RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Rent the Runway lands inside Nordstrom
Rent the Runway, the apparel rental subscription service, has installed four drop boxes at Nordstrom locations in Los Angeles. More are planned. Does the move to add Rent The Runway…
Can mobile sensing tools boost worker productivity?
Researchers have created a mobile sensing system that they claim distinguishes high performers and low performers in the workplace with 80 percent accuracy. Do you see employees and employers both…
What real value are influencers bringing to retailers and brands?
Amazon.com has teamed up with model, influencer and second-year college student Ava Phillippe to support the second year of its Off-to-College store. What do you think of using influencers as…
How Tuft & Needle found the right balance on Amazon
Not every digital brand is a guaranteed hit on Amazon.com, but mattress startup Tuft & Needle hit its stride using the platform. What calculations do you think brands should undertake…
Digital brands find inclusivity is the ‘right thing’ to do for business results
Digital businesses that aren’t marketing to the multicultural consumer are losing out big time, says the senior program manager of inclusion and diversity at Amazon.com Should every brand or retailer…
The data and analytics talk that must stop
Customer experience is so much more than a single area of business. Do you think it’s possible to deliver a holistic CX considering information about the customer journey is often…
Are D2C brands reinventing Walmart or vice-versa?
Walmart is evolving and reinventing itself and there’s a good reason behind the shifts toward competing in new markets and online. Is the D2C strategy Walmart is developing on the…
Is email still the place for conversions?
Email marketing may not get as much buzz today as other forms of online marketing, but it still has the highest ROI of any marketing channel. Should companies shift focus…
Is complaining about customer service becoming America’s national pastime?
Americans, a new study concludes, love complaining about subpar customer service. In what areas do you think retailers, particularly e-tailers, are most at risk of coming under criticism by customers?
What should retailers and brands do now about a possible coming recession?
With the stock market on a roll and unemployment near historic lows, how worried should retailer and brand execs be about a possible recession? Are retailers (especially brick and mortar)…
Three experiential retailers doing store design right
What is experiential retail? It’s when the retailer gives you a distraction in hopes you’ll find it compelling enough to want to hang out. Are many experiential retail efforts more…
Toys ‘R’ Us prepares its American comeback
Will American consumers return to new Toys “R” Us stores or have they permanently moved to other retailers at this point?
Are airports now the sweet spot for luxury retail?
Last year, Estée Lauder Co. for the first time earned more revenue at airports globally than at U.S. department stores. Why have airports seemingly become more conducive to luxury spending?
Did Amazon just ‘turn up the heat’ on rivals with its Prime Day announcement?
It turns out 36 hours simply isn’t enough time for Prime Day. Amazon.com has announced that it will hold the sales promotion event for not one, not one-and-a-half, but two…
How do consumers define cleanliness in grocery stores?
Cleanliness in grocery stores means much more than “clean up on aisle five,” according to a recent survey of Consumer Reports members. What do you think registers as cleanliness at…
REI scraps mail order catalog to publish a magazine
REI is discontinuing its mail order catalog in favor of launching the Uncommon Path print magazine dedicated to delivering inspirational stories about outdoor life and culture. What do you think…
Where are the pain points for suppliers engaged in drop shipping?
Retailers and suppliers both believe they’re benefiting from drop shipping online orders, according to a new study. Manufacturers, however, have struggled. Does it make sense for suppliers to focus their…
Did Apple just hand Best Buy the keys to its retailing empire?
Apple announced on Wednesday that nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores are now authorized as repair locations for all its products. Do you see more pros or cons to Apple’s decision…
Strong women execs: be ‘authentic’, just don’t be yourself
Some women execs with c-suite aspirations have found being a “bossy” straight-shooter works, but most report that it’s like navigating a minefield, even if you back off from an aggressive…
Does experiential retailing play better on the Great, White Way?
Krispy Kreme last week announced plans to open a 4,500 square feet, 24-hour Times Square outpost. Does the consumer desire for experiences offer more opportunities in tourist destinations such as…
Kroger sees rivals’ one-hour delivery and raises it a half hour
There was a time not too long ago when the only thing a person could hope to get delivered in 30 minutes was a pizza. Is delivering grocery products consistently…
