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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Can Lassie save the mall?
At Yorktown Center in Chicago’s western suburbs, 58 stores have a paw print sticker on their window indicating they’re “pet-friendly.” Have the perceptions around dogs in retail settings changed to…
Can Old Navy’s boss lead a turnaround at Gap Inc.?
Gap Inc. didn’t have to look far for a new chief executive to replace its former CEO, Art Peck. The specialty clothing retailer has announced that Sonia Syngal, CEO of…
Study says retailers could stand a little more sunny or snowy weather
According to a new university study, sunny and snowy conditions trigger consumers to visualize using products associated with the respective weather, which lead them to place a higher value on…
Will Rent the Runway get hit by the coronavirus?
Rent the Runway has added a new item to its FAQ page about how it cleans its garments to prevent the spread of viruses, including COVID-19. How likely is the…
Should Amazon pay a penalty for counterfeits sold in its marketplace?
A bill called the Shop Safe Act of 2020 currently being considered by Congress aims to curb the perennial problem of counterfeit goods being sold through e-commerce marketplaces. How would…
Target thinks small to succeed big time
Target’s push to open smaller locations in recent years has been one of the chain’s success stories. Now the retailer is thinking of developing even smaller stores to enable it…
Are strip centers where it’s at for Macy’s and Sephora?
Macy’s and Sephora recently announced plans to focus their expansion on non-mall locations to take advantage of steadier traffic flows seen there vs. indoor malls. What’s driving the apparent healthier…
Will a lack of paid sick leave cost retailers as the coronavirus outbreak spreads?
It’s common in the retailing and the foodservice industries that chain employers do not extend paid sick time benefits to part-time workers. How should retailers address employees who do not…
What will it take to fix J.C. Penney’s shrinking sales problem?
J.C. Penney’s survival will not come from an improvement in margin rates, but an improvement in margin dollars — and that will require a big reversal of sales trends. Do…
Has the UPC outlived its usefulness?
The vast majority of retailers and consumer brand companies will be ready to move on from the universal product code (UPC) in the near future, according to a research study…
7-Eleven’s new store concept is an ‘Evolution’ in convenience
Over the last year, 7-Eleven has been running a testing ground for new in-store features in Dallas called 7-Eleven Evolution, with an eye toward expanding it even further. Do you…
Retailers go into business triage mode as coronavirus enters the U.S.
The fallout from the coronavirus outbreak has so far been minimal for American retailers, but some near-term and potentially much worse long-term disruption is expected as the disease spreads to…
What makes Trader Joe’s, Trader Joe’s?
Joe Coulombe, who passed away Friday at the age of 89, retired long before the chain he founded in 1967, Trader Joe’s, expanded nationally, but he hatched many of the…
Will coffee subscriptions raise some dough for Panera?
Panera Bread has announced a new subscription program that offers unlimited coffee for $8.99 a month. Does a coffee subscription program make sense for Panera Bread, and should other fast-casual…
Will a new subscription program be Walmart’s winning answer to Amazon Prime?
Walmart will begin testing a new annual subscription plan as early as next month with features that will eventually go beyond those offered by rival Amazon.com’s Prime program. Is playing…
‘Be your brand’ and other lessons for succeeding in the phygital world
E-commerce and omnichannel executives came together at eTail West in Palm Springs this week with an update on digital strategies that are working in the marketplace today. Are brands taking…
Are email marketers adapting to modern realities?
Newer personalization tools are allowing marketers to tailor emails — even those sent as part of a broadly-aimed “blast” — based on the recipient’s profile, affinities and past behaviors. Have…
How can retailers bring the best of digital commerce to physical stores?
There are many beneficial elements to e-commerce. At the recent 2020 Future Stores conference in Miami, a frequent theme was working out how retailers take these elements and leverage them…
Walgreens embroiled in a stressed-out pharmacist scandal
Walgreens pharmacists have complained of being overwhelmed with work to the point of making errors, but a report seems to indicate that this was a message the retailer wanted to…
Will a former H&M exec lead Forever 21 into a bright new future?
Authentic Brands Group, Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners rescued Forever 21. Now, the fast-fashion chain’s new owners have found a chief executive officer in the person of Daniel…
Will a CEO’s crowdsourcing plea save Modell’s Sporting Goods?
Family-owned chain Modell’s Sporting Goods, a familiar retailer throughout the northeastern U.S., has hit the skids, and the CEO has taken an unusual step of reaching out publicly to crowdsource…
