Cut Costs or Close Your Doors

Retail isn’t just facing headwinds—it’s in the middle of a full reset.

Store closures continue to surge across the U.S, including:

• 7-Eleven: Over 600 stores are slated to close in North America during fiscal year 2026.

• Big Lots: Continuing a massive downsizing, over 340 stores are scheduled for closure.

• GameStop: Over 470 locations have closed as the retailer pivots from physical to digital products.

• Macy's: Continuing to close 150 underperforming stores over a three-year period, with 80+ set to close or having closed recently.

• Francesca's: The women's fashion chain is closing its nearly 460 stores as it liquidates the business.

• Kroger: Planning to close roughly 60 underperforming stores through 2026.

And in this environment, one thing is clear: Retailers that don’t control costs won’t survive.

The Hidden Cost Killing Retailers

When companies start cutting expenses, they usually look at:

• Labor

• Real estate

• Inventory

But one major cost often flies under the radar: IT maintenance.

OEM support contracts are expensive, rigid, and often unnecessary—especially for aging infrastructure. And when margins are tight, overpaying for maintenance can quietly drain resources that could be used to keep stores open.

A Smarter Way to Cut Costs Without Cutting Performance

Third-party maintenance (TPM) gives retailers a way to reduce costs without sacrificing uptime.

Instead of rushing into expensive hardware refreshes or overpaying OEM premiums, TPM allows you to:

• Extend the life of existing IT assets

• Cut maintenance costs by 50–70%

• Maintain reliable support across locations

• Avoid unnecessary capital expenditures

The Bottom Line

Retail is changing fast. The companies that survive won’t just be the ones with the best products—they’ll be the ones with the smartest cost strategies.

If you’re still paying premium OEM prices for IT maintenance, it might be time to rethink your approach.

Because in today’s retail environment, cutting the right costs could be the difference between scaling… and closing your doors.