Can see-now-buy-now save department stores?

By Hilary Milnes • February 27, 2017 •

There is a seemingly never-ending stream of bad news for America’s department stores, facing declining foot traffic, declining shopping mall environments, and competition from Amazon to Zara.

But there is, perhaps, one trend working in their favor: the ongoing shift in fashion to new see-now-buy-now business models. Department stores are doing their part to make sure their available merchandise matches what customers are buying: Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Macy’s are all speeding up the production processes for their private labels, to get items on the sales floor faster.