Repositioning

Macy’s, according to this article, is entering a make-or-break Christmas selling season. The store has been discounting to compete with Amazon, but it would like to re-position itself as a taste-maker, a leading-edge retailer that has gifts and clothing people want and are willing to pay full price to buy. It’s a tough road for a retailer to take. Department stores as a class have faded in the American consumer’s mind and habits. Getting them excited to return to a store and brave crowds is a tall task. It is too early to predict whether Macy’s strategy will work. But, once one has learned to shop online and compare goods and prices, it becomes harder to pick through racks and shelves. Macy’s is not attempting to compete with Amazon, which has everything, but to feature the one or two best products of a type and the right clothing at the proper price point. It will take savvy buyers to pull this off and creative merchandising. One wishes the chain good luck.