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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Is membership really what’s driving RH’s rebound?
RH, formerly Restoration Hardware, has put itself back on the retail map after a few rocky years and some are attributing the comeback to a strategy of exclusivity. How much…
Walgreens tests lower prices, membership savings
At 17 stores in the Gainesville, FL area, Walgreens is lowering prices across the board, cutting SKUs and introducing a membership program as part of a pilot program. Do Walgreens…
Kellogg’s advises CPGs to differentiate online
Store-based consumer packaged goods companies need to make online direct-to-consumer a pillar of their brand strategy, but should focus on highly-differentiated value propositions, according to Chris Perry, senior director of e-commerce…
Sainsbury and Walmart’s Asda to create grocery powerhouse
J Sainsbury Plc, the second largest U.K. supermarket chain, has agreed to acquire Asda, the third largest U.K. grocer, owned by Walmart. How would you assess the pros and cons…
Is $119 too much to pay for an Amazon Prime membership?
Yesterday, Amazon announced that it was taking the price for an annual Prime membership up to $119. Will Amazon’s legions of fans be willing to pony up $20 more a…
AI for e-mail? Marketers enthused, but not without concerns
Virtually all marketers are confident that machine learning can personalize e-mail content down to an individual’s specific interests and improve the customer experience, according to a survey of more than…
H&M in, Gap out of wedding dress business
The Gap announced earlier this month that it will close its only wedding line, Weddington Way. The news arrived about a week after H&M launched its first online wedding shop…
Will Gen Zers push personalization toward individualization?
According to a new study, Gen Zers find value provided at an individualized level as more important than personalized experiences shaped by the brand. Do you see Gen Z demanding…
Are syndicated product reviews good for retailers?
Review syndication, where brands basically share user-generated reviews with their retail partners, has apparently become fairly common and is promising to help retailers compete with the expansive review sections found…
McDonald’s newest restaurant has international flavor
On the ground floor of McDonald’s new headquarters building in Chicago, its restaurant is now featuring menu items from the fast-food chain’s businesses from around the world. Do you think…
Why brands need to use Amazon to acquire customers
Generations raised on the internet continue to enter into adulthood, and for many of these consumers online shopping has become nearly synonymous with Amazon.com. Are brands in denial about the…
Are Americans ready for a c-store that sells only healthy foods?
Even as c-store operators integrate healthier snacks onto their shelves, candy, chips and soda still tend to dominate. But a California company aims to change that with a c-store that…
UPS partners with retailers in launch of Groupon-like rewards program
UPS has launched the UPS My Choice Deals site offering retailers a platform to reach its more than 43 million UPS My Choice members with special deals and discounts. How…
Will Prime members give Amazon the key to their cars?
Amazon.com has announced that Amazon Key, the service that affords the e-tailer access to the homes of customers to make deliveries, is being expanded to include cars, as well. Do…
Will pickup drive e-grocery’s growth?
With collection, rather than delivery, the most popular means of receiving online orders, cross-channel retailing is emerging as the dominant model in U.S. online grocery. Do you see collection points…
Gap CEO sees smooth sailing ahead for Old Navy
While many others are reducing store counts — including sister chains Banana Republic and Gap — Old Navy is moving full steam ahead opening new locations and remodeling others. What…
Apocalypse? No. Retail faces a reset
Is the retail industry sinking in a quagmire of its own making? Is it succumbing to a heartless assault by Amazon.com, or are we witnessing a transformation wrought by a…
Brands take recycling and their businesses to the next level
Going green can be beneficial for businesses and cost-effective for their customers. Retailers and consumer brands can draw inspiration from companies that have developed innovative recycling programs. Have eco-friendly practices…
Has 4/20 become the official munchies marketing holiday?
As legalization spreads across the country and cannabis becoming less of a taboo, more marketers this year partook in 4/20, the unofficial national celebration of weed. Has it become less…
CVS gets real without retouching in new beauty campaign
CVS has launched “Beauty in Real Life,” the drugstore chain’s first advertising campaign to portray women as they are without the use of retouching. Do you think the approach being…
Walmart ditching khakis for jeans in dress code test
Walmart is testing a new dress code that will allow associates to toss their khakis and substitute solid blue jeans instead. Associates are also given a choice in shirt colors…
