2025 JULY ISSUE
HOW RETAIL INDUSTRY IS
FARING UNDER THIS ADVERSE CLIMATE
Written by ANDREW SIA
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From the Desk of the Publisher
It all started with a video streaming through my mobile with the title: “Twelve Big Retailers Closing Down Stores All Over America.” I decided to look in-depth for a fuller report. Like I said, I don’t want to spread any pessimistic atmosphere to the industry, I have decided to expand the report to 54 companies. Adding the sustainability, adopting the artificial intelligence, creating community, and empowering our staff to build a better future have been the mission of this piece.
When I was developing the piece, I was very gloomy. But after I expanded from 12 retailers to 54 of them, it allowed me a bigger picture and I started to see the light. After a deeper thought, I found out that there are more rooms for changes and improvements. My heart has been lightened.
I hope that you will feel the same and please help me to put some of the suggestions to practice. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Introduction
This is a report that I have created after I have been inspired by a documentary I viewed from the YouTube, and it is telling how across the United States the booming retail giants are closing their doors for good. The show was revealing 12 major retailers closing hundreds of doors nationwide in 2025, from iconic department store chains to convenient stores, and discount outlets. Rising costs, mass layoffs, and online shopping have left America’s retail landscape on the brink of collapse. The scariest part is the instore theft in the U.S. has grown into a $112 billion crime a year. I have listed most of the players across every type of retail activities and increased the stores into fifty-four of them as they belong to those most significant ones that we are dealing almost every day.
We identified them under their different retail categories known as:
Major U.S. Department Stores
Macy’s – It is the best-known American department store and people remember its Thanksgiving Parade, holiday windows, and Herald Square flagship store. It is closing 65 stores this year. In 2015 Macy’s had 840 stores, but today only 450 remaining. Its sales drop from $25 billion to $17 billion. It lost 40%-foot traffic in 2019 to on-line browsing. Energy bill up 18%, rent 22%, and annually $300 million loss due to store theft. We are witnessing a retail retreat and when Macy’s is gone, many things come along with it as it was so important at one time.
Bloomingdale’s – Higher-end department store and luxury brand. It is owned by Macy’s. It has 31 full-line stores and employed around 2,500 people. Its flagship store at San Francisco (Union Square) has been closed because of the high crime-rate in San Francisco. It was Bloomingdale’s large full-line location. The store foot traffic is showing modest improvement in Q1 2025.
Nordstrom – Mid-to-upscale retailer known for customer service and fashion apparel. Nordstrom has 94 full line stores in the U.S. and Canada including other retail formats like Nordstrom Rack and Nordstrom Local.
Neiman Marcus – Luxury department stores chain focused on designer fashion and accessories. Neiman Marcus has 36 stores across the U.S. and 5 Neiman Marcus Last Call locations.
Saks Fifth Avenue – Its parent company Hudson’s Bay Company closed all its department stores across Canada on June 1, 2025. It is an era ended after 353 years in Canada. Sak’s Fifth Avenue was acquired by Hudson Bay Company in 2013. In 2024, Hudson Bay’s Company spun off Saks into a company called Saks Global in November. It included Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. These high-end luxury retail stores are under the new group. Saks Fifth Avenue has 41 stores in the U.S., Neiman Marcus has 36 stores and Bergdorf Goodman has only one store on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Dillard’s – Regional department store chain with a strong presence in the South and Midwest. Dillard’s operates 272 stores include 28 clearance centers across 30 states. Dillard’s is expanding its retail activities.
Belk – Southern-based regional department store is privately owned. Belk has nearly 300 stores which are primarily located in the Southeastern U.S.
JCPenney – Legacy chain targeting middle-class consumers but has a small footprint after bankruptcy. JCPenney is known as the wardrobe of America. At its primetime it had 1,100 stores, but today it has only approximately 650 stores and its store-traffic plunge 40% before pandemic level. Its bankruptcy and restructure don’t help. Its debts stand at $4 billion. Its net loss for the first quarter was $63 million, and last year for the same period was $17 billion. Closure of JCPenney store in the shopping mall is like killing the community and all the smaller business were closed as it had brought along the domino effect.
Kohl’s – Mid-range department store emphasizing value and private-label brands. Kohl’s is supposed to be the heartbeat of suburban America. Its known 30% discount is like the assurance to the customers that they are saving money by shopping there. In 2025, they closed 27 stores nationwide. It was used to be the department store of luxury and blending of the discount store’s convenience. The online shopping kills them as well as the inflation. Their customers are spending 25% less than their visit five years ago. They tried to add Sephora, rearrange store looks, and even tried small-format stores. But their stock value fell 40% since 2022. It is known that 65% of the customers have gone online and leave the stores empty.
Lord & Taylor – One of the oldest American department stores, now operating mainly online. Lord & Tailor filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and has no presence of any psychical store. The brand relaunched as an e-commerce online retailer in 2021, and it is still conducting business online.
Sears – At one time it was the largest retailer in the U.S., and it was even the largest in the world. But Sears lost the title in the 1980s and filed for bankruptcy in 2018. Its downfall was caused by a combination of factors, including the rise of the big-box stores, the online shopping, and its own strategic missteps like diversifying to other businesses instead of focusing on its retail operations. It began in the 19th century by using new postal services at the time to reach rural customers with a wide variety of goods. It successfully expanded into brick-and-mortar stores and was well-positioned to capitalize on the growth of suburban shopping malls after World War Two. It was known as the destination for shopping appliances. The rise of competitors like Walmart, Target, and other specialty stores eroded Sears’ market share. Then the company diverted resources into other ventures—real estate and financial services which ultimately weakened its retail operations. It loses to personalized customer service and after merging with Kmart in 2005, the combined company struggled with debt and declining sales which led to numerous store closures and bankruptcy in 2018. At its peak, Sears had 3,500 stores, combining both Sears and Kmart after the 2005 merger, but today Sears have only five stores left as of October 2025. Kmart was completely wiped out.
Discounters and Off-Price Department Stores
Target – It is a large, general merchandise retailer in the U.S., and it is also a trendy discount retailer known for selling a wide-range of products, from groceries and household essentials, and from apparel to electronics. It also features exclusive labels. Target is the seventh-largest retailer in the U.S. with stores in all 50 states. Target can be recognized by its bull-eye logo and the slogan, “Expect More, Pay Less.” It has 1,994 stores across all states.
TJ Maxx – It is an off-price retailer specializing in brand-name apparel and home goods. TJ Maxx stands for “Thermal Junction Maximum” which is a term used in electronics to describe the maximum safe temperature for a processor. It also owns Burlington, Ross, Marshalls, and HomeGoods. It buys new merchandise from manufacturers and retailers and sells it in store with new deliveries arriving several times a week to create constant change of goods. TJ Maxx has 1,388 stores in operation, the mother company, TJ Maxx Companies operate 5,085 stores globally.
Marshalls – It is the sister brand of TJ Maxx, also owned by TJ Maxx Companies. It is an off-price department store chain that sells brand-name clothing, shoes, and accessories and home goods at discounted prices. It creates a “treasure hunt” shopping experience and they have 1,000 stores in 49 U.S. states, and Puerto Rico, and over 60 stores in Canada.
Dollar General – It has 20,388 stores in the U.S., and it also has 358 stores in Mexico. Dollar General is known as the backbone of the small-town survival. Imagine a small town with only one diner, one gas station, and one store. It is known for its cheap convenience for average spending of $1.25 and now the rent, utilities, and food are beating the economy. And since 2022, wages up 22%, shipping up 18%, and the worst being the theft up 30%. But Dollar General is doing better financially showing positive sales growth and improving same-store sales, with its stock price performing well in 2025 despite recent challenges. However, analysts remain cautious due to market crowding and ongoing operational issues. It plans to open 575 new stores in this fiscal year. Concern is that too many dollar stores in a single area could create pressure on overall performance.
Ross Dress for Less – It is the largest off-price apparel home fashion chain in the U.S. Ross purchases large quantities of brand-name and designer merchandise from manufacturers and department stores as overstock at a low cost. Ross Dress for Less has 1,873 stores in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Together with its sister company, dd’s Discount, it operates 2,273 stores.
Burlington – It was known formerly as Burlington Coat Factory, and it is now dealing off-price apparel and accessories. The company started as a discount coat factory over 50 years ago in Burlington, New Jersey, and has since grown to over 1,000 stores nationwide. Its shares are publicly traded.
Big Lots – This American discount retail chain sells furniture, seasonal products, home goods, food, and accessories at discounts, but is losing its driving middleclass who is disappearing. Its bargaining customers have moved to Dollar General, Five Below, and Amazon. In late 2024, the company filed for bankruptcy and sold most of its assets to private equity firms which plans for reopening some stores under new ownership. The rest would be liquidated. It has reopened 219 Big Lots locations and planned to close its 800 other locations.
Five Below – A discount retail chain that sells a wide variety of products with most items priced between $1 and $5, although some sectors feature items that can cost more. The store offers items in several categories, including fashion accessories, home and room décor, electronics, toys, art supplies, and snacks. It is targeting tweens and teens, but also a wide range of customers. It is expected to close 40% of its locations. It is closing a dream for the affordable goods. As of August 2025, Five Below is operating 1,858 stores across 44 states.
Family Dollar – It is an American chain of general merchandise discount variety stores that sells a wide range of products from consumables to home goods, beauty products, and apparel. It was acquired by Dollar Tree in 2015 and sold to private equity forms in 2025. It operates 7,500 stores across the U.S.
Warehouse Club Retailers
Costco Wholesale – It is a membership-based warehouse club known for bulk goods, low margins, and strong private-label like Kirkland. It carries products like groceries, electronics, apparel, household items at very low price. It has also its instore pharmacy. Access to Costco is limited to members who pay an annual fee. Its business model is high sales volume, quick inventory turnover, and made possible by its large membership base and efficient warehouse operations. Costco has over 800 locations worldwide. It provides gasoline and tire installation.
Sam’s Club – It is another North American membership-only retail warehouse club owned by Walmart Inc. It was founded by Sam Walton in 1983, who is also the founder of Walmart. The operation sells bulk items to both individuals and small businesses at discounted prices. It is operating about 600 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. It provides gasoline and diesel.
BJ’s Wholesale Club – It is also a membership-only warehouse club chain. It sells a wide variety of products including groceries, electronics, and home goods in bulk quantities. It focuses on providing significant value through its membership fee and efficiency, no-frill stores. It also provides gasoline and tire installation. It has 278 BJ’s Wholesale Club locations with majority located along the East Coast. New York has 49 locations, followed by Florida for 44, and Massachusetts with 32.
Fashion Retailers
Forever 21 – Originally it was founded by two Korean couples in 1984 and faced financial challenges. It filed for bankruptcy in 2019 and again in 2025. It was known as the teenage temple dream; its instant fashion one time was the dreams of the young customers. At its peak it was operating 800 stores worldwide. In filed bankruptcy in 2019 and led into restructuring. It was acquired by Simon Property Group and Authentic Brands Group, but continue to challenge by a mix of inflation, competition, and cultural changes. At one time it was doing $4 billion business for products that barely last two washings. It filed for bankruptcy in March 2025 and was closing all its remaining 350 stores. The new plan is to operate no physical stores and instead continue as an e-commerce and wholesale brand. Online giants like Shein and Temu are offering the same look, faster, cheaper and straight from warehouses in China. Their bankruptcy and reopen was not successful. Their GenZ customers are not coming to the malls, instead they scroll TikTok and thrift malls. It is the collapsing of an entire generation’s shopping habit.
Gap – It is a classic American casualwear which includes Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Athleta. It is also a global apparel retail company that sells clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and children. Gap Inc. operates as an omnichannel retailer using both physical stores and digital channels to sell its products. It also carries products from third parties and has business in over 40 countries. It has approximately 3,500 stores globally, both operated by company, and other franchisees. According to its latest figures, it has around 2,500 company-operated stores and 1,000 franchise-operated stores.
American Eagle Outfitters – It is a youth-focused casual brand who also owns Aerie, which is an intimate brand. It operates two main brands—American Eagle and Aerie. It sells through its stores, concessions, and online. It is known for trendy and affordable. It operates 829 American Eagle stores, 318 Aerie stores in countries like the U.S., Canada, Mexico, China and Hong Kong. It also has an additional 300 international licensed locations.
Abercrombie & Fitch – It is a premium youth apparel, and now it is repositioning for adults. It is using a modernized, omnichannel strategy that is focusing on a consumer-centric approach, using social media, data analytics, and strategic brand repositioning. It is using influencer marketing on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. There are 789 stores worldwide.
Urban Outfitters – Lifestyle and trend retailer who owns Anthropologie, and Free People. It is targeting young adults with the mix of trendy apparel, accessories, footwear, beauty products, and home goods, including vintage clothing and vinyl records. It operates through physical stores, website, and other digital platforms. Urban Outfitters have 168 stores globally, especially in the U.S., Canada and Europe. A specific breakdown is showing 117 stores in the U.S., 17 stores in Canada, and 34 in the UK. Anthropology has 200 stores, and Free People has over 1,400 stores worldwide which include its own stores and its presence in department stores like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.
Express – It is a multi-brand American fashion retailer and is known for its fashionable work and yet casual-looking clothing. It is facing challenges in recent years, as it has filed for bankruptcy but continue to operate under new ownership and Express.js. It is operating its main Express brand, as well as Bonobos, and UpWest. Express operates 530 retail and factory outlet stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, plus a small number of stores in Mexico, and Central America. It has approximately 60 Bonobos and 12 UpWest stores.
Levi’s – It is a renowned denim and apparel brand with its own stores and wholesale presence. The company is still owned primarily by family members and public shareholders. Levi’s products are sold in approximately 50,000 retail locations across more than 110 countries, including about 3,400 branded stores and shop-in-shop. It is in department stores and mass merchants, such as Walmart and Target.
J. Crew – Classic American prep style, and it includes Madewell for denim and women’s fashion. J. Crew sells men’s women, and children’s apparel, shoes and accessories through its stores, website, and catalogs. Known for its classic, preppy, and timeless styles. It started in 1947 and was through its mail-order catalogs and later expanded into physical stores in late 1980s and early 1990s. It went through bankruptcy and the company is in its recovery phase. As of early 2025, J. Crew is operating over 100 retail shops in the U.S. It also operates J. Crew Factory and Madewell stores, and there are 330 J. Crew Factory stores and 150 Madewell stores across the U.S.
Victoria’s Secret – It is a lingerie and lifestyle retailer, also includes PINK for younger shoppers. Victoria’s Secret is an American retailer for women’s lingerie, sleepwear, athleisure, beauty products, including prestige fragrances. PINK used to be a lingerie and apparel line by Victoria’s Secret. It is targeting young women from teenagers (13-18) to younger adult women through their mid-twenties (18-25). Its most popular scent is Bombshell, which is a fruity-floral fragrance that combines purple passion fruit, peony, and vanilla orchid. It is its top seller, although it has 16 best Victoria’s Secret perfumes. Victoria’s Secret and PINK has a global footprint between 1,350 to 1,380 stores.
Athletic Fashion Retailers
Nike – It is the leading athletic brand with direct-to-consumer and concept stores. Nike is a global corporation that designs and markets athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment. Nike has 1,034 stores worldwide, with 380 of them in the U.S. It is also selling its products through wholesale from department stores and sporting goods stores.
Adidas – It is known as a global sportwear and lifestyle fashion retailer who started from Germany. It designs, manufactures, markets athletic and sportswear, including footwear, apparel, and sports accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the world. Adidas has a big global presence with 1,900 owned retail stores plus 15,000 franchise stores globally. In the U.S. there are 198 stores, and California has the most locations with 33 of them.
Lululemon – It is a Canadian multinational athletic apparel retailer that designs and sells technical athletic wear, accessories, for activities like yoga, running, and training. It is the athleisure leader in premium performance apparel. Lululemon operates 767 stores globally. The U.S. is its largest market. In the U.S. alone it has 475 stores.
Under Armour – It is an American sports apparel brand. Currently it is repositioning after its revenue decline. Under the Under Armour brand, it has 400 stores worldwide.
Puma – Another global sportswear brand mixing athletic and streetwear trends. Puma is another German multinational sportswear company and is a leading manufacturer of athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and sports accessories. Puma operates 120 stores in the U.S., and it operates with a mix of its own stores and partnership with retailers and franchise partners. Puma distributes its products in over 120 countries through its wholesale and retail network.
Convenience Store Chains
7-Eleven – Its opening of 24 hours as convenience store throughout America. But its revenue has dropped $1.4 million per store since 2020. Its challenges are primarily related to shrinking foot traffic and the need to improve its franchisee profitability. Per store labor cost is up 19% and insurance is triple the cost. Independent stores are losing $40,000 to $60,000 per year. The store closing is affecting community. Its store and the gas station next to each other is a convenience for Americans. It has started the 7NOW delivery service and expanding its private-label products. On top it has an environmental goal to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% by 2030 and work towards using sustainability packaging. 7-Eleven has over 85,000 stores worldwide in 19 countries, of which around 13,229 stores are in the U.S. and Canada. It is also the world’s largest franchises in terms of sales. It is owned by Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd., in Japan, with its headquarters in Tokyo. It operates a mix of corporate-owned, franchised and licensed stores globally.
Circle K – It is owned by Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard who operates over 9,000 U.S. locations which are often paired with gas stations.
Pharmacy Chains
CVS – It is the largest pharmacy by market share of 25% in the U.S. It has over 9,700 locations. It overtook Walgreens as the most popular drugstore retailer. CVS is still profitable although it is aiming to close 270 stores this year. It is fair to say that both CVS and Walgreens are facing many of the same core challenges in the retail pharmacy industry. There is this consistent loss of profit on profit margins for prescription medications which is largely due to the negotiation power of pharmacy benefit managers. Both are struggling to compete in the “front-of-store” retail segment against e-commerce giants like Amazon, or big-box retails like Walmart and Costco which can offer lower prices and greater product selection.
Walgreens – It is a major American retail pharmacy chain that sells prescription and over-the-counter drugs along with a wide variety of general merchandise, health, and beauty products. It has photo services inside the stores. Once 9,000 locations and the giant pharmacy across the U.S., is closing 1,200 locations over the next three years, with 500 of those closures are expected in this year. It lost $6 billion since 2023. The rising cost of labor by 20% and theft increase by 30% resulted many things locked behind shelves. But today’s young customers prefer digital deliveries. It is the second largest pharmacies in the U.S. with a market share of 18% by revenue.
Rite Aid – It has around 1,600 stores after a major downsizing and Chapter 11 restructuring in 2024-2025. It is under pressure of debt load and competition from CVS and Walgreens.
Super Market Chains
Walmart – It is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount stores, and grocery stores worldwide. Globally it has over 11,000 stores and operates in about 24 countries under 46 different banners. It also has a significant online presence through its websites and mobile apps. Walmart is known as the backbone of American chain stores with its 4,600 locations, 1.6 million workers and $600 billion sales. Its product categories cover pharmacy, health and wellness, clothing, shoes, and accessories, baby and kids, beauty products, home, gardening and tools, and electronics. In 2025, it is also closing stores for rising operating cost and store thefts that leads to low profits and unsafe operation. The theft has cost $3 billion annually to Walmart. Collapsing economy causes 8% loss in average ticket sales and 7% in price increase.
Amazon Fresh – It is a physical grocery stores that combine traditional grocery shopping with Amazon’s shopping technology. Amazon Fresh offer a wide selection of national and private-label brands, fresh food, meat, and prepared food. It combines with the Amazon Dash Cart technology and shoppers can buy groceries in the store or use the service for same-day delivery and pickup through Amazon Fresh website. But it is backing out from its venture in grocery quietly because of the rising cost, store theft, and razor-thin margin. Its tech innovation is not appealing to customers, and it lose competition to Kroger and the like. Its prices are normally 10% higher than Walmart. It is shifting from high-tech “just walk out” technology to traditional check. Amazon is focusing more on Whole Foods Market which they acquired in 2017 and expanding online grocery delivery while closing underperforming physical stores. There are 64 Amazon Fresh stores operating in the U.S.
Kroger – With its headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. It has 2,700 supermarkets under different banners—Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Fry’s, etc.
Whole Food Market – It is owned by Amazon. It is focusing on natural and organic food and operates about 530 stores in the U.S., Canaka and UK.
Aldi – It is a German discount grocer with more than 2,400 stores in the U.S.
Wegmans – It is an East Coast premium grocer with 110 stores famous for customer service and in-store dining.
Trader Joe’s – Specialty grocery chain known for private-label foods with 560 stores nationwide.
Auto Parts Retailers
AutoZone – With its headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. It has 6,300 stores in the U.S., and over 700 in Mexico, Brazil and other countries. It serves as professional repair shops. It has a DIY customer base to face EV-related challenges but offsetting with diagnostic tools and battery sales.
Advance Auto Parts – It is showing signs of improvement with its third quarter 2025 results which included a 3% increase in comparable store sales and an adjusted operating income margin of 4.4%. It raised $1.95 billion in senior notes to improve its liquidity and strengthen its balance sheet. It has 4,065 corporate-owned stores in the U.S. and additional locations in Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as of late 2025. Once had 4,800 stores for people to self-fix their cars. In 2025, it closed approximately 523 stores and 200 independently owned stores to streamline operations. Its business is losing to the EVs, who has only one-fifth as many moving parts as a gasoline car—fewer belts, filters, spark plugs, and oil changes—drastically reducing aftermarket demand. Customers also move online for parts, and they lost 60% of their regular business. Operating profit drops 45% year-on-year. Per square foot sales drop from $170 to $120 compared with five years ago. They lost their business also to Amazon who is 25% less expensive. Modern cars are far more sophisticatedly and digitally designed leaving little room for the hands-on repairs that once defined American garages. It is no longer done by “repair yourself” but by replacing car-parts. It is closing a chapter of America’s independence. What comes along are also the losing of jobs for those mechanics.
O’Reilly Auto Parts – Headquarters is in Springfield, Missouri. With 6,200 stores presence in the U.S. and growth into Canada and Mexico. It is serving DIY and professional customers. It has excellent logistics, consistent sales growth, and strong profitability compared to competitors.
Napa Auto Parts – Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Its 6,000 NAPA Auto Parts Stores in the U.S. are mostly independent owned. Its wholesale distribution network supply those professional garages and has deep relationships with repair shops and individual customers.
Pep Boys – Headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It has 900 locations mixed with service centers and retail. It covers from selling spare parts, to auto service and repair, to tire replacement, oil changes, and maintenance.
Consumer Electronics
Best Buy – It sells a wide range of products, including computers, mobile phones, appliances, and entertainment systems. It is the largest specialty retailer in the U.S. consumer electronics market with over 1,050 stores across the country. Best Buy used to be the tech temple, and Americans were used to change TV every three years, but it is now every ten years. For laptop it was six years, and now much longer. The upgrade cycle is dead which resulted its closing of stores. Its revenue in 2021 was $2.4 billion, and it is now barely $1 billion. Foot traffic is down 35% compared with 2019. Apple and Amazon took over the sales. And Apple in the U.S. is doing 38% direct sales from their own stores. Samsung and Sony are selling direct as well. The retail crime rate is costing $50 million to the business.
Apple Stores – With its head quarter in Cupertino, California, Apple has 270 retail stores in the U.S. and 500 globally. The Apple Stores are used for direct sales of Apple devices, accessories, services, and trainings. Because it is blended with high-end retail and brand experience, Apple Store has the most profitable retail footprint per square foot in the world.
Summarizing the Aforesaid
We can refer to the following for what we have demonstrated earlier on. We can go through them as the summary:
Major U.S. Department Stores – Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s, Belk, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Lord & Taylor, Sears (6 main focuses out 10)
Discounters and Off-Price Department Stores – Target, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Dollar General, Ross Dress for Less, Burlington, Big Lots, Five Below, Family Dollar (2 main focuses out of 9)
Warehouse Club Retailers – Costco Wholesale, Sam’s Club, BJ’s Warehouse Club (3)
Fashion Retailers – Forever 21, Gap, American Eagle Outfitters, Abercrombie & Fitch, Urban Outfitters, Express, Levi’s, J. Crew, Victoria’s Secret (1 focus out of 8)
Athletic Fashion Retailers – Nike, Adidas, Lululemon, Under Armour, Puma (5)
Convenience Store Chains – 7-Eleven, Circle K (1 focus out of 2)
Pharmacy Chains – CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid (2 main focuses out of 3)
Super Market Chains – Walmart, Amazon Fresh, Kroger, Whole Food Market, Aldi, Wegmans, Trader Joe’s (2 main focuses out of 7)
Auto Parts Retailers – AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Napa Auto Parts, Pep Boys (1 focus out of 5)
Consumer Electronics – Best Buy, Apple Store (1 focus out of 2)
Total we have listed 54 companies, and we have focused 16 of those companies. They are covering many sectors of retail activities in our society, and we know that they all have big challenges ahead of them. They need to deal with so many challenges in these days, be it the tariffs, inflation, government shutdown, supply chain, geopolitical, the government policies, and we can go on and on.
No one is in a comfortable position but to wake up the next morning with more unexpected problems.
We want to change the attitude as there is no need to spread a skepticism and pessimistic atmosphere. We would want to take another approach in order to turn all these into a more positive and encouraging tone. We have decided to look at the things in a more in-depth thinking.
We are quoting only the three key retail sectors, and we can refer to them as the following:
For the Department Stores – While the headwinds remain strong, the ability of the U.S. retailers to reinvent themselves has always been a defining trait. From embracing digital commerce to reimagining what value means for consumers can always be more helpful. Investing in omnichannel experiences by integrating online and in-store shopping would bring more excitement. Adding coffee shops and dining can create another level of lifestyle under the store ambience.
For the Discounter Retailers – Focusing on value-conscious consumers by keeping the products more dynamic and think-out-of -the box for what can add thrill to the publics.
Fashion Retailers – Leaning more towards sustainability and ethical sourcing to appeal to younger generation. Use the QR code to tell the story of the product’s background. We need to have a transparent approach and another experience for everyone to take part.
Approach that we should take:
Digital Transformation – We have noticed that everything is artificial intelligent (AI) driven nowadays. We have to make use of AI capabilities and combine the traditional retail practice and accelerate e-commerce and strengthen ourselves in digital ecosystems. Using of the AI-driven personalization, virtual try-ons, and data analytics can help us to understand our customers better.
We have to embrace technology, which is not a disruptor, but a bridge between retailers and our customers that are offering precision, personalization, and possibilities, in areas that didn’t exist a decade ago. We have to take this as a transformation.
Sustainability and Social Responsibility – Most brands have developed the mindset on sustainability packaging, circular fashion, and ethical supply chains. Embracing sustainability is no longer just a marketing tactic, but something that we have to put in our daily practice. Use the QR code to communicate with the customers to proof to them that it is in the store’s DNA now. It is the only way to go in today’s business climate situation.
Community and Collaboration – We realized that many of the retailers are regional, and not everyone is national or even international. We have to create local partnership and community-centered initiatives in order to stay close and relevant to the communities. Emphasizing employee empowerment, retaining, and create higher positions for promotions, and inclusivity as part of the rebuilding the corporations to the higher level. We need to foster a culture of empowerment and inclusivity within the company by prioritizing employee growth through training, promotion opportunities, and thorough practices.
It is the employees’ goal to sell products, but more important that it is about serving the people. Successful brands should embrace the power of community, empathy, and collaboration. Important to start internally first as there is the saying: “Charity begins at home”
Conclusion
Despite today’s turbulence, the retail industry continues to stand as one of the most adaptive sectors of the economy. Its story is not about the decline, but of evolution. Each crisis brings with it a chance to redefine what service, innovation, and the true value. Those companies who can change will flourish by pairing innovation with human connection, deliver value to every customer and use strategy to resonate with today’s consumers.
It is true that we are facing supply chain upheaval, shifting of customer habits, inflationary pressures, regulatory uncertainty, it also allows us the change to reinvent ourselves. Whether it is omni-channel retailing, sustainable sourcing, experimental storefronts, or agile micro-fulfillment models, this momentum is building for a new generation of retail leadership in a new retail landscape.
This change is more important than before as we have grown wiser and more demanding because we need to connect communities, recreating purposeful value, and drive consistent employment and innovation across the economy. As one of the largest private-sector employers, the industry holds a power place.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the U.S. retail industry supported around 55 million full-time and part-time jobs in 2022, which accounted for approximately 26% of the total U.S. employment. This is a very important factor to consider.
We can refer to the YouTube that I mentioned earlier as the title of “Twelve Big Retailers Closing Down Stores All Over America,” and the link as the following:
https://youtu.be/XyLILRK4lKg?si=Wkxi4Sha4q7IK6wr
Please note that I have “proofread” it and came up with a full report which I hope can be more informative and can bring more positivity to the matter.