T.J. Maxx Didn’t Need E-Commerce to Survive the Pandemic—Until It Did
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 parent company TJX is introducing an online sales platform for its houseware chain HomeGoods in 2021, according to The Wall Street Journal. Company CEO Ernie Herman chalks this up to consumers’ lingering reluctance to visit stores as often as they used to, and says the digital option aims to “satisfy our customer base and attract new shoppers.” Still, the company isn’t changing its long-term bet: “Not everybody wants to buy their apparel even online,” Herman says. “They don’t always want to buy a sofa, a chair, an accessory item. They want to feel the fabric.”
