All articles tagged with #retailers
Costco has raised prices on its Kirkland motor oil and imposed weekly purchase limits as crude oil prices rise, signaling tighter margins for motor oil even as diesel and gasoline demand remains strong.
Labor Day closures include government offices, post offices, courts, and schools; banks and the stock market are closed; Costco is closed, but most national retailers and grocers stay open with promotions. Travel costs are higher, with flights and hotels up, while cruises are cheaper; AAA advises checking weather and prepping your vehicle for trips.
Retailers say men’s footwear is expanding beyond sneakers, with strong demand for low-profile sneakers and loafers for Fall 2026, plus hiking boots for fall/winter and dressier silhouettes. For Spring 2027, buyers expect opera pumps, refined slip-ons, and a continued convergence of performance and fashion across casual and dressy looks, driven by brands like John Lobb, Adidas, Nike, Salomon, On and Birkenstock and retailers including Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, Urban Outfitters, Macy’s and Mr Porter.
U.S. tariff refunds totaling more than $100 billion are being issued to major retailers after a Supreme Court ruling, with Walmart (~$2.9B), Target (~$994M), and Amazon (~$600M) among recipients. Retailers are using the funds to lower prices, improve margins, or fund marketing; Home Depot (~$730M) offset rising costs, while Lowe’s (~$80M) is still evaluating uses. Analysts call the situation a “wild card” amid ongoing trade-policy uncertainty, and Fitch cautions that consumers may perceive tariffs as having driven higher prices.
U.S. tariff refunds total about $100 billion have largely gone to importers and shippers, not to consumers who paid higher prices. Retailers such as Walmart (about $2.9B), Apple (~$2.2B), Target, Ford, Home Depot, Nike, and Amazon disclosed large refunds and some plan to lower prices or offset costs, but it’s unclear how much—if any—will reach shoppers. Pricing is influenced by many factors beyond tariffs, making the “refund” impact murky. Analysts estimate only about 15%–20% of refunds will be passed back to consumers. Smaller businesses faced losses that refunds didn’t fully cover, underscoring that tariff windfalls largely benefit companies, while consumer relief remains limited.
Global shares were mixed ahead of a retailer‑heavy week, as investors await earnings from major chains and data on the consumer mood amid inflation and rate expectations, watching how Walmart, Lowe’s and other retailers guide expectations for demand and profits.
A Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños grown in Sinaloa, Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors has sickened 345 people across 27 states, prompting recalls of Taylor Fresh Foods products sold at Hannaford, Kroger, Stop & Shop, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Whole Foods and more; 36 hospitalizations have been reported, with illnesses dating from June 19 to July 20, 2026. The FDA urges consumers not to eat, sell, or serve the recalled items and to discard them; Taylor Fresh Foods has ceased sourcing from the implicated supplier.
Rising memory-chip costs driven by AI data-center demand are expected to push RAM prices higher and slow PC and smartphone shipments in 2026, with Apple already raising prices for Macs and iPads and retailers like Best Buy signaling potential margin pressure as suppliers pass along higher costs; Gartner projects PC prices up about 17% and smartphone prices up about 13%, while shipments could fall roughly 10% for PCs and 8% for smartphones, though the consumer impact may be gradual.
Storefront pages for Grand Theft Auto VI went live ahead of the June 25 pre-order date, with major retailers hosting placeholder listings that show no prices or buy options yet. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions are set for November 19, while a native PC release remains omitted for the initial rollout. The move aims to capture search traffic and prevent server strain as Take-Two launches its marketing push amid talk of an $80 base price.
GTA 6 pre-orders aren’t live yet, but retailers are already building placeholder pre-order pages, with MediaMarkt (Germany) posting a teaser page on June 22. No prices, editions, or buy buttons are visible yet; full listings with prices will appear when Rockstar and Take-Two green-light the official drop around June 25. Placeholder pages help drive search traffic and wishlist adds but can leak pricing or details early, so don’t enter payment info until the official pages go live.
Memorial Day 2026 will see closures for nonessential federal and local government offices, post offices and major mail services, schools, the stock market, and major banks, while many big retailers including Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Meijer, Kroger, Walgreens, CVS, Dollar General and Dollar Tree are open (Aldi has limited hours) as Michigan marks the holiday.
CBS MoneyWatch outlines Memorial Day 2026 hours: Target and Walmart will be open during regular hours; Costco warehouses will be closed. A broad list of retailers and fast-food chains (including Applebee’s, Burger King, CVS Pharmacy, Chick‑fil‑A, Dollar General, Home Depot, HomeGoods, Homesense, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Marshalls, Michael’s, Petco, Sierra, TJ Maxx, and more) are open. Open grocery options include ALDI, Food Lion, Kroger, Stop & Shop, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, and Whole Foods. Non-essential government offices and post offices are closed; some UPS retail locations may be closed, and FedEx will have modified hours. The stock market will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.
The government is reportedly pressing supermarkets to voluntarily cap prices on staples (eggs, bread, milk) in return for deregulation, including eased packaging rules and delaying healthy-food rule changes; the plan has drawn criticism from retailers and industry groups, while Scotland's SNP pursues a similar policy and full details are awaited from the Treasury.
At an NYU lecture, Reggie Fils-Aimé claimed an Amazon executive pressured Nintendo in the late 2000s to break the law to secure the lowest prices; Nintendo declined and stopped selling to Amazon to protect retailer relationships, a stance dating back to the DS era amid Amazon’s rocky foray into gaming.
Consumer Reports’ survey ranks Abt Electronics as the top large-appliance retailer, outperforming Costco, Home Depot, and Lowe’s in selection, customer service, delivery and installation options, and pricing, with a standout in-store atmosphere and a distinctive showroom experience.