In response to continued growth in online retailing, six retail chains have taken distinct approaches to drive more traffic to their stores. Some of them are shrinking in size, such that Sears is closing about 150 stores, while JCPenney plans to shutter around 140 stores. But whereas Sears sold off its Craftsman line of tools, JCPenney will expand its product offerings. The store closings at Macy’s are expected to reach nearly 100 in number, and those that remain will feature a greater presence of its off-price Backstage concept. Rather than closing stores, both Walmart and Target are remodeling and lowering prices, even as they concentrate more of their resources on their online efforts. For Kohl’s, the goal is to remodel some stores, move others into smaller locations, and feature more brand name athletic apparel on its shelves. Thus, despite the varied approaches to the challenges that retail chains face, there are some common trends: Get smaller, leaner, and less expensive.

Source: Khadeeja Safdar and Suzanne Kapner, The Wall Street Journal, February 28, 2017