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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
The Vuori COVID-19 story: Closed stores and open minds
When Vuori temporarily closed five activewear stores, two main questions arose — how to leverage conditions to emerge stronger, and is there an opportunity for associates to expand their skills…
Will Walmart’s daily pickup hour for seniors cause operational challenges?
Walmart, which has offered a “senior shopping event” every Tuesday since March 24, announced yesterday that it is going to add a daily pickup hour for vulnerable shoppers at select…
Amazon puts new online grocery customers on hold, reconfigures Whole Foods
The surge of online grocery adoption due to the coronavirus pandemic has led to slowdowns and stock-outs from the once untouchable Amazon.com. Will wait-listing new customers and converting Whole Foods…
Has COVID-19 turned fashion into an endangered retail species?
Outside of travel and leisure, no industry will be more affected by the COVID-19 pandemic than non-essential retail, and in that category, no vertical will be impacted more than fashion…
Is Walmart’s e-commerce COO the ‘ideal CEO to lead’ eBay?
Jamie Iannone, COO for Walmart’s e-commerce business in the U.S., has been named as the new chief executive officer of eBay. How do you think consumers see eBay as a…
When should non-essential retail stores reopen?
With hopeful signals that coronavirus infections may be plateauing, government officials are weighing public safety and economic risks of relaxing social distancing guidelines. What factors should determine when non-essential stores…
How transparent should grocers be about employees infected with COVID-19?
Trader Joe’s, H-E-B and ShopRite are standing out for providing transparency about the number of their employees testing positive for coronavirus. The majority of retail is largely keeping such incidents…
Retail’s COVID-19 drive-through testing is not going according to plan
Retailers are starting to open drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites to the public for the first time. Are they ready? What challenges do you expect retailers to face rolling out COVID-19…
Do brands have an obligation to fight the coronavirus?
Actions more than words are wanted from brands amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new global survey from Edelman, the public relations firm. How have consumer expectations for brands…
Should retailers skip rent?
Citing force majeure, several companies intend to temporarily stop paying rent due to store closures forced by shelter-at-home policies. Are threats to stop paying rent amid the COVID-19 pandemic an…
Fear, heroism and wrongful death lawsuits in the age of coronavirus
Heroism involves facing down the prospect of some type of personal harm to do the right thing in a given situation. How effectively are retail industry employers responding to the…
Will selling groceries help restaurants ride out COVID-19?
Grocery stores are slammed with customers and restaurants are closed for dine-in patrons as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Do you see grocery sales as a viable means for independent and…
Are retailers nimble enough to give consumers what they need and want right now?
Retailers must navigate the new normal, where the ability to connect is more reliant on digital technology than ever. How successful do you think most retailers have been in becoming…
Pandemic or no, card companies will not extend Outdoor EMV deadline for c- and g-stores
Despite all the economic disruption caused by the pandemic, leading credit card companies do not plan to extend what’s commonly known as the “Outdoor EMV” deadline. Should the credit card…
Zappos overhauls its website for home-bound customers
Nearly all retailers have updated their websites to detail how COVID-19 has disrupted business as usual, but few have gone as far as Zappos in assuring customers it is prepared…
Will the coronavirus change how we use plastic packaging?
As shoppers and retailers have had their attention shifted to surviving the coronavirus pandemic, there’s been a dramatic shift to foods packaged in plastics. Do you think consumers and retailers…
Will old-time retailing skills fix the supply chain mess created by COVID-19?
Once retailers restart their businesses following the COVID-19 outbreak, they will be faced with challenges for which old skills may provide the fastest answers. Where do you see the biggest…
Is it time for ‘essential’ retailers to stop running in-store promotions?
The reality at stores classified as “essential” since the coronavirus outbreak has been that a lot of planned sales promotion activity has been paused. Have you noticed a reduction in…
Pre-bagged produce proves popular during pandemic
Products that were surefire sellers three weeks ago are suddenly unpopular as the threat of coronavirus has changed what many consumers think of as convenient — and even safe —…
Will Chewy build on its current sales momentum once the COVID-19 threat has passed?
Chewy.com has seen an acceleration in sales since late February as stay-at-home orders proliferate across the country. Despite this, the crisis is creating both “headwinds and tailwinds” for the company…
How can stores get social distancing right?
Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Lowe’s this past weekend joined many other retailers in limiting the number of customers allowed in stores at one time to help stop the spread…
