1.0
Dec 24, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook
Pros
Strong brand and guest trust Scale, data, and vendor relationships with real potential Historically strong merchant culture
Cons
Merchant roles are now staffed with insufficiently trained talent, slowing decisions and reducing ownership Heavy reliance on process and required grids over merchant judgment Vendor partnership feels transactional, with limited timely feedback Margin discipline often outweighs topline growth and long-term strategy Re organization in 2015 and 2025 both stripped merchandising of many talented people