NICK GRAYSTON
President, Sears Home and Footwear
Senior vice president, Sears Holdings
What is your top business goal for the home area for 2013?
“We want to make Sears a destination for home purchases through better in-store execution, dominant assortments and marketing that builds awareness and frequency. We will also be working to drive increased sales and traffic through added benefits to those who are members of our Shop Your Way community and rewards program.”
What is the biggest challenge or issue your home area will face next year?
“Like all retailers, we are challenged by the cost of goods and the increasing number of both online and brick-and-mortar businesses. The economy, including the sluggish housing market, also continues to impact retail. We are committed to bringing our customers the best value possible and continue to explore ways to exceed their expectations in that regard while remaining competitively priced. By focusing on innovative ways to deliver goods and services, at the same time maintaining our focus on design and quality, we believe we can make Sears a destination for the home. The introduction of a member-exclusive social shopping community at shopyourway.com also differentiates us from competitors, allowing for more engagement than ever before and offering a compelling rewards program for those who sign up and purchase as members.”
How is the home area in your stores evolving?
“We are transitioning our portfolio to a refined and cohesive offering of key brands that avoids duplication of categories. We want to make it easy for our shoppers to put it all together, focusing on clear and consistent packaging, displays and signage as well as offering value and quality design in every purchase. Color will be important for 2013, translated into a variety of sensibilities for each key brand. We also see potential for growth in mattresses and other big-ticket items for the home.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce in home next year?
“We expect to see benefits in 2013 from the work we’ve done to improve overall site functionality and optimize our digital marketing spend to drive frequency. We are also continuing to improve the customer experience in the home categories through rich content and extended offers available exclusively online. Online is also an area where we think we’re positioned to see increased traffic for bigger-ticket items, like mattresses. In that category, for instance, we are introducing content-rich brand pages that will assist the customer in selecting the “perfect” mattress.”
How is your consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“Convenience and multicommerce touch point have become increasingly important to customers, as has the speed of fulfillment. Members of Shop Your Way who spend more with us will experience advantages in their shopping experience, including savings and rewards, that nonmembers do not have access to.”
Are you addressing increased consumer interest in American-made goods? If so, how?
“Yes. For instance, most mattresses carried in our Sears mattress stores are made in America and branded as such. It is a selling feature that demonstrates our commitment to U.S. manufacturing and our desire to sell only the highest-quality mattresses.”
ANDREW HILL
President and CEO, Jarden Consumer Solutions
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“Our top business goal for 2013 is globalization, effectively impacting the marketplaces in North America, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Organic growth led by each of the regions will be a key drive of growth for us moving forward. Around the world, we will continue to invest resources in our leadership brands to deliver a portfolio of innovative products relevant to the evolving consumer.”
How is your consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“Tech and mobile commerce are drastically changing the way consumers research, digest information, compare products and shop. Today’s consumers have infinite access to information and choices. While in the past, we targeted predominantly baby boomers, there are now three distinct groups of consumers we need to reach: Gen-Xers, Baby Boomers and Millennials. These three groups all receive information differently and are each shopping new and different channels. We are leveraging the latest platforms and technologies to engage with them, reaching them where they shop and receive their information.”
What is the biggest challenge or issue your company will face next year?
“The biggest challenge we face moving forward is the fragmentation of consumers. As diverse consumer segments emerge more clearly, we recognize these consumers require differentiation—different products, different messages and different media. Keeping up with where the consumers are—where they shop and the brands and value that are relevant to them—keeps us busy. As previously mentioned, globalization also represents both a challenge and an opportunity for us. In order to become a viable competitor globally, we must focus on growth in geographies particularly where we are currently underrepresented—Asia and Europe—while continuing to drive growth in the Americas.”
How is your company evolving, in terms of products or channels of distribution?
“The evolution of the consumer is driving the evolution of the company to a large extent. Investment in technology is critical in reaching and engaging with consumers. In terms of product innovation, we never rest. It is a constantly evolving process that preserves our leadership position in multiple categories and virtually sustains the relevance of our brands and products in consumers’ lives. We will heavily invest in new technologies and platforms which will enable consumers to have access to our products wherever they are, at home, at work or on the go. We will engage in strategic partnerships that complement our capabilities and skills to help us reach new markets, channels, geographies and consumers. These partnerships reinforce and allow us to bolster our leadership position in the marketplace when it comes to providing innovative solutions for today’s consumers. Regarding channels, we continue to support our core retail partners with compelling products and value for both their brick-and-mortar and developing online businesses. We’re committed to working together to provide differentiated products merchandised effectively at a compelling value to the consumer. And we’re working together more closely to link our marketing efforts to be more effective for the consumer and integrated across channels.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“We will continue to focus on our omnichannel merchandising with an emphasis on digital engagement. We will continue to invest heavily in technology, tools and infrastructure designed to engage consumers to deliver a seamless omnichannel merchandising experience. We’re also working with our retail partners to develop more integrated programs that enable the consumer to enjoy the same value and offers in whatever their channel of choice may be—in store or online.”
Are you addressing increased consumer interest in American-made goods? If so, how?
“We constantly evaluate and improve the level of service, quality and value we provide to our consumers, and our sourcing strategy is directly related to this value proposition. Our consumers benefit when the point of manufacturing is close to the point of consumption. We will bring goods closer to the point of consumption where and when it makes sense for us to offer the consumer the value and quality they expect from our brands.”
KURT DARROW
President and CEO, La-Z-Boy
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“We are focused on driving profitable growth through our La-Z-Boy flagship brand, which has historically provided the best return of all our businesses and has served as the growth engine of our company. Today, La-Z-Boy is the most recognized brand in furniture and we are capitalizing on its attributes of comfort, durability and value, while highlighting its style quotient and the breadth of our product offering through our brand advertising campaign featuring Brooke Shields. Part and parcel to growing the La-Z-Boy branded business through additional volume via almost 900 branded outlets composed of La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores and Comfort Studios is strengthening the performance of our company-owned retail operation, where we own 97 of the 317 La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores. Growing our company and generating ‘positive conversion,’ or increased earnings, on additional volume will provide a return to our shareholders.”
What is the biggest challenge or issue your company will face next year?
“Although we are cautiously optimistic given the pace of our business over the last 18 months, the macroeconomic environment remains challenging. While consumer confidence is increasing and the housing market is showing signs of a recovery, albeit slow, unemployment remains at a high level and furniture is a discretionary purchase. However, through the strength of our brand, network of branded distribution outlets and success of our advertising campaign, we believe we are well positioned to capitalize when the economy improves.”
How is your company evolving?
“La-Z-Boy Incorporated was founded on innovation and a set of values that included integrity, customer focus, brand strength, operational excellence and a commitment to family and the community. Today, after 85 years, these principles that have always been integral to our success continue to permeate our business and have enabled us to not only endure difficult times, but led to our solid leadership position within the industry. We have a strong and growing distribution network and are making investments to fuel the company’s growth, including continuing to invest in our brand advertising campaign, implementing a new design concept across the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores, expanding our store network throughout North America and increasing our presence globally. At the same time, we are continuing to innovate while ensuring our infrastructure is not only solid but lean and efficient to support our growth.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“We are strongly focused on ensuring that our website, La-Z-Boy.com, and all of our other digital platforms, are places that help inspire our consumer, educate them on our products and where possible, purchase those products. La-Z-Boy.com already provides the ability for consumers to purchase our products. The model we have created provides the optimum balance between a national web presence combined with delivery and pricing from the consumer’s local La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries dealer based on the zip code they enter on the site. In addition, the La-Z-Boy.com website will soon provide consumers with the opportunity to design and purchase a sectional, which is one of our most popular product categories. Sectionals have always been a challenge to quickly configure and sell online. We feel we have developed an easy way to configure and purchase a sectional on the web and will be launching the new tool in early 2013. Additionally, we have just launched e-commerce in Canada and believe that our Canadian customers will embrace upholstery purchases online as quickly as any other consumer. The ability to customize a purchase on our site to the same level that is available in store will increase our average ticket and deliver more of what makes La-Z-Boy unique.
We strongly believe that time spent on mobile devices is going to continue to increase exponentially, and that consumers will increasingly demand that we provide all of our key digital capabilities on their smartphones in a way that suits that platform. La-Z-Boy is well positioned to capitalize on this trend. We believe that having the ability to do everything from selecting fabrics to purchasing home furnishings on a smart phone will be a driving factor in our e-commerce and overall growth.”
How is the consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“As the economy slowly begins to strengthen, we believe the consumer will be more inclined to focus on decorating her home and purchasing furniture. Today, homes are becoming less formal with consumers decorating around flat-screen TVs versus the fireplace or a piece of artwork as they did years ago. La-Z-Boy plays well into this phenomenon given we are predominately an upholstery company. The complimentary In-Home Design program offered at La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores is a wonderful resource for the consumer to utilize as our research tells us that they want a beautiful room rather than solely a new sofa or chair. Our designers work with the consumer to select furniture and complimentary accessories to help achieve the room of their dreams.”
MARY MOORE
Founder and CEO, Cook’s Warehouse
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“Market share growth, sales growth and increased profitability.”
What is the biggest challenge your company will face next year?
“Increasing expenses, government regulations, consistent MAP violations by large retailers.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“We have a set of strategic objectives that we are already implementing that should be a game changer for us next year.”
How is the consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“I think the strong continued growth in online sales is going to forever be a consideration in the mix of retailing. I think consumer spending will continue at a similar rate for the next year.”
How is your company evolving?
“We are all continually pushing ourselves and growing to become better retailers, managers, and marketers. We listen astutely to what our customers want and need and continue to evolve our assortment from demand, trend and opportunity.”
Are you addressing increased consumer interest in American-made goods? If so, how?
“Yes, our Made in America offerings continue to grow and we are putting more emphasis on this area in stores and online.”
BOB GAYLORD
President, Agio
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“A robust sell-through for all retailers in our category. Most retailers coming into 2012 underbought for a number of reasons. Because of the early spring season, many of them ended up selling through or being short on inventory much earlier than they projected. This year, they took this into consideration and are poised for meeting the demand of the customers.”
What is the biggest challenge or issue your company will face next year?
“The lingering slow economy. Our industry needs a housing market more than ever. We are near the end of the residual benefit of the housing market that ended around 2008. The next step is an increase in housing demand. I do a great deal of forecasting and look at industry trends and analysis and you’re starting to see the first signs that there is an uptick in the housing market. This is a very encouraging sign for all of us in the outdoor business.”
How is your company evolving?
“Agio is on track with our goals. We have made great inroads with the traditional indoor furniture companies taking advantage of our category. The surviving specialty retailers are on a better financial footing that they were over the past couple of years. The dot-com business is growing extremely fast. We feel optimistic that we can continue to grow our business in each of these three categories. Our product offerings have been developed to help each of these categories continue to thrive and grow.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“We don’t sell product directly to the consumer. However, with our Internet-only retailers, we are seeing exponential growth in this segment. We are seeing huge growth in big-box dot-com programs as well as traditional dot-com companies. To aid this growth, we are developing programs with suppliers who will stock our products for our dot-com accounts. This has helped us secure relationships with some of the traditional dot-com companies and each of them has been successful with our programs.”
How is the consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“Mass retailers who have featured predominantly low-end products are having slower sales figures. What that tells us is that in this economy, consumers who don’t have the disposable income aren’t buying at any price. On the other hand, $2,000 and higher-priced sets are doing well at big box dot-com sites. We know the economy is improving and consumers are putting more emphasis on better quality goods. We expect the economy to continue to improve, and along with that the ever important housing market to our industry.”
STEVE SCHNEIDER
President, Sferra
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“Sferra is looking toward continued growth in our core bedding program and further diversification into complementary home-textile product categories. Our goal is to maintain our leadership role in the industry, continuing to be innovative and forward thinking, and staying true to our brand, which has been synonymous with quality for the past 121 years.”
What is the biggest challenge or issue your company will face next year?
“Every year brings new challenges. Our biggest challenge is to continue to provide quality and value to our customers. We produce the very best Italian-woven Egyptian cotton bedding in the world, and the demographic we cater to appreciates great quality and our affordable-luxury price points. For spring 2013, we are adding a spirited print collection bold, vibrant colors—navy, aqua, salmon and chartreuse. We are also expanding our embroideries, with two timeless patterns as part of our new Granada collection, which will also include luxurious decorative accessories.”
How is your company evolving, in terms of products or channels of distribution?
“Sferra continues to be a leader in the bed-linen category, especially with our Italian-woven basics. We have initiated a comprehensive diversification plan to expand our table- and bath-linen categories, as well as down comforters and pillows. The introduction of 101 colors in our European-woven table linens, Festival, was a resounding success, and we are building upon it with the introduction of printed, embroidered and embellished styles. Our Belgian towel program, Bello, has climbed into the top 10 of Sferra styles company-wide and continues to grow. And our down comforters and pillows, spotlighted in the Utopia eiderdown collection, have received acclaim as being among the highest quality in the industry.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“Sferra works collaboratively with our retail partners to support the growth of their online presence. We create spectacular photography to highlight our products, photography that really captures the attention and fantasy of the online shopper. We understand that more and more consumers are looking to the Internet for their purchases. Still, nothing can equate to visiting a home specialty store, seeing and touching the product, receiving the expert advice of professionals and walking out with exactly what you need.”
How is your consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“We see continued spending on luxury home textiles and anticipate another year of strong growth in sales.”
JANIS JOHNSON
Founder and president, Gourmet Catalog
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“Our top business goal is the same every year: To be up-to-date with current trends and to expand and explore opportunities that will meet the ongoing needs of our store and vendor membership. Exclusive market meetings and strong communication campaigns strengthen the store/vendor commitment. Gourmet Catalog provides marketing support through optional catalogs, flyers, e-commerce and e-mail marketing for the group, an advantage for all members.”
What is the biggest challenge your members will face next year?
“The biggest challenge for store and vendors alike is online sales and sellers.”
How is the consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“With the trends of flash sales and online price matching, people are changing the way they shop. We anticipate the shopping will come full circle. We have seen a decline in these types of spending habits. Shopping is and always will be a favorite social pastime. Consumers want a physical, tangible experience and they enjoy the comfort of talking to a friendly face and getting on-the-spot answers to their questions. Gourmet Catalog and Buying Group has many programs in place that help store members drive customers into their doors. By utilizing these membership benefits we are confident our store members will keep spending dollars in-store and increase sales in the next year.”
Are you addressing increased consumer interest in American-made goods? If so, how?
“Absolutely. It is very important to our store members and to their customers to find American-made goods in their stores. We try to partner with vendor members that have American-made goods for the stores to sell, and also encourage current vendor members to bring the production of products to the U.S. whenever possible.”
ED TEPLITZ
President, Thomasville Furniture
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“We need to expedite our strategy of making our brand more relevant for today’s consumer. We need to continue to meet the demands of our existing customer while at the same time help a “younger” generation understand that Thomasville has the looks and styles to satisfy their needs. This includes continued introduction of more updated traditional and contemporary styled furniture, display improvements within our Thomasville stores and improved and consistent marketing which combines both aspirational brand building and a call to action and an increased footprint through new and relocated stores.”
How is your company evolving?
“First and foremost, we are continuing our strategy of acting as a retailer rather than a manufacturer who has retail stores. While this sounds simple, it requires a different mindset and we must break down years of paradigms. Today’s consumer is very educated and savvy and expects a great retail experience. At Thomasville our goal is to provide a TREAT (Terrific Retail Experience At Thomasville) and this requires great product, great design expertise, great display, great service at every touchpoint of the retail shopping experience.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“We are upgrading our website to improve both messaging and navigation. More importantly we are adding features to the site which will make it easier for a shopper to purchase. We now have nationwide pricing on our website, and are e-commerce enabled in our corporate-owned store markets. The biggest challenge of selling furniture online is the nationwide logistics and we already have this in place. We are investigating ways, in partnership with our strong dealer network, of expanding e-commerce beyond corporate store markets. While we have no definite plans to announce today, we are working with our dealer base to generate ideas.”
How is the consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“We are cautiously optimistic that business will continue to improve into 2013. Consumer confidence continues to improve and housing sales/starts are also on the upswing. However, this is not a guarantee of increased business. Today’s consumer is much more educated and has high expectations when they are shopping for home furnishings. We need to execute on everything I’ve mentioned in order to meet their needs.”
SAL GABBAY
President, Gibson
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“Our top goal is continued growth in all categories. We expect that our current momentum in this regard will stay on track in 2013.”
What is the biggest challenge your company will face next year?
“One challenge is continuing to adjust to a sluggish economy. In some ways it has been an opportunity, as our retail partners have come to rely on us to diversify their product and price offerings— providing success for them in good, better and best assortments.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“We are now firming up plans on various initiatives.”
How is the consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“The expectation is that consumers will remain need-focused when deciding on purchases. Non-essential spending will continue to be soft.”
How is your company evolving?
“Along with our long-standing strength in dinnerware, we are actively developing innovative products in housewares. Our house brands are expanding, and as we grow our existing or enter into new licensing partnerships, we are also creating new opportunities to reach a wider consumer audience. In addition, focus on style and fashion trends has succeeded in creating more access to the upstairs market.”
SATYA TIWARI
U.S. president, Surya
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“Continue to build Surya into a leader in accessories and simplifying the buying process when it comes to accessories.”
How is your company evolving?
“We are evolving with our clients to meet the needs of a changing customer base. With the change in demographics and buying patterns coupled with technology, we are evolving with our clients to this new world.”
What is the biggest challenge or issue your company will face next year? How will you be addressing it?
“Our biggest challenge always has been to recruit talents—internal and external—to continue to fuel our growth so we can serve our clients. Our biggest goal/challenge is to provide training to every Surya customer every six weeks.”
How is the consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“With the emergence of e-commerce and, more importantly, access to infinite data, the shopping experience is changing dramatically. We see this as a great advantage for our brick and mortar stores. With the right brands and high level of personalized and customized service, they have more to win. In our research, we have found that for every dollar spent on online, six dollars are spent on same brand off line. We are working tirelessly to equip our brick and mortar stores to convert their philosophy to click and mortar.”
JEFF SIEGEL
Chairman, president, CEO, Lifetime Brands
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“To increase both our top and bottom lines.”
What is the biggest challenge your company will face next year?
“Fully integrating the manufacturing and marketing facilities we have acquired in the last few years.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“We limit the growth of our own e-commerce and work with our retail partners to help them grow their e-commerce.”
How is the consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“We expect spending patterns next year to mirror those of 2012.”
How is your company evolving?
“We are growing internationally and domestically.”
Are you addressing increased consumer interest in American-made goods? If so, how?
“It is not so much the increased consumer demand for American-made goods as it is the desire to move some production to North America in order to improve quality and delivery. We are dramatically increasing the production capabilities of our Mexican operation and have recently installed several state of the art molding machines to produce plastic products there.”
BETH MACK
President of sales and merchandising, Hollander Home Fashions
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“To expand our market share, profitably.”
What is your biggest challenge or issue your company will face next year?
“Uncertain consumer confidence creates a lag time with forecasts from retail.”
How is your company evolving, in terms of products or channels of distribution?
“Hollander has become more well-rounded in both distribution channels (adding more department stores) and growing our mattress pad and comforter business.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“We are partnering with our retailers and strategically adding products based on their needs.”
How is your consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“Consumers are getting smarter and are researching more about the products they are buying. Hollander continues to look at the core consumer, as well as the new consumer and develop/market products based on their needs. We do not anticipate any major change in consumer spending. The consumer wants value and quality, and that comes at all price points.”
Are you addressing increased consumer interest in American-made goods? If so, how?
“Hollander continues to produce all pillows, featherbeds, fiberbeds and natural-filled comforters in North America. We have been successful and expect to expand our line of down-alternative comforters filled in North America.”
BRUCE KAMINSTEIN
CEO, Casabella
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“Create innovation in our areas of product, increase brand awareness and increase our exports.”
What is the biggest challenge or issue your company will face next year?
“Keeping our edge in innovation in everything we do.”
How is your company evolving, in terms of products or channels of distribution?
“Innovation in quick-clean and innovation in all areas of kitchen prep.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“We’ll be more active in social media.”
How is your consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“We believe the consumer is looking for innovation to make life easier. They’re also looking for the value-added relationship.”
Are you addressing increased consumer interest in American-made goods? If so, how?
“Yes, we are. We make all our large plastic products in the USA. And we are continuing to look at ways to produce more products in the USA.”
BRAD SMITH
CEO, ELK Group International
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“Our corporate focus for 2013 is to refine our value curve and further innovate in an unprecedented fashion within the home furnishings industry. This entails determining buyer value elements and, instead of focusing on our competition (supply side) and gaining share, our team will be focused on delivering solutions to create and capture new demand within the industry.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“Our e-commerce initiative for next year will be to further enrich our content provided to sites, such as educational tools, in language that is simple to help demystify the lighting purchase process for consumers.”
How is the consumer evolving? Do you expect spending patterns to change next year?
“We expect the industry to have anemic growth (low single digits) similar to the past several years within the industry. Therefore we will be building upon our Value Innovation Initiative which is tailored to determining the attributes that can separate ourselves from the competition by focusing on the factors that add value to purchasers, influencers and users of our product and services. We expect this program will offer new solutions to the “pain points” customers experience which is necessary to meet the evolving demands of consumers who regard convenience as a top priority.”
Are you addressing increased consumer interest in American-made goods? If so, how?
“Being a U.S. company, we are consistently uncovering new ways to provide more value to our customers by hiring American workers. In 2012 we hired over 20 new employees in the U.S., from graphic designers to key account specialist to product engineers. These high quality jobs ensure our customers get exclusive product and services that add value that cannot be matched from overseas suppliers.”
ARASH YARAGHI
Principal, Safavieh
What is your top business goal for 2013?
“Our top strategic goal is to be top of mind for consumers and retailers as a lifestyle home furnishings company. We are working toward becoming an integrated lifestyle supplier of home products that can coordinate companion pieces together. This year we added lighting and outdoor furniture to our rugs, accent furniture and decorative pillows. In five years we will be completely cross-category in lifestyle products for the home. On the operational side, the growth in economy is coming from companies that can provide logistic operations to retailers. My goal for 2013 is to complete a process we started two years ago. That includes completion of our warehouse facilities in Fontana, Calif., and the addition of a new warehouse in Savannah, Ga. In terms of technology the goal is to finish and implement a state-of-the-art B-to-B logistics system so vendors, customers and employees can better communicate and have information available to them in real time.”
What is the biggest challenge or issue your company will face next year?
“Next year we are expecting a surge of orders because we are exceeding the expectations of our goal of cross-category placement within the marketplace. The challenge is to supply, service and ship to our customers on time. The goal is also the challenge. [We will be addressing it with the completion of] the upgrade of our inventory management system with new enhancements like RFID (radio frequency identification) in 2013. This process is done; now it is a question of adapting it to help all of our customers slice the time it takes to measure inventory and improve the accuracy of their forecasts. We will be adapting our technology for all of our customers–from the small mom-and-pop stores to the most sophisticated web retailers in the world.”
How do you plan to grow your e-commerce next year?
“In e-commerce, the first thing you have to have is stylish products. That has to continue regardless. We are planning to grow our e-commerce through logistics, rather than in developing new customers. Generally the e-commerce needs of department stores and large online retailers are the most complicated—we’ve already met those needs. Next year, we’ll be fine-tuning with a sophisticated system that provides even more timely deliveries by shipping directly from additional, strategically located warehouses.”