Article: Shoppers give big-store clones cold shoulder. (sales suffer at look-alike department stores)(Financial Forum) (Industry Overview)

NEW YORK -- When it comes to department stores, there are too many look-alikes.

According to the four participants in WWD's recent financial forum, department stores, particularly with the invasion of category-killers, are suffering from too much sameness and must become destination stores themselves.

Walter Loeb, of Loeb Associates, said most department stores are failing what he called "The Blink Test."

"You go into a store, you blink, and you haven't the foggiest idea where you are, because they're all so similar," Loeb said.

While profits at department stores have revived over the last two years largely reflecting cost cutting, revenues ...

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