Will Macy’s become a discount store? Retailer shares grim sales report

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The department store chain has also invested more in its off-price concept, called Macy’s Backstage. The company added 11 new Backstage stores within existing Macy’s stores in the first quarter. The stores, similar to Nordstrom Rack, offer discounted prices on brand clothing up to 80 percent off.

The retailer is also adding self-service systems in its shoe departments across the nation, letting customers service themselves instead of having to ask an employee to find the shoes they want.

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“In 2017, we are focused on taking actions to stabilize our brick and mortar business, including the testing and iteration of additional pilot programs in order to bring them to scale in future years,” said Jeff Gennette, president and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc. “At the same time, we will invest to aggressively grow our digital and mobile business, while continuing the integration of our online and offline experience to allow our customers to shop the way they live.”