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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
How will Jetblack lessons inform Walmart’s conversational commerce efforts?
Walmart has announced that it will discontinue its Jetblack personal shopping text service on Feb. 21. The subscription program combined human and artificial intelligence to offer product recommendations to upscale…
Startup turns to the gig economy to bring expert sales advice online
Curated, an e-commerce start-up, matches knowledgeable sales associates with online buyers by making use of an on-demand labor platform. What do you think of Curated’s strategy of matching knowledgeable sales…
Will technology even the last-mile playing field with Amazon?
Deliverr uses “machine learning and optimization technology” to bring two-day delivery to sellers on marketplaces. The service is pitched as a way to compete with Amazon Prime delivery. Do you…
Grocers are given failing marks on food recall transparency
A new report says that 22 of the top 26 grocery chains in the U.S. deserve an “F” for policies and practices that fail to adequately inform consumers about food…
Holy badgers! Target did what with a University of Minnesota onesie?
How could a “Minnesota Badgers” onesie find its way to four stars in Minneapolis from a retail chain with its headquarters in The Gopher State? Target issued a statement to…
Will the FTC redefine anticompetitive behavior after its big tech acquisition inquiry?
Big tech is on notice. Yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission ordered five large technology companies — Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft — to provide details on past acquisitions of…
Will Pop Up Grocer bring discovery to grocery retailing?
Pop Up Grocer, self-described as a “traveling pop-up grocery store,” opened its first West Coast location in Venice Beach. The New York-based company started last year with two pop-ups in…
New Vans store designed as an homage to LA’s skate history
Vans’ new Los Angeles store is meant to pay respect to a city that’s possessed to skate. The location, billed as a community-driven retail and event space, has two floors…
Brandless halts operations. What went wrong?
Brandless was launched in 2017 with a simple idea — provide everyday items with better quality ingredients in generic packaging at a single $3 price point. Now Brandless has announced…
Will Staples’ new concept Connect with small business owners?
Staples is trying out a new concept in hopes of creating a store experience that cannot be replicated online. Does a concept like Staples Connect position the chain for a…
New York Stock Exchange owner eyed acquiring eBay
Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), spent much of last week justifying why a potential acquisition of eBay would make sense, before abandoning the…
Why isn’t voice commerce taking off?
eMarketer last week lowered its outlook for smart speaker buyers (consumers making a purchase via a smart speaker) and smart speaker users (consumers using smart speakers for any purpose). What…
Why are so many organic grocers landing in bankruptcy court?
Reckless expansion and heightened competition for natural and organic foods were factors behind the recent bankruptcies of Fairway, Earth Fare and Lucky’s Market, but each chain faced unique challenges. What…
H-E-B gives $100 bills to all its employees for top grocer ranking
H-E-B last week handed out $100 bills to all employees after being named top grocery retailer in the U.S. in dunnhumby’s third annual “Retailer Preference Index” (RPI). What do you…
What does it take to earn the trust of consumers?
With trust emerging as a key lever in brand loyalty, a new report looks at the factors consumers consider when deciding to trust a brand. Where do you see the…
7-Eleven tries out an Amazon Go-like store
Convenience store giant 7-Eleven has announced it is testing a “cashierless” concept at its corporate headquarters in Irving, TX. Do you think there is a real future for cashierless stores…
Will a brand refresh make Shipt a household name?
Shipt, the same-day delivery service founded in 2014 and acquired by Target in 2017, has ditched its rocket ship imagery and rolled out a new green shopping bag graphic as…
Should retailers brag about doing good?
Younger generations appear to be split on whether brands and retailers should be promoting their eco- or socially-conscious credentials. How loudly should retailers and brands talk about their sustainability or…
Crate and Barrel marries human expertise with tech advances in a new concept store
Crate and Barrel is piloting a standalone store concept that lets customers take advantage of all of their design and decorating expertise and guidance in one physical location. Will a…
Did Barnes & Noble engage in ‘literary blackface’?
No doubt, Barnes & Noble thought it was making a good business move when it came up with the idea for its Diverse Editions project in its flagship store on…
Will Macy’s cut its way to improved margins and future growth?
Macy’s, Inc. CEO Jeff Gennette says the department store operator has a bottom line problem and now he has a new and improved three-year plan that he says will help…
