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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
H&M discovers it’s not easy being green
A recent exposé on fast-fashion retailer H&M alleges that the company’s environmental promise is undermined by greenwashing. What can other chains with an environmental/sustainable promise learn from what H&M is…
Will Ben & Jerry’s be Ben & Jerry’s if its Israel unit’s sale goes through?
Ben & Jerry’s has filed a lawsuit against Unilever, after its parent company last week reached a deal to sell the distribution rights to the brand in Israel to a…
Is Amazon taking its foot off the Prime Day marketing pedal?
Amazon Prime Day, to take place between July 12 and 13, is expected to be less robust than pre-pandemic years due not only to inflation concerns but possibly less investment…
Will Amazon’s grab-and-go tech elevate store analytics?
Amazon has introduced a new Store Analytics offering that taps its cashier-free checkout technologies to provide insights into the in-store performance of vendors’ products and ad campaigns. What do you…
McDonald’s puts hacks, merch drops, musical acts and food deals on its ‘camp’ menu
McDonald’s has launched “Camp McDonald’s,” a campaign offering 27 consecutive days of food deals, menu hacks, musical performances and limited-edition merch drops — available only via the McDonald’s App. Do…
Should more retailers aim for their customers’ funny bones?
A new study finds consumers are seeking humor from brands as they emerge from the pandemic era. Yet only 16 percent of brands surveyed use humor to sell, with 95…
Is H-E-B’s e-grocery playbook a primer for taking on Amazon?
H-E-B is just oh so slightly better at online grocery than Amazon. That’s the finding from the first annual “eCommerce Retailer Preference Index” from dunnhumby. What characteristics set apart the…
Where robots fit into the online grocery store ops equation
Supermarket retailers are faced with a huge labor challenge. The explosion of ecommerce is amplifying this by creating the need for more order pickers to manually fulfill e-grocery orders from…
Will consumers become even more frugal post-pandemic?
A recent survey found 54 percent of Americans consider being called “cheap” a compliment at times and 53 percent are proud of being labeled a bargain hunter. Do you think…
Should investors be worried after RH lowered its forecast for the second time this month?
RH yesterday said that it was lowering its annual sales and profit forecast. It was the second time this month that the luxury furniture and furnishings chain has lowered its…
Marketers are still trying to figure out women’s sports 50 years after Title IX
Sprouts Farmers Market has announced a major sponsorship in women’s athletics through partnerships with the Big 12 and Pac-12 Conferences timed to the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Should retailers…
What worked at Target didn’t work for Mark Tritton at Bed Bath & Beyond
The news came today that Mark Tritton is out as president, CEO and a board member of Bed Bath & Beyond. What went wrong and right during Mark Tritton’s tenure…
Will a gas tax holiday drive retail in the right direction?
President Joe Biden is proposing a moratorium on the federal gas tax in hopes of saving cash strapped consumers from having to pay so much at the pump. Would a…
Retail workers want the right to defend themselves
the United Food and Commercial Workers union made sure to include the right of self defense for workers if they are attacked on the job. Should retail industry employers give…
Retailers tell their customers to keep their returns
Retailers looking to reduce costs and clear out warehouses and stores of excess inventory are telling customers to just keep those unwanted purchases. Do you expect to see a significant…
ThredUP asks consumers to boycott Shein’s pop-up shop
Shein has become the most downloaded app in America, according to a watchdog group. But now the Chinese fast-fashion giant has gotten on the wrong side of thredUP. Do you…
Can in-store coffee add pep to retail sales?
A new university study finds drinking caffeinated coffee leads shoppers to spend more and purchase more impulse items. Does it make sense that caffeinated shoppers are bigger and more impulsive…
Are mall shoppers hungry for in-stock data?
Mall operator Simon Property Group is testing a search tool that lets shoppers see what’s in stock in stores inside the mall. How much appeal will an inventory check tool…
Are outsized private label gains in grocery a foregone conclusion?
As inflationary pressures and a potential economic downturn force consumers to trade down, store brands have more going for them than low prices. How likely is it that store brands in…
Kellogg thinks it makes more sense apart than together
Following a trend of breaking up conglomerates, Kellogg Co. last week announced plans to split into three independent companies: global snacks, North American cereal and plant-based foods. Which business benefits…
Is the metaverse opportunity getting any clearer?
Annual global spending related to the metaverse could reach $5 trillion by 2030, according to McKinsey. Of that, the e-commerce impact is expected to be between $2 trillion and $2.6…
