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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Will American Eagle’s new ‘consciously-made, slow fashion’ concept take off?
American Eagle Outfitters has opened a concept store in East Hampton on New York’s Long Island that appears to mirror the new take on life in this time of pandemic…
Getting your associates ready to reopen stores
Slowly, stores are being given the go-ahead to reopen. It’s time to make sure the retail staff is coming back from the best place possible. Here are five things to…
Would Amazon and Google benefit from publishing fake consumer reviews?
It doesn’t sound right, but new research says that sites that collect consumer reviews on businesses and products should leave fake ones untouched. How significant a role do you think…
Dick’s goes off-price with two new clearance concepts
Dick’s Sporting Goods announced last week the opening of two clearance concepts — OVERTIME by Dick’s Sporting Goods that will be open “for the foreseeable future” and Dick’s Sporting Goods…
Is now finally the time for Albertsons’ IPO?
Albertsons is once again back on its way to an initial public offering, but with all that has been going on in the world, it may be a strange time…
Is Apple being too cautious?
Apple is temporarily closing 11 recently reopened stores in four states that have experienced spikes in the number of coronavirus cases. How should retailers balance safety with the need to…
Should retailers boycott Facebook?
REI and The North Face on Friday became the first prominent firms to agree to stop buying Facebook ads because of how the platform polices hate speech and misinformation. What…
How to hire people who do not look like you
Why should you hire people who do not look like you? Because while it is human to hire people with similar backgrounds, it can be based on unintentional bias. Further,…
Has the pandemic proven Instacart’s business model?
Instacart, which has seen orders catapult as much as 500 percent during the pandemic, has secured a $13.7 billion valuation in a new funding round, up from $8 billion after…
Target wants to be known as the best place to work in retail
Even with the odds seemingly favoring employers at the present time, Target announced that it is raising its starting minimum wage from $13 to $15 an hour beginning on July…
Will a PPE retailer make it in the mall?
Trade show display company Hatch Exhibits watched as big gatherings nationwide were shut down, and pivoted to making personal protective equipment. Now the firm has decided to not only stick…
Can a box of pancake mix be racist?
The Quaker Oats Company and Mars have each announced plans to do away with brands that display imagery many see as racist. Quaker is planning to discontinue its Aunt Jemima…
The pandemic has changed retailing, maybe forever
As the pandemic shut down our shops, we adapted. We joined new online retail sites and placed orders in advance. Many retailers did not change, however, and those without a…
Will PPE vending kiosks attract travelers?
Hudson, the operator of airport stores, announced plans to roll out PPE (personal protection equipment) vending machines at leading airport destinations across North America. Do you see PPE vending machines…
Who will come to J.C. Penney’s rescue?
J.C. Penney is facing a deadline that it may not be able to meet. The department store operator, which filed for bankruptcy in May, is at risk of running out…
Is same-day delivery a sign of better things to come for Staples?
Only a few months ago, Amazon was the primary shopping destination for office supplies, but fulfillment delays on Amazon’s part and pandemic-era living may have provided an opening for flagging…
Should stores relax dress codes to let workers show support for Black Lives Matter?
Everyone knows they are in Best Buy when they see a blue shirt associate or in Trader Joe’s when they come across crew members working in Hawaiian shirts. We are…
Will grocers maintain COVID share gains as restaurants reopen?
A few short months ago, the retail grocery industry was all about the expansion of e-commerce, growth in ethnic categories and the push for foodservice. While the coronavirus pandemic accelerated…
Walmart teams up with Shopify to give Amazon a run for its money
Walmart is serious about growing its online marketplace business. The retailer has teamed up with Shopify to enable sellers from the platform to sell their goods on walmart.com. What is…
Will personalization work for produce?
A new California-based subscription service plans to provide consumers with access to produce from their exclusive plot on an indoor farm with the ability to customize their crops. Will Willo’s…
Do retailers need a chief health officer?
Retailers and restaurants should consider creating a c-level position focused on public health to address pandemic-related concerns, according to a new study. Do retailers need to establish a chief health…
