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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Can Penney’s new leadership (finally) transform the business?
Marc Rosen is pulling together a leadership team at JCPenney with a vision of doing nothing less than transforming the legacy retailer. What do you make of the recent c-suite…
Has ‘just-in-case’ replaced ‘just-in-time’ inventory management?
The biggest internal roadblock to a more effective supply chain is the use of supply chain metrics that are too focused on efficiency at the expense of flexibility, according to…
Big Lots has big expansion plans
Big Lots is planning to open 500 new stores over the next six-plus years after having gone a decade holding the units it operates at a relatively steady number. Do…
More Americans are making Target runs
A lot of Americans are going on Target runs. The retailer saw shopper traffic improve 6.2 percent during the just completed holiday season, even as other major retailers like Best…
What tech must restaurants put on their menu of services?
According to a new report, the restaurants that go “digital-first” are the ones that are set up for success. Do you think that QR code-based menu and payment solutions, and…
Are brand and product messages in conflict?
In the technology space, in-house teams are facing challenges balancing product public relations with the desire to showcase their company’s value, mission and purpose, according to a new study. Have…
Reality hits omnichannel retail with a hard truth
Does a customer really care who handles their purchases, customer service questions or returns so long as it’s fast and convenient? Is a unified back-end process managed by a single…
Will JD.com’s robotic shops shake up retailing in the West?
The Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com has opened two robotic stores in the Netherlands with plans to add two more. The debut of the stores, which merge online ordering with in-store…
What is America eating in 2022?
Persistent disruptions in supply chains, new perspectives on worker welfare and safety, a renewed focus on food insecurity and climate change concerns will all play a role in driving food trends…
Has BOPIS lost its pandemic boost?
Consumers still overwhelmingly prefer home delivery to buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS), according to the results from a just-released study. Has BOPIS lost a significant amount of its appeal as…
Are AI-powered customer service agents already human enough?
A new university study finds that what matters in the customer service experience is the perceived humanness of the interaction. Do you see a point in the near future when…
Wellness has become fashionable at Saks
Saks.com has launched an online shop focused on wellness as health consciousness rises amid the pandemic. Has the wellness opportunity for luxury department stores been amplified by the pandemic or…
Will 15-minute cities truly bring back local retail?
A suburb of Salt Lake City recently revealed plans to build Utah’s first “15-minute city,” a residential planning model in which all daily necessities are accessible by foot or by…
Will 2022 be the year of text-to-shop?
Solutions that let customers shop via text message could soon be a hot trend in the U.S., and there are some big names in retail trying to make it happen…
Supply chain woes just cost Bed Bath & Beyond $100M in sales
Bed Bath & Beyond just got hit right in the supply chain. The retailer’s CEO said the company lost around $100 million in sales during its fiscal third quarter as…
Is retail ready for the phygital future?
Brands have focused on reaching their digital destiny, yet traditional two-dimensional experiences haven’t evolved to meet the opportunity. The landscape is set to change with a wave of innovation that…
Will Americans turn to Walmart and Target to organize their lives?
Americans need some sorting out. It would be difficult to get any other message this week with announcements from both Walmart and Target about new product line launches that their…
The Container Store’s new acquisition is upscale and ‘Made in the USA’
The Container Store has acquired Closet Works, a closet organization company, for $21.5 million. Do you expect other retailers and consumer direct brands to bring manufacturing sources closer to the…
Walmart says it’s ready to deliver groceries inside 30 million American homes
Walmart is serious about gaining entry into your home. The retailer announced plans to expand its InHome Delivery service five-fold before 2022 is over. Does the expansion of Walmart’s InHome…
Will Alexa get customers cooking with Blue Apron?
When users of Amazon’s Echo Show smart display device want to order a meal kit from Blue Apron, the task is simple enough. And now, if they need instruction preparing…
Will customers subscribe to Sweetgreen’s plan to make pricey salads less pricey?
There’s nothing cheap on Sweetgreen’s menu, which may explain a new program from the chain that offers customers daily discounts of up to 30 percent on purchases. Do you see…
