CriticalPoint Capital, the Manhattan Beach, CA-based private equity firm whose investment portfolio includes the JackRabbit specialty run chain and Maine-based Olympia Sports, has purchased Shoes.com from Walmart for an unspecified price.

A number of simultaneous developments helped the operator of the Hibbett Sports and City Gear banners generate blockbuster second quarter results. Consolidated comp-store sales rose 79 percent, with brick-and-mortar comps increasing 65 percent and e-commerce comps gaining a whopping 212 percent.

Aiming to meet the shifting needs of its customers and forecasting flat comparable store sales for the combined August-September period, the national specialty chain is extending its Back-To-School season through October. At Aug. 31, an estimated 65 percent of...

Footwear development and supply chains are “tightening up” as disciplined footwear retailers develop strategies to operate their businesses with less total inventory heading into 2021 seasons. Caleres CEO Diane Sullivan made that assessment yesterday during the...

The North Face will roll out a patented new footwear technology called VECTIV in 2021. Described as being “born on the trail and rooted in elite athlete insights,” VECTIV tech is designed to promote forward momentum and propulsion and is built to...

Dick’s Sporting Goods reported blockbuster second-quarter results, aided by the acceleration of Americans focusing on health and fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as pent-up demand, curbside pickup and traction for its private label brands, led by the CALIA and...

Industry stalwart Stephen Freeman died on August 21, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. He was 64.Freeman most recently served as the U.S. line builder for Ara Shoes, as well as sales representative for New York City, the Mid-Atlantic, the Southeast and Midwest.

With its network of stores open for approximately 70 percent of potential operating days in the second quarter versus 50 percent in the first quarter, Foot Locker delivered an 18.6 percent increase in comparable store sales for the period ended Aug. 1 as Direct-to-Consumer sales rose...

Back-to-School issues and the end of pandemic unemployment assistance checks both negatively impacted athletic footwear sales last month, typically a key period for the industry. Total July U.S. footwear sales declined 16 percent year-over-year, according to...

With e-commerce estimated to account for a record 30 percent of all Holiday 2020 sales, according to the Statista/Salesforce Shopping Index, footwear retailers should be prepared for a handful of key emerging trends. During a recent webinar on marketing trends, Retail Touchpoints highlighted...

The global COVID-19 pandemic, the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and rising digital movement have pushed the Three Stripes to make changes to its business approach. After adjusting second half product orders in April, Herzogenaurach, Germany-based Adidas began implementing an...

Wolverine Worldwide has put a succession plan in motion. The Rockford, MI-based firm has named Brendan Hoffman, a 30-year merchandising, retail and digital marketing veteran, as its next president.

Retail imports are expected to hit their lowest levels since 2016, a trend likely due to retailers being careful not to import more than they can sell, suggests Jonathan Gold, VP for Supply Chain/Customs Policy at the National Retail Federation. “Shelves will be stocked, but this is...

Acushnet Holdings, parent of the Titleist and FootJoy brands, says its golf bag/footwear inventories were down 12 percent on June 30 thanks to strong consumer demand for the last 10 to 12 weeks that has contributed to lower-than-anticipated promotional activity.

Renewed consumer interest in health & fitness, a rise in performance running shoe sales and increased allocations of limited-edition shoes were all positive developments in the April-June period according to research firm NPD Group. Men’s Leisure footwear sales rose 2 percent to...

Eager to move ahead with its brand reset strategy complete with Digital First and premium selling environment approaches, Under Amour senior management says the company may not have enough inventory for the “highly promotional” remainder of 2020. The company is anticipating a...

Without offering specific sales data, senior executives at Ugg parent Deckers Outdoors say the company has experienced “tremendous success” with its Fluff franchise as the “Fluff Yeah” generated the most revenues in the fiscal first quarter, and its companion “Oh Yeah” style was...

VF Corp., parent company of The North Face and Vans, generated global digital sales growth of more than 80 percent in its fiscal first quarter, including a 115 percent increase in the Americas region and nearly a 90 percent jump across its four largest brands for...

Expected product shortages for the remainder of the year are deliberate, Crocs said. The Niwot, CO-based firm dramatically cut summer delivery orders in March and sold through more units (16.3 million) than projected, realizing a 10 percent increase in...

Boot Barn, which now operates stores in 36 states following a May opening in Arkansas and recent store additions in Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Carolina, wants to further expand its retail concept in Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Still intent on eventually doubling its store count...