Retail Channels
30 March 2023
Kohl's grows third-party marketplace following pilot phase
The retailer is also working to expand its retail media network.
Kohl's marketplace. (Courtesy photo)
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Kohl’s is making more items available on its marketplace as the department store retailer seeks to drive digital growth.
The news: Kohl’s is moving its marketplace out of pilot mode. With the official launch following what it called a "successful" test period, the retailer is adding more items to the assortment of thousands of items from third-party marketplaces.
What’s available? Kohl’s said it is opening the marketplace to sellers in all years. In particular, it is looking to emphasize the following categories:
- Apparel & Accessories: Men’s, women’s, kids, bags, backpacks, sunglasses, gloves, hats & scarves
- Sports & Fitness: Exercise equipment, sporting goods, health & wellness
- Pet Supplies: Beds & furniture, bowls & feeders, toys
- Home: Furniture, kitchen, home decor, patio & garden
- Toys: Baby, kids & toddler, backyard fun
- Baby gear: Furniture, carriers & strollers, health & cleaning
- Electronics: Computers, computer accessories, gaming consoles, mobile accessories
How are they identified? On its ecommerce store, Kohl’s denotes marketplace items with a badge. Items are shipped directly from sellers.
Key quote: On the company’s Q4 earnings call, Kohl’s CEO Tom Kingsbury talked about the retailer’s push to grow a digital business that accounts for 30% of sales. “Two of our key digital growth initiatives include expanding Kohl's Marketplace and Kohl's media network," Kingsbury said. "Kohl's Marketplace is broadening our product offering online to capture incremental sales opportunities, and Kohl's media network is leveraging our digital platform and site traffic to partner with more of our key brands and capture more advertising dollars.”
Marketplace moment: Kohl’s is the latest retailer to stand up a third-party marketplace in recent months, joining Macy’s and Michaels, among others. Amazon perfected the marketplace model as a means to grow its assortment and in turn drive price advantages. Now, retailers with well-trafficked websites are adopting it across the industry. The marketplace also opens up advertising opportunities. It wasn’t a mistake that Kingsbury talked about Kohl’s marketplace and media network in the same statement. More items on a marketplace will bring more of a desire for brands to stand out. That means they are more likely to buy advertising to improve placement. For Kohl’s the retail media network opens up a high-margin, digital business line that can exist alongside selling physical goods.Subscribe to The Current Newsletter
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Marketing
09 June 2023
'There's a lot of ways to frame value'
Campbell Soup Company CEO Mark Clouse offered thoughts on messaging amid inflationary shifts in consumer behavior.
Photo by Kelly Common on Unsplash
After months of elevated inflation and interest rate hikes that have the potential to cool demand, consumers are showing more signs of shifting behavior.
It’s showing up in retail sales data, but there’s also evidence in the observations of the brands responsible for grocery store staples.
The latest example came this week from Campbell Soup Company. CEO Mark Clouse told analysts that the consumer continues to be “resilient” despite continued price increases on food, but found that “consumers are beginning to feel that pressure” as time goes on.
This shows up in the categories they are buying. Overall, Clouse said Campbell sees a shift toward shelf-stable items, and away from more expensive prepared foods.
There is also change in when they make purchases. People are buying more at the beginning of the month. That’s because they are stretching paychecks as long as possible.
These shifts change how the company is communicating with consumers.
Clouse said the changes in behavior are an opportunity to “focus on value within our messaging without necessarily having to chase pricing all the way down.”
“No question that it's important that we protect affordability and that we make that relevant in the categories that we're in," Clouse said. "But I also think there's a lot of ways to frame value in different ways, right?”
A meal cooked with condensed soup may be cheaper than picking up a frozen item or ordering out. Consumers just need a reminder. Even within Campbell’s own portfolio, the company can elevate brands that have more value now, even if they may not always get the limelight.
The open question is whether the shift in behavior will begin to show up in the results of the companies that have raised prices. Campbell’s overall net sales grew 5% for the quarter ended April 30, while gross profit margins held steady around 30%. But the category-level results were more uneven. U.S. soup sales declined 11%, though the company said that was owed to comparisons with the quarter when supply chains reopened a year ago and expressed confidence that the category is seeing a longer-term resurgence as more people cook at home following the pandemic. Snacks, which includes Goldfish and Pepperidge Farm, were up 12% And while net sales increased overall, the amount of products people are buying is declining. Volumes were down 7%.
These are trends happening across the grocery store. Campbell is continuing to compete. It is leading with iconic brands, and a host of different ways to consume them. It is following that up with innovation that makes the products stand out. Then, it is driving home messaging that shows consumers how to fit the products into their lives, and even their tightening spending plans.
Campbell Soup is more than 150 years old, and has seen plenty of difficult economic environments. It is also a different business today, and will continue to evolve. At the end of the day, continued execution is what’s required.
“If it's good food, people are going to buy it, especially if it's a great value,” Clouse said.
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