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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Are retailers making it too tough for seniors to shop online?
Many older consumers have discovered and embraced digital communications and online shopping during the pandemic, but the onboarding experience for many hasn’t been a walk in the park. Are website…
Is the future of retail being cooked up in a lab?
Pandora announced yesterday the launch of its first collection of diamond jewelry made exclusively with diamonds created in a lab. How likely is the emergence of lab-grown products to disrupt…
Kroger takes flight with drone delivery test
Kroger thinks that drone deliveries have the potential to help transform its e-commerce operations, announcing yesterday a pilot program testing the use of autonomous drones to deliver online orders from…
Will CVS make a breakthrough as it expands in-store mental health services?
CVS is expanding a pilot program offering mental health counseling and therapy services inside stores. Does it make business sense for pharmacies to offer mental health services and therapy alongside…
Will a virtual quick serve restaurant drive Pepsi’s cola sales?
Pepsi has debuted a virtual quick service restaurant concept that seeks to pair the brand’s colas with a variety of complementary foods, such as burgers, chicken sandwiches and ribs. What do…
Do retailers have to catch up to Amazon’s logistics powerhouse?
Amazon.com has made significant progress over the last year in last-mile fulfillment with its vans crisscrossing neighborhoods with greater frequency. Where are Amazon’s largest logistics advantages as it builds out…
DoorDash tries tiered commission structure to deal with restaurants’ complaints
DoorDash launched a new tiered commission plan for restaurants following outrage over its high fees as delivery took off during the pandemic. Do you think DoorDash’s three-tiered commission plan offers…
What goes into standout Mother’s Day marketing campaigns?
Mother’s Day campaigns tend to go for sentimental messages of love and gratitude — only rarely are they daring or subversive. That makes them hard to make memorable. Which of…
Should retailers welcome vaccine passports?
From sports stadiums to cruise lines, airlines to universities, proof of vaccination is increasingly the ticket for special access or outright entry for the public. Would the use of vaccine…
7-Eleven spending $70M to promote the convenience of its new tech
7-Eleven is launching its biggest commercial campaign in years to try to keep itself at the top of the convenience store world. Do you think an ad campaign like the…
Shipt and its gig workers deal with phishing attacks
Gig delivery workers now have something else to worry about. Shipt shoppers/drivers have fallen victim to criminals who steal their paychecks. How significant a challenge do security issues around third-party…
Will Americans open their garages and homes to Amazon and Walmart?
Amazon and Walmart are both planning to expand delivery services that give them access to the homes of customers. Will Americans’ experiences during the pandemic and a return to pre-pandemic…
Will retailers be rewarded for giving ex-cons a second chance?
People have the power to change their lives. That’s the simple proposition that retailers are putting to the test as participants in the Second Chance Business Coalition, a group of…
Starbucks’ opens green innovation center
Starbucks has partnered with Arizona State University to open an innovation center dedicated to testing environmental sustainability initiatives. Does establishing separate innovation centers focusing on sustainable solutions make sense for…
Report: Amazon will surpass Walmart as America’s biggest retailer by 2025
Amazon Inc., including its online marketplace of third-party sellers, will overtake Walmart to be the largest retailer in the U.S. by 2025, according to a new report. Do you think…
Will immersive experiences revitalize U.S. malls?
Immersive entertainment experiences were sweeping the U.S. before the pandemic, but the need to socially distance put it on pause. Now, it could emerge as the new main attraction at…
Do five-star ratings systems have a ‘positivity’ problem?
A university study finds that the five-star online review system has become increasingly less useful because most products are now rated positively. Can five-star rating systems be reimagined to become…
Why did Amazon open a hair salon?
Amazon has opened a hair salon in its latest bricks-and-mortar experiment, allowing the online giant to test new technologies, expand its B2B business with haircare professionals and potentially explore the…
Are consumers getting less creeped out about being tracked online?
While privacy concerns are certainly heightening amid legislation and calls for increased transparency, inhibitions about sharing information for a better online experience may be decreasing at an even faster pace. …
Vaccinated Americans like getting retail thank you freebies
New research suggests there is little downside for companies offering free products to Americans who have gotten vaccinated against COVID-19. Where do you come down on the business case for…
Will stock ownership work as a loyalty program perk?
The North Face, online retailer Kogan and meal kit provider Marley Spoon are among the many brands that recently began rewarding customers for their purchases with fractional shares of their…
