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The discount retailer that plans to take over and operate hundreds of Big Lots stores is closer to deciding which locations it will save. Some 200 Big Lots leases have been designated to be transferred to Variety Wholesalers, the North Carolina-based owner of Roses and other discount chains, new court documents show. In a bankruptcy filing dated Monday, Big Lots said it will transfer the locations as part of its agreement with Gordon Brothers, the restructuring and investment firm that took control of the embattled retailer earlier this month. The list includes Big Lots locations across more than a dozen states, mostly in the South and Midwest regions. It’s unclear what Variety’s plans for the locations fully entail or if the stores will remain open continuously throughout the process. Concerned parties have until February 18 to object to the transfer of the leases. A spokesperson for Gordon Brothers confirmed with Fast Company that Variety intends to operate the leases as Big Lots stores, but said the list was not final and new locations could be added. Fast Company has also reached out to Variety Wholesalers. Variety had originally said it would take over between 200 to 400 Big Lots stores in an 11th-hour deal announced late last year that purportedly rescued the bankrupt brand from complete oblivion. Although Big Lots said the plan would potentially save thousands of jobs, workers have mostly been in the dark about which of the retailer’s more than 800 locations would be closing for good. The new list is likely to provide a modicum of closure for some employees who have been working under a lot of uncertainty for many weeks. States with Big Lots leases included on the list are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The parties have asked a court to give them until April 7 to make the final determination. Gordon Brothers has since listed hundreds of Big Lots leases for sale to retailers that want to take over the spaces. This story is developing…
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E-Commerce
Not long ago, much of the business world still ran on Rolodexes, fax machines and file cabinets. Today, most of those once indispensable tools have been rendered obsolete and replaced by modern technology that has redefined the way we work. This integration of technology into all facets of business operations is widely known as Digital Transformation (DX), and its happening across nearly every industry today. In fact, 74% of organizations now consider DX initiatives a top priority, with global spending projected to hit $3.9 trillion by 2027. While modern tech solutions offer significant benefits, the race to keep up with emerging trends can overwhelm decision-makers and lead to costly mistakes. But technology doesnt have to be daunting. By asking the right questions of your team and vendors, you can identify, vet, and implement solutions that deliver real ROI for your business and customers. The following framework will guide you in developing a strategy to cut through the noise, mitigate risk, and empower your team to make technology investments that set you up for long-term success. So, whether youre just starting, stuck in neutral, or somewhere in between, read on. The Wrong Solution Can Create New Problems This may sound elementary, but its critical to understand your problem before investing in a solution. For example, AI can drive efficiency by automating manual work, but its useless unless you know where to deploy it. So, audit how your team spends its time. Data is helpful here, but frontline team members can also provide invaluable anecdotal feedback on productivity bottlenecks that automation could solve. Plus, engaging your team early on builds the buy-in necessary for smooth implementation later. That audit might also reveal multiple issues, but that doesnt mean you can or should try to solve them all at once. Instead, create a road map to help prioritize the most pressing challenges and then systematically work through others as time and resources allow. Once youve determined a problem, define the specific outcome you aim to achieve by implementing technologylike increasing role efficiency by 25 percent or decreasing cost per order by $1. Precision is key here, as vague objectives can lead to misguided investments in tools that fail to deliver results. Research Possible Solutions Now, you can start solutioning. Begin by reviewing potential vendor solutions and understanding their commonalities versus differentiation or even how industries outside your own address similar objectives. Though you work in fintech, you might be surprised by what you can learn about predictive analytics by studying how logistics service providers use data to lower shipping costs and improve efficiency or looking at how retail brands leverage AI to create hyper-personalized customer experiences. Keeping an open mind will always pay off. Make Data-Driven Decisions Next, conduct comprehensive due diligence on each potential solution. Go beyond the marketing materialsunderstand how the features apply to your specific problem, weigh costs against expected ROI, clarify what implementation support youll receive and consult team members who will use the tool. Arming yourself with all relevant data will help mitigate risk and drive buy-in across your organization. Product fit is just one part of the equation when investing in third-party technology. These solutions often address long-term opportunities, meaning you might work with a service provider for several years or more. If you sense any misalignment between your team and the service provider, trust your instincts and continue your search. Buying Versus Building Youll also need to decide whether to buy off-the-shelf technology or develop a custom solution in-house. Enterprise-level organizations with extensive technology teams may have the resources to build in-house, while SMBs often find ready-made tools perfectly suitable and far more cost-effective. Regardless, factor in the total cost of these options, including employee onboarding, systems integration and tech support, as these expenses can add up quickly. Whether buying or building, most technology isnt plug-and-play at scale. Thats why a detailed implementation and change management plan is essential. While making time for thorough employee training and troubleshooting may seem tedious, these steps are critical for achieving alignment and maximizing the solution’s impact, so dont skip it. Continually Measure Success Once the initial implementation is complete, measure success against your goals. Ramp-up may take time, but if the solution doesnt deliver results within six months, collaborate with your team and the service provider to identify issues and adjust course as needed. Tracking progress also helps maintain stakeholder supportproviding updates on outcomes and celebrating milestones can keep the team engaged and help secure resources for further investment. Lastly, as your business evolves, dont let this step slip by or stagnate your approach. Regularly revisiting and refining your review process as your needs change will ensure that a solution continues to deliver ongoing value over the long term or make clear when its time for something new. Investing in technology isnt just about acquiring toolsits about solving problems that empower your team and deliver long-term results. If youre new to this world, be patient with yourself and your team as you navigate the learning curve together. Mistakes are inevitable, but taking time to align solutions with clear objectives, evaluate vendors carefully and implement effectively will help mitigate potential risks and drive meaningful results for your team and business.
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E-Commerce
Want more housing market stories from Lance Lamberts ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. When assessing home price momentum, it’s important to monitor active listings and months of supply. If active listings start to rapidly increase as homes remain on the market for longer periods, it may indicate potential future pricing weakness. Conversely, a rapid decline in active listings could suggest a market that is heating up. National active listings are on the rise (up 24.6% between January 2024 and January 2025). This indicates that homebuyers have gained some leverage in many parts of the country over the past year, with some markets even feeling like balanced or buyers’ markets on the ground. However, nationally, were still below pre-pandemic active inventory levels (25.3% below January 2019), and some resale markets still remain tightbut, thats not the case anymore in many pockets of the Sun Belt and Mountain West. Here’s how the total January inventory/active listings (according to Realtor.com) compare to recent historic levels: January 2017: 1,154,120 January 2018: 1,043,951 January 2019: 1,110,636 January 2020: 951,675 January 2021: 531,775 January 2022: 376,970 January 2023: 616,865 January 2024: 665,569 January 2025: 829,376 Click here to view an interactive version of the map below. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r
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E-Commerce
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