Thirty-six percent of American workers performed some freelance work in 2021, according to a report from freelancing platform provider Upwork (NASDAQ: UPWK). Department-store giants like Sears and JC Penney ran into an e-commerce brick wall in the 2010s; then the coronavirus pandemic landed another crushing blow to struggling retailers. If you're looking for a retailer that's ready to take advantage of pent-up demand when the inflation crisis finally fades out, I would advise you to pass by Kohl's and its uninspiring turnaround effort.