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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
How should IT buyers be pitched?
IT buyers say they’re contacted by marketers and sales reps more than 20 times per week on average, new research from Spiceworks has found. From pitching to support, what advice…
FMI says switch to online grocery sales going faster than expected
Americans are increasingly going online to purchase groceries, and a large majority of shoppers may bypass stores to place orders in as few as five years. Do you think retailers…
Would a Kroger/Alibaba partnership make sense?
Alibaba, China’s largest online retailer, has held preliminary talks with Kroger on a potential partnership, according to a report last week from the New York Post. What would Alibaba offer…
Can Albertsons help brands hone their digital ads?
Tying online advertising to in-store behavior isn’t easy, but Albertsons is working on it. The grocer is rolling out a solution for CPG brands that sell in its stores to…
Robots are not the answer to store challenges
Why do we keep hearing pronouncements about how robots are going to revolutionize the retail store – save it, even? Even before Amazon Go and proclamations at NRF, predictions heralded…
Are marketers ignoring female Baby Boomers?
At least in the U.K., graying Baby Boomer women feel largely ignored by advertisers with brands only wanting to talk to them about “the end of life and physical decline:…
Are ethics compatible with AI?
Ethics is a topic seldom addressed at retail industry forums and perhaps less often in discussions about high tech. So it was notable that a panel session was organized at…
Walmart 3-D image patent lets online shoppers pick their produce
A new patent from Walmart would allow consumers to view real images of their groceries — rather than stock images — before purchasing online. Will enabling shoppers to view actual…
What will 7-Eleven do with all its new stores?
7-Eleven is one of the most well-known U.S. convenience store chains and now, customers might be noticing a lot more of them. The retailer has acquired 1,030 convenience stores owned…
Grocers confront the fragmentation of loyalty
New research reveals a more granular picture of the fragmented nature of consumer loyalty in the grocery sector. In a presentation at NRF, findings were shared from a survey of…
Starbucks and Amazon go cashless in Seattle
A Starbucks in Seattle isn’t interested in your cash. In fact, it won’t accept cash should you try to use it as payment for your purchase. Do you think cashless…
Retail concepts get lost in translation
“Why does retail fail so often when it crosses borders?” David Marcotte, SVP strategic advisory services, Kantar Consulting, posed this question to kick off a panel discussion last week at…
Consumers sweat their way to rewards
In September, Sweatcoin, an app that rewards individuals for staying active, became the most downloaded health and fitness application in the U.S. and it has retained that top ranking nearly…
New store concept is next step in Dunkin’ rebranding
Dunkin’ Donuts is continuing along its path to a new look and feel with a new concept store. But is Dunkin’ making a mistake by trying to move upmarket?
How will blockchain disrupt retail?
Blockchain, the underlying ledger technology behind bitcoin, landed on numerous prediction lists as one of retail’s transformative technologies for 2018. While many focused on blockchain’s potential use in the supply…
Does Sobeys deal mean the U.S. is next for Ocado?
Ocado has its sights set on the world. The British e-grocer announced its second deal in less than two months outside the U.K. to build and operate an automated warehouse…
Is Macy’s heading for a rebound?
Macy’s outgoing executive chairman and former CEO Terry Lundgren thinks the department store operator is on the cusp of a rebound even if others still see the company as lagging…
Would Iceland’s equal pay law work in the U.S.?
The New Year ushered in a new wage policy in Iceland, where it is now illegal for companies to pay men more than women for the same job. Would an…
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s an electric, driverless concept vehicle!
At 2018 CES, Toyota Motor Corp introduced the e-Palette, an electric, driverless, multi-purpose vehicle “designed to meet the demands of future multi-mode transportation and business applications.” What potential retail applications…
Amazon Go goes live
After nearly 14 months of testing its Amazon Go cash-free and cashier-less convenience concept with only its own employees, Amazon.com is ready to open the store to consumers in Seattle…
Does Whole Foods have a backroom problem?
According to a report from Business Insider, the rollout of an order-to-shelf inventory system is being blamed for frequent stock outs in at least some Whole Foods’ locations. Are you…
