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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Death Wish Coffee goes from small roastery to Amazon’s ‘most wished for’ brand
In 2012, on the cusp of the so-called “retail apocalypse,” Death Wish Coffee Co. was founded, with the goal of creating the world’s strongest coffee, a high-caffeine blend 200 percent…
Retailers must unite to bring dying downtowns back to life
Let’s face it — it’s easy to complain about city councils who don’t do anything about parking, infrastructure, etc. But why do merchants think politicians should act before they themselves…
Can Nordstrom’s full-line men’s store make it in Manhattan?
Nordstrom is taking a “go big or go home” approach to the opening of its first full-line store in Manhattan. What will Nordstrom need to do to be successful with…
Barnes & Noble’s crowdsourcing app engages readers and earns solid reviews
Barnes & Noble has launched Browsery, an app that uses crowdsourcing to help readers discover new books. What do you think of B&N’s Browsery app strategy? Will it draw more…
Retailers face criticism for failure to protect customer data
Despite lessons learned from past data breaches from Target, Home Depot and others, an epidemic of breaches is hitting the retail industry. Do you see retailers increasingly facing greater vulnerability…
Is Walmart building a tower of power with its expanding in-store pickup network?
Walmart has announced going into rapid expansion mode with its system of in-store Pickup Towers, looking to add another 500 to locations across the country by the end of 2018…
Where will the ‘new generation of female explorers’ take The North Face’s business?
Hearing that women often feel misrepresented in much of advertising, The North Face launched “Move Mountains,” a campaign celebrating the “new generation of female explorers.” What do you think of…
Can MoviePass help revive America’s malls?
If movie theaters turn into major traffic drivers for malls, MoviePass promises to be a major contributor. Do you think MoviePass will become a significant driver of customer traffic to…
Will micro-designers disrupt fast-fashion giants?
Most of us have heard about how micro-influencers are revolutionizing the face of marketing, but there is a new breed of artisan that is similarly disrupting the fashion and retail…
Thrive Market wants to change the world with new organic meat and seafood line
Thrive Market has been described as a cross between Costco and Whole Foods. The online grocer charges an annual membership fee, and promises to sell at discount, and offers a…
Retailers push to onboard tech talent
At the Kroger Co., headhunters are going bananas for technology majors. So are talent seekers at Nordstrom, Best Buy, Home Depot and others. Are many retailers simply behind the curve…
Will Amazon or Walmart win the clash of the retail titans?
In a close decision yesterday, the viewers of RetailWire’s “Clash of the Titans” webinar decided Walmart has the edge in the ongoing battle with Amazon.com for market dominance. Do you…
Target succeeds by going big on convenience in small stores
Target has confirmed plans for four small stores, demonstrating that the retailer is planning to build its business around small boxes even further into the future. What role do you…
Should retailers lower expectations around last-mile delivery?
According to the inaugural Retail TouchPoints’ “Last Mile Benchmark Report,” the biggest last-mile challenges for retailers are expectations for fast and free delivery. How close do retailers have to be…
Bed Bath & Beyond offers an exchange for Toys ‘R’ Us gift cards
If you hold a Toys “R” Us gift card, you have until April 21 to use it at one of the chain’s stores. But now you can exchange your card…
Luxury fashion hunts ‘hype beasts’ with high-end streetwear
Luxury fashion doesn’t always look like it used to. Do luxury retailers run the risk of alienating their traditional customers if they focus on streetwear and other high-end fashions…
Why are there so many employees in a cashier-less store?
One of the misconceptions one may have when visiting Amazon Go in Seattle was that there wouldn’t be too many store employees. In fact, there are so many, they get…
Walmart is focused on expanding its digital brand portfolio
Walmart has been throwing its considerable weight into an impressive array of digital strategies, ranging from click-and-collect at its mainline stores to digital-first brands. Do you think Walmart has a…
Are Aldi’s upscale makeovers necessary?
Since entering the U.S. in the Midwest in 1976, Aldi has been routinely described as “bare bones” and “no frills” but now, many of its locations are undergoing major renovations…
What would an acquisition of Humana mean for Walmart and its rivals?
Walmart is in early stage talks to acquire Humana, the second largest Medicare provider and a top health insurer, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Does an acquisition of Humana…
Starbucks shifts happy hour to invite-only
Starbucks has brought back its popular afternoon happy hour with deals on Frappuccinos and extended the program to more items. The catch: it’s now invite only. How do you assess…
