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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Will ‘hyperautomation’ determine retailing success from this point forward?
The success of functions including sales, operations, procurement and shipping depends on retailers’ ability to apply analytics at scale towards developing better insights and responses to consumer demands. What do…
Will Best Buy’s latest acquisition be a healthy addition for the chain?
Best Buy has signed an agreement to acquire Current Health, a remote patient monitoring and telehealth technology company based in the UK. What is your assessment of Best Buy’s healthcare…
Should advertisers delete Facebook?
An Ad Age-Harris poll taken last week found 55 percent of U.S. consumers agreeing brands and organizations should stop advertising on Facebook. Should the allegations of harm to teens cause…
Rather than compete, Walmart inks exclusive deal with Netflix
Walmart has gone from aspiring to compete with Netflix in the digital video subscription market to making a deal to sell merchandise linked to its erstwhile rival’s original programming on…
Should retailers set time guarantees for curbside delivery?
Office Depot has raised its own bar for curbside delivery with the launch of a “20 Minute Pickup Promise.” Is the wait the biggest pain point around in-store or curbside…
How should retailers communicate supply chain snafus?
Consumers are well aware of ongoing supply chain disruptions and expect delays but want answers, according to a study from Oracle. Should retailers be doing more to explain out-of-stocks to…
Lunds & Byerlys gives associates Thanksgiving and Black Friday off
Lunds & Byerlys, a 28-store grocer in the Twin Cities metro area, is giving workers paid-days off on both Thanksgiving and Black Friday in recognition of their efforts during the…
Is the internet the great price equalizer or anything but?
A new university study finds that, while the general belief is that online comparison shopping helps you find the lowest prices, it may not be so if you’re browsing from…
Should retailers be looking to leverage free return shipping?
A new report finds some retailers leveraging free online returns in a variety of ways, including to incentivize faster returns, turn online exchanges into store credit and to support their…
Your next c-store online order may be delivered by a robot
A number of grocery stores and tech vendors have piloted delivery robots over the last few years. Now one company is looking at the convenience store space as the sweet…
Will Wrangler make an authentic connection with Millennials and Gen Z?
Wrangler faces the same challenge as other iconic American brands: how to stay connected to its heritage while reaching out and connecting to consumers who either don’t know its history…
Gap expands tech investments with deal for AI retail analytics startup
Gap Inc. has acquired a tech start-up that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to improve the customer experience and drive sales through predictive analytics and demand sensing. Where…
Will retailers win now and lose later with long-term shipping contracts?
Supply chain disruptions have plagued the U.S. retail landscape in recent months, raising concerns that Christmas shoppers will be met with stock outs rather than gifts when the holiday season…
Is sportswear positioned to go on a long term winning streak?
The Bank of America (BofA) has identified five “megatrends” — some accelerated by the pandemic — representing tailwinds advancing sports apparel and footwear growth. Do you expect sportswear growth to…
Is Home Depot’s deal with Walmart a sign of bigger things to come?
Home Depot is hiring Walmart to handle local deliveries for its stores.The retailers revealed today that they are teaming up to give Home Depot’s customers another way to have their…
Target is giving associates even more reasons to stay
Target announced that it will pay store associates $2 an hour extra for working on Saturdays and Sundays starting on November 20 and running through December 19. How does Target’s…
Will access to hard-to-find gifts make Totaltech-heads out of Best Buy’s customers?
Best Buy is launching a nationwide rollout of its Totaltech subscription program. Membership offers a host of service and purchasing benefits. Will Totaltech increase the sense of loyalty that Best…
Is consumer-direct less profitable for brands than selling wholesale?
A new study has found that although many apparel brands are aggressively shifting towards direct-to-consumer, underlying profitability may be better selling through wholesale channels. How confident are you that DTC…
Has Walmart put a bullseye on Cat & Jack with its new Free Assembly Kids line?
Walmart is serious about raising its fashion cred. The retailer has engaged in a number of exclusive brand relationships and has sought to up its game with its private label…
Mobile retail aspires to attain food truck-like popularity
Mobile retail is at the early experimental phase of development, but operators are looking to achieve the same level of acceptance as food trucks have achieved in the restaurant space…
Amazon asks, why wait for Black Friday when you can get Christmas deals today?
Why wait? Amazon.com announced today that “Black Friday-worthy deals” are available right now on its site. How do you expect the dueling sales promotions to play out between Amazon and…
