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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Should Children’s Place’s future be digital?
Children’s Place last week announced plans to close 300 stores, about a third of its store base, over the next two years as the children’s apparel chain saw shoppers migrate…
COVID-19 exposes retail’s supply chain shortcomings
A new study finds future investments in flexibility, visibility and automation will be necessary to adapt to crises similar to the coronavirus pandemic. What should retailers have learned from the…
Is business too busy saving itself to save the environment?
Pandemic lockdowns have resulted in less pollution, cleaner skies and a drop in CO2 emissions, but economic pressure could lead companies to abandon sustainability commitments. Has it become more important…
Will IKEA import its c-store concept into the U.S.?
The Japanese wing of Swedish furniture retailer IKEA has opened a store in Tokyo with one foot in a new vertical. Does it make sense for IKEA to expand into…
Sephora commits 15 percent of its shelf space to black-owned brands
Sephora has committed to growing its current roster of nine black-owned brands to include others that will eventually occupy at least 15 percent of the space on its store shelves…
Can experiential retail go live and online?
Talk of a retail apocalypse may be a distant memory, but fallout from the coronavirus outbreak is once again putting the industry to the test. A slew of experiments have…
Are tourist dollars coming back any time soon?
Although most governments are still advising against “nonessential” international travel, tourist dollars may be heading to beaches, mountains and other nearby vacation spots this summer. Are stores and retail districts…
COVID-19 is a deal-breaker for Simon/Taubman merger
Simon Property Group has called off a deal to acquire Taubman Centers, due to the disproportionate effect on Taubman compared with others in the retail real estate industry. What do…
How much pent up shopping demand is there?
When retail stores closed to customers in March, the hope was that Americans would come back and make up for lost time and sales when states began to let merchants…
Will Americans keep looking for new e-tail sites as stores reopen?
The nationwide shelter-at-home orders of the past few months have motivated customers to not just try out new brands, but online retailers with which they have never done business before…
Stitch Fix finds California stylists too pricey
In a cost-saving move, Stitch Fix is laying off approximately 1,400 California-based personal stylists, or about 18 percent of its workforce, and replacing them with stylists living in lower-cost cities…
Loyalty marketing is at a crossroads
The practice of customer loyalty marketing needs to evolve even faster post-COVID-19. Do you think consumers are primarily interested in loyalty programs that emphasize transactional values at the present moment?
Will COVID-19 quicken drone delivery’s flight to retail?
In recent years, articles on drones have been filled with complaints about their noise, spying capacity and threat to planes. In the last few months, they’ve been hailed as heroes…
Has Macy’s secured its future success with its new financing deal?
Macy’s announced that it has negotiated $3.15 billion in asset-based credit in addition to a previously announced $1.3 billion bond offering. Will the combination of new financing along with Macy’s…
Is remote working bad for corporate culture?
In a recent survey of Americans who are working remotely, 55 percent felt less connected to their company. Overall, the survey found favorable perceptions, but isolation and distractions were tied…
Gap to ‘mothball’ unsold inventory until next year
Gap Inc. plans to pack and hold summer, transitional fall and fall merchandise that doesn’t sell due to store closures and potentially lower demand until the next year’s selling season…
Are words of support no longer enough?
Nike’s “most important priority,” he said, is to fix its internal challenges around diversity and inclusion. Do you agree that consumers are generally demanding more than statements of solidarity from…
Should Amazon, Walmart, others be held liable for workers sickened by COVID-19?
Early last month, the National Retail Federation sent a memo to Congress with a list of the priorities that the trade group believed should be in any new stimulus legislation…
The face mask rule is now simply a suggestion at some H-E-B stores
H-E-B really wants its customers to wear masks in-store. In San Antonio, however, store staff will no longer turn away the mask-less. Is it time for grocers to start relaxing…
Will the post-COVID-19 world be less global?
The 2008 financial crisis, concerns over inequality and the rise in populism are among the factors that have driven the anti-globalization and anti-immigration movement in recent years. Some fear the…
Will retailers pass along or eat COVID-19 shipping surcharges?
It’s not unusual for United Parcel Service or FedEx to tack-on surcharges for shipping during peak periods leading up to Christmas. Merchants do not, however, expect such charges in June…
