The Weekly Closeout: Snoop Dogg launches pet brand as athletics retailers jump into virtual goods

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It’s been another week with a lot more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed over the week, and what we’re still thinking about.

From Gap teaming up with Dapper Dan to Chewy’s perfectly adorable Santa campaign, here’s our closeout of the week.

What you may have missed

Dick’s appoints head of private label

Dick’s Sporting Goods announced earlier this week that Chad Kessler has become its executive vice president of vertical brands, according to a LinkedIn post from the company.

Kessler spent more than eight years at American Eagle Outfitters in multiple roles, including President of American Eagle’s Premium Brands, Global President of American Eagle Brand, and Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising and Design Officer. . Kessler has also held executive positions at Urban Outfitters, Coach, and Abercrombie & Fitch.

As executive vice president of vertical brands at Dick’s, Kessler will be responsible for overseeing the strategy, management and execution of Dick’s private label organization, according to Women’s Wear Daily.

Amazon launches virtual healthcare for common ailments

Amazon may be behaving less and less like a retailer, and now it’s more of a healthcare provider than ever. The e-commerce giant on Tuesday announced the launch of Amazon Clinic, a message-based virtual health service available in 32 states that offers care from licensed providers.

Clinicians can diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications for over 20 common health conditions, including acne, hair loss, and allergies.

The service, which adds to Amazon’s recent acquisition of One Medical and its existing pharmacy business, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through Amazon’s website and mobile app. Prices vary by provider, and Amazon Clinic does not accept insurance, although prescriptions (which can also be filled at any pharmacy) may be covered by many health plans.

Dapper Dan teams up with Gap for hoodies

Dapper Dan modeling his hoodie for Gap.

Dapper Dan lives up to his name in his latest outing with Gap.

Permission granted by Gap

Fashion icon and influencer Dapper Dan has once again teamed up with Gap for a collection. The new Dap Gap hoodies come in four plaid colorways and retail for $128. The drop will be available November 29 at the Gap store on 125th Street in Harlem, New York. The clothes will be widely available on the Gap website on November 30.

retail therapy

This one’s for the Doggs

Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. fulfills his destiny as a retailer. Snoop Dogg has announced a whole new venture with the introduction of a pet accessories brand named — what else? — Snoop Doggie Doggs.

The collection of clothing, plush toys, bowls, leashes and more was created in partnership with SMAC Entertainment and Little Earth Productions. It “is inspired by the Snoop lifestyle” and encourages shoppers to spoil their pets.

“If my dogs aren’t fresh, I’m not fresh. These dogs and their clothes are a reflection of Tha Dogg himself, so they have to play the role of a Top Dog, are you digging?!?!” Snoop Dogg said in a statement.

The company wants you to drop it like it’s hot and grab one of its apparel products ranging from XS to XL, or in a “big dog” size. Items cost between $14.99 and $99.99.

You can find Snoop Doggie Dogs on his namesake website and on Amazon.

To spread holiday cheer to pets, Chewy releases “Letters to Chewy Claus”

With the holidays approaching, many are organizing their wish lists of items they hope to receive this year.

But online pet retailer Chewy didn’t want humans to have fun, so this week it launched its “Letters to Chewy Claus” initiative.

Courtesy of Chewy

The retailer has created a “pet-friendly website” so pets can share their holiday wish lists for Chewy Claus to determine if they’ve been naughty or nice. Pets who submit their listings by December 15 will receive their gifts by the New Year.

“At Chewy, we know that pets are part of the family and we wanted to give them a way to really participate in the holiday season this year,” said Orlena Yeung, vice president of brand marketing at Chewy. , in a press release. “Through Chewy Claus, we hope to spread joy while recognizing the most important gift that continues to be given – the love and companionship of our pets.”

And to extend the holiday spirit even further, Chewy has pledged to donate one pound of food to one of its non-profit partners – up to 15,000 pounds – for every letter received.

What we still think about

-60%

That’s the drop in net income at Kohl’s in the third quarter, with scale model sales down nearly 7%. That came as no surprise after the retailer announced preliminary third-quarter results, along with the departure of Michelle Gass from the company and the CEO role, earlier this month.

What appeared to be unexpected was the withdrawal of guidance for the fourth quarter and full year. With sales decelerating in October and November, and customers hunting for discounts, the retailer faces a bumpy ride through the year, and as it is without a chief executive. The company’s chief financial officer and chairman of the board said the company will be looking at its position as a value banner and expects a highly promotional season, which means profits won’t be coming back anytime soon.

-52.1%

Speaking of declining earnings, Target has once again missed analysts’ estimates this year, with its third-quarter report bringing another downward revision to its guidance for the year. Target, like Kohl’s and others, saw sales slow in October, an ominous sign for the upcoming holiday season. Still, rival Walmart posted a blowout quarter versus year, a dichotomy analysts have taken note of.

Target chief growth officer Christina Hennington said sales were weak in electronics and sporting goods, and toy sales slowed — again, a worrying omen for the holidays. Target CEO Brian Cornell noted that the retailer has seen customers become increasingly cautious, price-conscious and driven by product promotions to entice them to buy, which has put continued pressure on consumers. company margins. Analysts expressed disappointment with the company itself, with one suggesting that “Target has let down its standards and energy.”

what we watch

Adidas and Nike are getting into virtual goods

Brands have been toying with the metaverse and virtual goods all of 2022, but two big athletics brands made big commitments to the space this week. Nike announced a new marketplace, called .Swoosh, dedicated to collecting and possibly trading virtual goods. And a few days later, Adidas launched its first NFT collection of wearables, designed specifically for virtual avatars.

Both movements represent a serious dedication to virtual goods, and in the case of Adidas, the brand has even developed a new “Virtual Gear” product category to contain all of these items. Nike plans to launch its own digital collections on the .Swoosh platform starting next year, which shoppers can wear in games and digital experiences. And the retailer will give select shoppers the ability to co-create virtual products like jerseys and shoes, and earn royalties on those items.

Those two don’t play anymore.

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