Bed Bath & Beyond enlists professionals from Walmart and Wayfair to fortify its digital operations.
Bed Bath & Beyond, the popular home goods retailer, has unveiled a three-year digital growth plan aimed at transforming the brand into a modern, digitally-savvy entity within the Beyond Inc. portfolio. As part of this plan, the company has appointed Jill Pavlovich and Jake Griffith to key positions, strengthening its leadership team with retail and digital expertise.
Jill Pavlovich, who previously served as Wayfair's general manager and head of exclusive brands and merchandising, has been appointed as senior vice president of digital commerce. In her new role, she will help lead the retailer's digital merchandising and operations, including for Bed Bath & Beyond's owned brands. Pavlovich brings a wealth of experience to the table, having also held leadership roles at Calvin Klein, Natori, Perry Ellis International, Dana-co, and Warnaco.
Jake Griffith, who previously worked at Walmart as the general manager of Sports & Fitness, has been appointed as vice president of product management. Griffith will oversee product lifestyle stages to ensure a seamless buying experience for customers. He also has extensive experience working at Amazon.
Both Pavlovich and Griffith will report to Chief Digital Officer Rafeh Masood. Masood has welcomed the hires' merchandising, brand, and digital retail experience, stating that it aligns with the company's ambitious growth and digital integration goals.
The digital push comes as Bed Bath & Beyond has seen a significant increase in digital sales. In its most recent earnings, digital sales for the company overall grew 77% year over year, with digital sales for the Bed Bath & Beyond banner specifically growing 94% year over year in the third quarter. The company has also integrated buy online, pick up in store across its banners, and at least some of the shift to online shopping for Bed Bath & Beyond is expected to remain after the pandemic.
As part of its three-year turnaround plan, Bed Bath & Beyond has emphasized rolling out more private labels. The company has also announced it will invest $250 million over the next three years into its tech platforms to support its digital push.
The digital growth plan involves relaunching Bed Bath & Beyond through smaller, neighborhood-focused physical stores operated by Kirkland’s, integrating online and offline experiences with co-branded websites, and expanding multi-brand retail concepts focusing on digital and customer trends. Beyond also aims to develop new retail concepts, including physical Overstock stores and Buybuy Baby locations, aligning real estate and store formats with customer preferences and digital trends.
In summary, Bed Bath & Beyond's three-year plan for digital growth is centered on leveraging its new ownership and partnerships to relaunch the brand with a focus on smaller-format stores, digital integration, and multi-brand retailing. The appointments of Jill Pavlovich and Jake Griffith are part of a broader effort to assemble a team with expertise in digital retail, merchandising, and brand transformation, aligning leadership capabilities with the company's ambitious growth and digital integration goals. This includes bringing in executives with backgrounds in merchandising, marketing, and digital commerce to drive performance, profitability, and long-term growth in a digitally focused retail environment.
[1] [Bed Bath & Beyond's Three-Year Plan for Digital Growth](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005803/en/Bed-Bath-Beyond-Announces-Three-Year-Plan-for-Digital-Growth) [2] [Bed Bath & Beyond Appoints Jill Pavlovich as Senior Vice President of Digital Commerce](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bed-bath--beyond-appoints-jill-pavlovich-as-senior-vice-president-of-digital-commerce-301486892.html) [3] [Bed Bath & Beyond Appoints Jake Griffith as Vice President of Product Management](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bed-bath--beyond-appoints-jake-griffith-as-vice-president-of-product-management-301486893.html) [4] [Beyond Inc. Announces New Leadership Appointments to Drive Performance and Growth](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/beyond-inc-announces-new-leadership-appointments-to-drive-performance-and-growth-301486891.html)
- The digital sales for Bed Bath & Beyond have surged, with a 77% year-over-year increase in overall digital sales and a 94% growth in the third quarter for the Bed Bath & Beyond banner.
- As part of its three-year strategy, Bed Bath & Beyond is focusing on launching more private labels and investing $250 million into tech platforms to support its digital growth.
- The digital growth plan includes reopening Bed Bath & Beyond stores as smaller, neighborhood-focused outlets managed by Kirkland’s, integrating online and offline experiences, and expanding multi-brand retail concepts that align with digital and customer trends.
- Beyond aims to develop new retail concepts like physical Overstock stores and Buybuy Baby locations, keeping real estate and store formats in line with customer preferences and digital trends.
- Bed Bath & Beyond's partner Walmart, where Jake Griffith previously worked as a general manager of Sports & Fitness, will likely benefit from this digital push.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) could play a role in the digital transformation, helping Bed Bath & Beyond analyze consumer behavior and personalize shopping experiences, creating a seamless lifestyle for customers.
- Stock market investors and financial analysts are keeping a close eye on Bed Bath & Beyond's digital growth strategy, as the retailer moves to adapt to the changing economic landscape shaped by the pandemic and shifting consumer preferences.
- On the television news, the breaking story is about Bed Bath & Beyond forming home-and-garden partnerships with companies like Kirkland’s, Overstock, and Buybuy Baby, signaling a shift in their retailBUSINESS strategy aimed at embracing technology, digital trends, and consumer habits in a post-pandemic world.
