35,000 threshold is now back in effect. According to the National Retail Federation, the rule may have impacted roughly 7.2 million workers had it taken effect.
Retail trade organizations were quick to react, with the Retail Industry Leaders Association saying in comments shortly after that the industry was “relieved” with the court’s decision to block the overtime rule, calling it “an overzealous and unreasonable approach from the start that ignored the realities of today’s economy and the law.”
The rule would have “created an unworkable standard,” according to RILA, which said retailers remain advocates for workforce policy that favors flexibility and job growth. The NRF likewise chimed in to support the move, saying the rule exceeded the Department of Labor’s legal authority and would have “curtailed retailers’ ability to offer the most flexible, generous and tailored benefits packages to lower-level exempt employees across the industry.”
“NRF opposed these rules from the outset,” Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French said in a statement. “They would have forced employers to reexamine compensation packages for millions of workers nationwide. Had the rule taken effect, some workers would have lost the status of a managerial position, valuable educational and training experiences, the capability to travel on the employer’s behalf, and/or flexibility as to when, how and where they work.”
