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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Are chargebacks necessary for supply chain collaboration?
While many vendors believe retailers use chargeback programs as a profit center, responses from retailers contradict that. Are chargebacks a necessary evil for driving vendor compliance or do they…
Amazon rolls out Prime Now deliveries from Whole Foods
It was always a matter of when, not if, Amazon.com would start offering its Prime members fast deliveries of groceries ordered from Whole Foods. What will the addition of Whole…
Will Office Depot’s BizBox become the go-to place for SMBs?
As Office Depot continues its pivot into home business solutions, it has rolled out a new flagship store for just that purpose with a new name and branding. Will the…
What legacy did IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad leave to retail?
In an obituary of Ingvar Kamprad, it was said that both IKEA’s founder and Sam Walton “slashed prices and rallied their employees with folksy wisdom. But Mr. Kamprad’s IKEA has…
Macy’s launches in-store pop-up concept for brands
Macy’s has launched a new pop-up concept that allows brands and other companies to sell their products and services on the ground floor of the retailer’s stores. Do you see…
Will a CEO without department store experience transform Hudson’s Bay business?
Helena Foulkes was instrumental in CVS’s decision in 2014 to walk away from $2 billion in annual tobacco sales. Now, she finds herself in a business in which she has…
What’s holding retailers back from making workforce investments?
When it comes to the retail workforce, everyone knows about management’s notion that the industry must remain a low-wage, high-turnover affair. Nowhere is this more apparent than in RSR’s most…
Is digital performance getting too cloudy?
According to a global study from Dynatrace, 76 percent of the of 800 CIOs surveyed think the complexity caused by modern, cloud-centric ecosystems could soon make it impossible to manage…
U.K. group has big plans for U.S. after buying Kroger’s c-stores
The Kroger Co. didn’t sell its convenience business to Casey’s General Stores, after all. Yesterday, the company announced it had agreed to sell its business to EG Group, a privately-held…
H&M hopes ‘Afound’ will bring a rebound
H&M, once at the top of the fast fashion world, has fallen on hard times. In the face of big challenges, the chain is launching a new store concept —…
Which commercial won the Super Bowl?
The 2018 Super Bowl will go down as one of the most exciting displays of offense in the history of the game as well as the first victory for the…
Amazon launches “$10 or Less” store
Bringing the bargain bin to its website, Amazon has quietly launched a “$10 & Under with Free Shipping” page. Does a “$10 or Less” microsite fit into Amazon’s strategy?
Will a co-branded credit card boost Starbucks’ sales?
Known as one of the pioneers in developing rewards cards, Starbucks has partnered with Chase to launch its first co-branded credit card. Do you see the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card…
Is a Super Bowl ad worth $5 million?
Despite a 10 percent drop in NFL ratings this season after sliding nine percent in the 2016 regular season, Super Bowl LII ads are reportedly costing more than $5 million…
How addictive are smart speakers?
According to the latest Smart Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research, 65 percent of voice-activated smart speaker owners “wouldn’t want to go back to life without” their Amazon Echo…
Whole Foods planning more 365 stores
Whole Foods Market 365 — its parent company’s answer to Trader Joe’s — hasn’t gotten a ton of press lately, but plans are in place for the organic grocer to…
Should retailers ramp up investments in AI for employees?
Deciding when to take steps into tech investments is always a matter of timing, but a study from Accenture finds companies across industries are significantly shortchanging their workforces when it…
Will acquiring Kroger’s c-stores be more than Casey’s can handle?
The convenience store chain, Casey’s General Stores, might soon expand its footprint through a big acquisition, even as it has been experiencing pressure from investors to sell off its operations…
Macy’s drops out of the Plenti multi-merchant loyalty program
Macy’s, one of the original roster of brand partners in American Express’ Plenti, multi-merchant reward platform, has decided to leave. Is Macy’s making the correct strategic move to exit the…
Will retailers regret raising worker expectations around corporate tax cuts?
While few if any seriously thought passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would result in significant pay raises for workers, is it possible that the arguments made to…
Race and security meet in lawsuit brought against Walmart
Walmart’s decision to lock up beauty products designed for African-Americans behind a glass case is an act of racial discrimination, according to a woman who is suing the chain. Do…
