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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
At this café, dogs and humans have their day
Inspired by the cat café phenomenon, although operating much differently, the first dog café has opened in lower Manhattan. What do you think of the appeal and feasibility of the…
Dick’s responds to Parkland teens – won’t sell AR-15s anymore
Dick’s Sporting Goods has announced that it will no longer sell the AR-15 rifle and similar firearms after the recent murder of 17 students and teachers at a high school…
Is AI-driven shopping curation a good thing?
A survey of tech-savvy consumers showed that more were confident that AI would narrow rather than expand their options. Do you see AI-driven suggestions as transformative, somewhat beneficial or potentially…
Are Millennials more eco-driven than their elders?
While Millennials overwhelmingly claim to embrace sustainability, eco-friendly fashion items rank far down on their list of purchase drivers, according to a survey from LIM College. What do you think…
CEO thinks momentum is on Macy’s side
Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette was feeling good yesterday on the department store retailer’s earnings call after the company posted its first quarterly same-store sales gain in three years. Where do…
Starbucks is everywhere – or soon will be
In some cities around the U.S., it seems as though the biggest competition any particular Starbucks store faces is another Starbucks down the street. In the future, there may be…
How valuable are social tags as research tools?
Providing a revealing look at consumers’ perceptions of products and brands, social tags have the potential to take the place of much of traditional market research, according to researchers at…
Barnes & Noble, once an indie killer, is losing out to mom-and-pops
In a surprising twist, Barnes & Noble, one of the main players in the wave of market consolidation that once threatened the future of indie bookstores, is now losing share…
Sam’s Club to push same-day grocery deliveries with Instacart deal
Sam’s Club has announced that it is partnering with Instacart to offer same-day delivery in three cities beginning today, with plans to roll out the service across the U.S. this…
Kroger dedicates new research center to food innovation
While many retailers have opened innovation centers in recent years focused on technology, Kroger last week opened a Culinary Innovation Center in downtown Cincinnati. What will Kroger gain from its…
What do shoppers want most?
Pressured by data-enhanced online competition, nimble startups and super-powered shoppers, retailers are inventing new ways to romance shoppers, and that means identifying what they want most. Which of the trends…
Amazon’s apparel moves are wearing on Target
These days, into each retailer’s area of business a little Amazon.com must fall. In apparel, the retailer that is finding Amazon to be its most significant competitor isn’t Macy’s or…
Lowe’s using pre-apprenticeship program to attract top talent
Lowe’s is introducing Track to the Trades, an internal initiative that will help employees who want to pursue trade careers. The move addresses the tight U.S. labor market in trades…
Target CEO: Success built on ‘great physical assets’ and ‘digital interaction’
Target CEO Brian Cornell headed into the 2017 Christmas selling season confident that the company’s stores were “better prepared” to meet the demands of consumers than ever before. Target then…
What are clothing retailers to do as consignment shops grow in popularity?
According to 2017 data from the digital resale platform ThredUP, consignment and resale apparel sales are on the rise. Secondhand apparel is already an $18 billion industry, but the resale…
Micro-targeting across the customer journey impacts research and analysis
With the shift toward people-based and away from channel-based marketing in the digital age, research and analytics teams need to plan around four underlying trends. How does being able to…
Can mobile apps put an end to disgusting store restrooms?
Mobile app developers have focused on many aspects of the in-store experience and so it may seem reasonable that some are now addressing an area that can have a significant…
Is an AR demo better than the real thing?
Trying out a toy in-store can get kids excited about the product. Mattel is now taking this experience into the virtual world with augmented reality (AR) at the shelf. Should…
Is Toys ‘R’ Us nearing the point of no return?
When Toys “R” Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last September, the company said that it expected to keep most of its 1,600 stores open. Five months later, the…
Slowing online sales and reduced profits worry Walmart investors
Walmart’s stock price took a 10 percent hit yesterday after the company announced that its online sales grew 23 percent in the fourth quarter, down from 50 percent in the…
Unilever warns social platforms to clean up content
Unilever last week threatened to pull its ads from social sites, such as Facebook and YouTube, due to objectionable content and divisive, fabricated news stories. Should brands and retailers reconsider…
