Last-mile delivery push: Tractor Supply is revving up its final-mile fulfillment operation as part of a push to grow digital and business-to-business sales. Tractor Supply plans to fulfill more orders for delivery out of its 2,300 stores across the U.S. as well as its 10 distribution centers and 10 so-called mixing centers, where it stows additional inventory close to stores for faster replenishment. Read more from The Wall Street Journal.
Reducing orders: Casual footwear company Crocs plans to reduce orders for the second half of the year amid what its CEO called a “concerning” environment for the consumer. “We see the U.S. consumer behaving cautiously around discretionary spending. They are faced with current and implied future price increases, which we think has the potential to be a further drag on an already choiceful consumer,” said CEO Andrew Rees on the company’s second-quarter earnings call this week, according to a FactSet transcript. Read more from CNBC.
More price hikes: Americans are paying more for appliances, home furnishings, toys and shoes than they were a few months ago, and they could soon face higher prices on more goods as the Trump administration’s latest round of sharper tariffs kicks in. The newest round of duties took effect at midnight Thursday, lifting the average U.S. tariff rate to its highest level since the Great Depression. The move solidifies the president’s trade policy after months of negotiations, meaning more manufacturers and retailers are expected to begin raising prices in short order. Read more from the Washington Post.
