Latest news with #in-store
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ikea Is Cutting Its Restaurant Prices. Here's Why Retailers Want You to Eat Up.
Ikea recently said it would slash the price of its U.S. in-store menu by half from Monday through Friday. A reputation for serving food worth eating can be good for retailers, industry experts say, making a shopping trip feel more like an experience. And when it's done right, they say, it can be a you go to Ikea for the food? Then the company has good news for you. The home-furnishings retailer recently said it would slash the price of its U.S. in-store menu by half from Monday through Friday, with kids eating for free during the week, starting in August. That will mean lower prices on things like Swedish meatballs, pancakes and salmon fillets at more than 50 stores across the country. 'We believe everyone should have access to delicious, nutritious meals without straining their budget,' said Lisa Ford, Ikea's U.S. food commercial manager, in a statement to Investopedia. Big retail chains that sell everything from bulk packs of shampoo, toilet paper and diapers to sofa sets, lamps, clothing and jewelry are looking to up their game when it comes to ready-to-eat meals—and managing prices in a bid to keep shoppers happy and fed. A reputation for serving food worth eating can be good for business, industry experts say, making a shopping trip feel more like an experience. And when it's done right, it can be a draw. 'Retailers are looking to drive more traffic into their locations,' said R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research with which analyzes shopper foot-traffic patterns. 'They want shoppers to stay longer in the stores and malls and potentially buy more products.' Some retailers' forays into food have scored them runaway hits. Costco's $1.50 hot-dog-and-soda combo, which debuted in the 1980s, has become a staple for its devoted shoppers. It's not just bargain outlets that offer sustenance. You can enjoy breakfast—or lunch or afternoon tea—at Tiffany's flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York City. One of the oldest examples of a retailer embracing in-store dining is the Walnut Room, which dates back to 1907 and is found on the 7th floor of Macy's on Chicago's State Street. Department stores historically aspired to become one-stop shopping destinations for urban populations, said Huseyn Abdulla, assistant professor with the department of supply chain management at the University of Tennessee's Haslam College of Business. 'But it was also a way to keep customers in the department store as long as possible with the intent of converting this traffic into more sales,' he said. Ikea has served its meatballs to shoppers for about 40 years. It sells more than a billion of them worldwide a year, and the company says about a fifth of its shoppers go to its stores just to dine. The draw, the company says, is the affordable menu, with an average meal—it sells breakfast, lunch and kids' meals—costing an average of about $11 before the upcoming discounts, Ikea said. 'One of the pain points for a lot of consumers over the last couple of years has been food inflation and overall food prices,' said Hottovy. 'Ikea probably is not going to be making a lot of profit on food but if it gets more people into stores and encourages them to buy something else from its stores, then it's a smart move.' Read the original article on Investopedia Sign in to access your portfolio
WIRED
28-06-2025
- Business
- WIRED
Here's the Biggest Benefit of Buying a Mattress Online
There are obvious trade-offs to buying a mattress in-store and online. But your decision may come down to key details of a brand's warranty. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. You can buy pretty much anything online these days, even mattresses. But mattress stores still exist, and there are reasons to prefer in-person shopping for a product you'll spend roughly a third of your life on. The reasons to shop either online or in person are mostly obvious. What you might not have considered, however, are the fine-print details on warranty coverage that may skew you one way or the other. Saatva is a brand that sells both online and in its viewing rooms across the country, so I asked Michael Gale, a VP who leads retail at Saatva, to shed some light on the pros (and cons) of both mattress-buying approaches. Adding to Cart For my fellow homebodies, online mattress shopping is very appealing. When my social battery is out, it's gone, and I'll take any opportunity to not deal with salespeople. Plus, there's no need to leave my house and battle traffic or find a parking spot. With the advent of roller-packed bed-in-a-box mattresses that can be delivered to your house by FedEx and unfurled in your bedroom, you don't even have to schedule delivery or clean up your living room. In addition to avoiding the pressure or a salesperson, there are a lot of additional benefits to buying online. You can often find a better deal because you're not underwriting retail space or paying a salesperson's salary. Additionally, most online sellers include a guaranteed sleep trial, and depending on the brand, extras like white glove delivery or free pillows with purchase. Some our our favorite mattress brands are only available online. Probably because shoppers are generally leery of making a major financial commitment to a product they haven't personally touched, almost all online mattress sellers offer a sleep trial period and warranty. 'Sleep trial' periods refer to the amount of time you can sleep on it and determine if it's a good fit for you. Most sellers give you between 90 days and a year to decide the purchase wasn't right for you and get a refund. But here's where the fine print starts to kick in. Many brands will not let you initiate a return until 30 nights have passed. The reasoning is that this 'break-in' period gives you enough time to get used to the feeling of your new bed. There are also limitations to how many returns you can do with a brand. Let's say the bed doesn't work out, and you opt to return and get a refund or replacement. You can usually only go that route once, as the company isn't going to let you trial-and-error its full repertoire of beds. Next comes warranty coverage, or in the case of a faulty mattress, the kind of repair, refund, or replacement you're entitled to as part of the original purchase. Mattresses are going to break down over time and with use. But let's say you spot something going awry pretty quick off the bat, like memory foam weirdly sagging in some spots or cracking. This would fall under 'material defect' and should be covered under warranty. For stains, cracking, sagging, dents, or anything of that nature that happen over time, you're probably out of luck, as this is very much in the early-on sort of scenario. Similarly, let's say that the stitching of the cover comes undone or it's clear that the bed wasn't put together the way it should've been, as it's falling apart. This would be considered a 'manufacturing defect' and also should be covered. Here's one very important piece of information to keep in mind if you find yourself dealing with one of these two categories: Be ready to prove it. Outlined in the fine print, and depending on the brand, you may notice that customer service mentions that images showing defects on the mattress will be needed. Some may go so far as to confirm what kind of bed frame or base you have been using, because warranty coverage does not apply if the mattress slats are spaced too widely apart. Always use your mattress properly. If there are signs you were using it as your own personal trampoline park, the warranty is most likely void. Pinpointing the Deals Buying in person has its perks, too, and can't be written off completely. The biggest one? Some folks just prefer to lay eyes (and of course, their physical selves) on a bed before buying. That is totally understandable. You may also have the opportunity to negotiate your final price, and it'll likely go home with you that very day instead of taking a few days or even a week. Some companies will also offer sleep trials, like Mattress Firm. If you're going to shop in person, it's very important to consider the reputation of the company behind the brick-and-mortar location. Plenty of online mattress brands, like Saatva and Casper, have their own storefront locations scattered across the contiguous United States. The beauty of having both an online and physical presence is that the deals can be lateral. Saatva offers the same discounts online, in stores, and over the phone, so every customer gets the same price, says Gale. And there are often added discounts worth paying attention to: 'At Saatva, for example, we offer special discounts to military veterans, teachers, health care workers, and other groups. You might want to ask whether you can get a bundled discount based on the products you're interested in, like a mattress and base combo or a mattress and bedding bundle.' You can also shop at opportune times, and Gale suggests key holidays like the Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Black Friday. Throw It in the Actual Cart On the other hand, there are some brands that will put their merchandise in third-party storefronts. If you choose to go down the third-party route, make sure it is, in fact, partnered with the brand. Gale warns that unauthorized stores may sell mattresses with limited or no warranty coverage, which increases your risk if something goes wrong. This doesn't always mean that you are covered under the brand's warranty policy if you purchased from a partner store. Instead, you might have to rectify any issues like defects with the store itself. But sometimes, you are good to go. 'Verified vendors also typically provide stronger customer support, more flexible return policies, and added transparency—sometimes even enhancing the manufacturer's warranty,' he says. To figure out which of these will be the case for you, read the mattress warranty and policy information thoroughly . Fine Print Reminder So if you take away nothing else from this, always, always read the fine print of a mattress warranty. It'll help you create a checklist of items to look for regarding the purchasing process. While this is additional work on top of figuring out the particular mattress you're homing in on, it really aims to provide you with peace of mind. But if you're looking for a helping hand, not to worry. Our team regularly tests out new beds—we spend at least a week sleeping on any mattress before recommending it—to scope out what's worth the coin. You can check out our guides: Best Organic Mattresses, Best Mattress for Side Sleepers, Best Mattresses for Back Pain, and more.
The Independent
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Victoria's Secret US website is down as lingerie seller addresses 'security incident'
Victoria's Secret has taken down its U.S. website and says some in-store services will be unavailable as it addresses an unspecified 'security incident." A message to customers remained in place of the popular lingerie brand's normal shopping site Thursday, stating that the company had halted these services 'as a precaution.' 'Our team is working around the clock to fully restore operations," the message read. Victoria's Secret did not immediately provide more details about the 'security incident," or specify whether it was a cyber attack. The Associated Press reached out to the Ohio company for further information on Thursday. It also wasn't immediately clear when Victoria's Secret identified the issue and began halting some of its operations. Most media reports of Victoria's Secret website going dark emerged Wednesday — when the company also shared an update on social media — but some frustrated customers online said they began experiencing issues earlier in the week. A customer FAQ updated Wednesday night on Victoria's Secret corporate site noted that it did not have an exact timing regarding the return of its website — and that customer care services were also unavailable. The company said that it is trying to fulfill orders placed before Monday and that it would be extending return windows and some direct mail coupon offers for impacted customers in the U.S. Victoria's Secret said its stores, as well as its PINK brand locations, remain open for customers. But some in-store services, such as returning online orders in person, are unavailable per its customer FAQ. It was not immediately clear if any in-store services in Victoria's Secret locations outside the U.S. were also impacted. But the company's U.K. site appeared uninterrupted Thursday.
