Joel Warady

Macy's Cans Gift Wrapping Department

March 3, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
If you're looking to buy a gift in Seattle and have it wrapped, Macy's may no longer be your store of choice. The chain has confirmed it is doing away with its gift wrapping departments in the city. Where do you stand on the elimination of services such as gift wrapping in department stores?      [more...]

My favorite subject -- the way Macy's continues to eliminate its unique services to get as close to a generic department store as possible. Instead of eliminating the department, wouldn't Macy's be better served to make the gift-wrapping service a unique, memorable, and remarkable point of difference? What if they advertised it, charged for it, and made people look forward to receiving that special gift from Macy's in a special wrap?

As paper stores continue to grow throughout the U.S., it indicates that people LOVE the idea of unique papers and unique gift-wrap. The problem is not in having the gift-wrapping service at Macy's. The problem (as always) is the way that Macy's is executing it.

Macy's could be much better than this if they wanted to be a GREAT retailer. They have simply given up on this.