1. Cotton prices just hit a 10-year high: Retailers have achieved that pricing power by proactively veering away from discount channels and culling excess inventory. The Covid pandemic has acted as a “cover” for companies to accelerate this shift. This dynamic has driven costs up so much, businesses are raising prices and consumers are still buying. – Read More on CNBC
2. Dolce & Gabbana Bets on Independent Future After China Stumble: Dolce & Gabbana Srl plans to remain independent to preserve its creative freedom, as it sees sales climbing back to pre-pandemic levels this year, but hasn’t fully overcome its setback in China in 2018. – Read More on Bloomberg
3. California will require large retailers to provide gender neutral toy sections: The new law, which takes effect in 2024, says that retail stores with 500 or more employees must sell some toys and childcare products outside of areas specifically labeled by gender. Retailers can continue to offer other toys and childcare goods in traditional boys and girls sections if they choose to. – Read More on the LA Times
4. Is bling out? What Chinese “common prosperity” means for luxury goods: There have not yet been any concrete announcements around common prosperity. Those who have been following developments closely, however, are perhaps beginning to get an outline of how the policy may look. Some sizeable voluntary political donations from very wealthy businesspeople add to the emerging outline. – Read More on CityAM
5. Stuck in China, consumers are spending millions for luxury goods in Hainan: Sales at nine duty-free shops in the southern island province of Hainan totaled nearly 1.64 billion yuan ($252.3 million) from Oct. 1 to 6, according to state media. – Read More on CNBC
6. How Retail Sales Became “Unskilled” Work: There’s a big difference between how salespeople in traditional department stores and big-box retailers interact with their customers. – Read More on JStor