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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
What is retail’s role in building a better society?
We see many examples of retail industry leaders taking definitive action to protect and serve public interests when other systems don’t or can’t. These are complex issues that challenge retailers…
Retailers falling short at training frontline workers
Thirty-one percent of all frontline retail employees say they do not receive any formal workplace training, according to a new report. For those receiving training, as many as 27 percent…
Will new credit cards lure Americans to Walmart more often?
Walmart is all about saving consumers money, and the retailer’s new private label credit card program with Capital One is designed to reinforce its low-price image. How will Walmart’s two…
Retailers approach tech’s cutting edge with caution
Some of the most headline-grabbing retail technology is just the kind of stuff that retailers are hesitating to adopt, according to a new survey. Robots, drones, beacons and facial recognition…
Are grocers falling short in selling better-for-you foods?
Integrated sections, in-store signage and informed staff are three ways sales of better-for-you products can be maximized inside grocery stores. Should the in-store merchandising and selling of better-for-you foods in grocery…
Chewy gains customers and increases sales, but will it ever be profitable?
Chewy, which was spun off by PetSmart to pursue its IPO in June, does not currently appear to be moving into brick and mortar retail. The e-tailer, at least for…
Have U.S. malls lost their sense of community?
The draw of experiential retailers and entertainment destinations like movie theaters has not been sufficient to reverse the declines in mall traffic in the U.S.. And yet malls in other…
How high will the holiday retail sales ball bounce in 2019?
During the past five Christmas seasons, sales have been “up one year and down the next.” The ups, just like a bouncing ball, however, have been “lower and lower.” So,…
Barnes & Noble College goes to school on Gen Z
Barnes & Noble College sees itself as more than a just a bookstore for the millions of students, educators and others it serves. The company has found that serving its…
How profitable is online selling?
“What online-only company is really profitable? Basically none of them. That’s this dirty secret, ” said Everlane CEO Michael Preysman last week to explain why Everlane is opening stores. What…
Will bringing the outdoors inside stores work for J.C. Penney?
J.C. Penney is rolling out a St. John’s Bay Outdoor lifestyle collection as well as in-store departments in select stores to be called the Outdoor Shop. Does outdoors represent a…
Macy’s elevates diversity goals
Macy’s Inc. announced an extensive initiative to drive diversity and inclusion across its ranks, concerning not only employees but consumers and other external stakeholders. What advantages might Macy’s gain in…
Did Whole Foods just give conscious capitalism a swift kick to the curb?
Whole Foods has decided that employees working under 30 hours a week will no longer be eligible to participate in its medical benefits program. Will the decision by Whole Foods…
Old Navy is ready to set sail on its own
Old Navy is coming off a tough second quarter during which its same-store sales fell more than five percent, but that doesn’t mean the value-priced clothing chain is losing confidence…
Why did it take At Home so long to decide to sell online?
In an interview with Bloomberg, At Home chairman and CEO Lee Bird said that a precipitous drop in At Home’s stock price in June led him to reconsider the company’s…
Is Amazon Go heading for a hard stop?
Amazon had planned to open 56 Go locations by the end of 2019 and 156 by the end of 2020, according to a report discussed on The Verge. Amazon has…
What keeps online shoppers from creating user accounts?
While a report found that 46 percent of the more than 1,500 U.S. adult consumers surveyed use online accounts for all or most of their purchases, some factors are making…
In power move, Walmart expands Delivery Unlimited
Walmart announced today that it is expanding its grocery delivery subscription program, Delivery Unlimited, to 1,400 stores across the country. What will Delivery Unlimited mean for Walmart’s grocery business?
Will Walmart have more success creating consumer direct brands than acquiring them?
Marc Lore, who leads Walmart’s e-commerce operations in the U.S., says the retailer is turning away from looking for acquisitions and turning its attention to developing its own digitally native…
Will multistory warehouses mean faster deliveries from Amazon, Home Depot and others?
Amazon.com and Home Depot are looking to up their delivery games, and a new three-story warehouse in Seattle may hold the key to their future plans. Do you expect multistory…
WRT #digitaltransformation success
The reason to “improve analytics maturity” is because it’s a fundamental part of any successful digital transformation. How should retailers and brands be looking to modernize their analytic infrastructure to…
