Number Crunch

€9,000, or $10,950: That’s how much it costs to purchase 1,000 fake Amazon reviews from AMZTigers, one of a number of “review manipulation services” that boost the ratings and sales of third-party merchants on Amazon, according to an investigation by consumer rights group Which, per Business Insider. That’s the bulk pricing — if all you’re looking for is a single fake review, it’ll run you €15 (about $18).

Most merchants who use this service seem to be purchasing positive reviews, but they could conceivably purchase one-star reviews in bulk with the aim of taking down a competitor.

All of this…

Off Brand

The recent Texas weather disaster and subsequent energy grid meltdown left many losers in its wake: residents, power companies, government regulators, and Ted Cruz. But the tragedy also produced at least one clear and unabashed winner: H-E-B, a 116-year-old, family-owned regional grocery chain based in San Antonio and already popular throughout much of the state.

At a moment when Mother Nature offered peril and institutions seemed helpless to respond, the mainstream grocer was open for business with stocked shelves, serving as an anchor of basic competence — and received glowing coverage for doing its job. It’s a halo effect most…

The $99 billion pet-retail economy is booming, thanks to a surge in pandemic puppies and kittens: Chewy’s shares have more than doubled since the start of the year, Petco rebranded itself as a health and wellness company ahead of its IPO, and dog-supplies startup, BarkBox, recently announced it would go public in a $1.6 billion deal.

As Minyoung Lee wrote in The Bold Italic, the majority of America’s pet parents are millennials who find comfort and stability in their “fur children” after experiencing a series of economic setbacks. “We own less than 5% of the country’s wealth, starting our adult…

E-commerce is on a tear, which means shipping is too. In the six months ending August 31, ground deliveries by FedEx surged 20% from the same period a year ago. UPS is so overwhelmed that on Monday it actually imposed a quota on six big retailers — Gap, L.L. Bean, and Nike among them — limiting how much they’re allowed to ship during the holiday.

But this is not just a shipping boom — it’s a war. Amazon, the creator of one- and two-day delivery of everything from groceries to books and furniture, is now out to dominate shipping too…

In 1957, Joe Coulombe knew nothing about the grocery industry. He was 27 years old and had never taken a course in retail. He had never operated a cash register, waited on a customer, or filled out a purchase order for a wholesaler. He had no particular interest in food and cultivated such a rarified wine palate that he preferred to sip on Paul Mason Cooking Sherry to relax.

He was however a recent Stanford Business grad who had been hired by the Rexall Drug Company to revive its failing Owl Drug chain. As part of this process, Joe discovered…

Back in August, as retailers started trying to figure out how to lure back shoppers with the first round of Covid-19 shutdowns (mostly) lifted, off-price chains like T.J. Maxx, Ross, and Burlington stood out for one key reason: their reluctance to make a serious pivot to e-commerce. That’s partly because the name brand suppliers don’t want their super-discounted wares so easily found, and partly because off-price shoppers prefer the in-person “treasure hunt” experience. Among those discounters, T.J. Maxx had the most built-out digital store, but it was distinctly limited and accounted for only 2% of sales.

So it’s notable that…

Things are looking rather rosy for the outdoor gear manufacturer best known for its cult classic $200 roadie cooler and highly profitable insulated tumbler. In its latest earnings report last week, the Austin-based company reported revenues were up by 29%, to $295 million — 13% higher than what analysts had forecast. Over the past 12 months, the company surpassed $1 billion in sales. Yeti’s “improbable comeback,” as Cheryl Wischhover wrote in Marker last month, reveals how stir-crazy consumers, worn down by sheltering in place at home, sparked a boom in road trips and outdoor activities, in turn benefiting companies like…

Number of the Day

$30,000: That’s how much it could cost to buy barricades, upgrade security cameras, and take other steps to prepare a single store for potential unrest on and after Election Day, according to Bloomberg, citing an estimate from the facility management platform ServiceChannel. Major retailers from Tiffany to Nordstrom are taking steps to protect against possible election-related turmoil, in some cases boarding up stores, or preparing to do so quickly, on the nation’s most famous shopping stretches.

The 2020 election has seen unprecedented speculation about protests and even violence. And according to the New York Times, retailers have already endured an…