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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
What does Russia’s war on Ukraine mean for U.S. retail?
Twelve days into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the most visible impact on U.S. retail appears to be brands suspending operations in Russia, local calls for boycotts of Russian vodka and a…
Do indie grocers need a big tech upgrade to compete with chains for customers?
Large supermarket operators are taking cash they made from much higher sales volumes during the pandemic and investing it in a myriad of technologies. Community-based retailers need to do the…
BJ’s Wholesale to launch smaller club concept
BJ’s Wholesale Club is piloting a smaller store, BJ’s Market, to serve as an innovation lab and potentially become an expansion vehicle. Does a smaller format store make sense for…
Will try-on tech be the right fit for Walmart’s fashion business?
Walmart is looking to assure its new spring collections are the right fit for its customers. The retailing giant announced the rollout of try-on technology that it believes will lead…
Can Victoria’s Secret extend its brand to preteens?
Victoria’s Secret is launching a new online-only private brand in April called Happy Nation. The brand will feature bras, panties and comfortable clothing for pre-teen girls. Is Victoria’s Secret on solid…
Dollar General has an OSHA problem
Dollar General has emerged as one of the fastest growing retailers in the U.S. But as it has expanded its footprint, it has at times run afoul of the U.S…
Amazon is closing all its Books, 4-Star and pop-up stores
Amazon.com appears committed to operating physical stores, but appears to be optimizing its format strategy. The retail and technology giant is shuttering all of 68 of its Amazon Books, 4-Star…
Are cats or dogs better for advertising?
Recent university research finds that the decision to use dogs or cats in advertisements should depend on how the product links to the stereotypical temperaments and behaviors of each pet…
Is mainstream retail the new go-to place for adult toys?
Sephora recently began selling vibrators and lubricants online, following similar moves last year by Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom and Saks.com as part of an emerging “sexual wellness” trend. Has this trend opened…
Will Target keep its winning streak going for five more years?
Target CEO Brian Cornell is understandably confident and believes Target’s continuing investments in its people, stores, supply chain operations and technology will continue to deliver significant growth over the next…
2022 could be the breakout year for mobile AR shopping
A new study finds 76 percent of consumers have already used augmented reality one way or another. Of the 24 percent who haven’t, half hope to do so in the…
How has the CIO role evolved?
Digital transformations, cloud migration and the movement to remote and hybrid workforces have not only elevated but broadened the CIO’s responsibilities to more of an advisory role. Do you see…
Target is serious about cutting employee turnover
Target cut its employee turnover rate between 2019 and 2021 to a five-year low, but clearly the chain’s leaders think it can do better. Is Target succeeding in being perceived…
What’s the path to building customer centric supply chains?
According to a Gartner survey of supply chain leaders, 62 percent are investing in capabilities to capture customer satisfaction data instead of focusing on cost-cutting innovations. What are the obvious and less…
Can shoppers save money while reducing food waste?
A smartphone app meant to tackle the problem of food waste and help customers keep their grocery bill down in the process is hoping to make a name for itself…
Walmart wants to make deliveries for independent grocers
Walmart is ready to deliver for grocers across the country. Cognetry Labs announced that it was fully integrating with Walmart GoLocal to give mid-sized and small grocers the ability to offer…
Will Foot Locker be better off long-term with fewer Nike shoes on its shelves?
Shares of Foot Locker crashed 30 percent on Friday after the sneaker chain said sharply-reduced allocations from Nike would lead to a same-store decline of between eight and 10 percent…
Is it the right time for Etsy to raise seller fees?
Following a record-breaking fourth quarter, Etsy announced that it is raising seller transaction fees to 6.5 percent from five percent. Is Etsy in a good competitive position to be raising…
Will emotional storytelling work for The Container Store?
The Container Store introduced on Tuesday a new logo, tagline — “Welcome to The Organization” — and brand campaign. The new logo is the brand’s first overhaul in its 44-year history…
Walmart+ sales event to build revenues and subscriber numbers
Walmart isn’t waiting on Amazon.com. The retailer has launched a special sales event that is exclusive to Walmart+ subscribers. Will Walmart’s current Walmart+ sales event be successful in attracting large…
Is Allbirds doing something wrong or something right?
Allbirds was able to report substantial sales growth, but that was not enough to earn the admiration of Wall Street for the fourth quarter of 2021. Where do you see…
