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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Will data breach concerns tank Forever 21’s holiday?
It’s said that retail is detail. If that’s the case, many of Forever 21’s customers may find the chain’s terse announcement concerning a potential breach of its point of sale…
Walmart’s online prices drive customers to its supercenters
Walmart, as Marc Lore, head of the retailer’s U.S. e-commerce operations, has noted, has a “maniacal focus” on its customers and “finding ways to offer them low prices — every…
Target’s biggest holiday deals are reserved for the weekends
Customers expect deals for the holidays, but some of the big deals Target is offering during the season won’t be available Monday through Friday. Will weekend-only deals offer Target any…
Is workplace collaboration a drag for headquarters personnel?
The mere mention of keeping up with overflowing e-mail, constant meetings and time-sucking conference calls makes many of us groan and roll our eyes. How did we all get so…
Are data sharing concerns still holding back true personalization?
What does being treated as an individual online mean for shoppers? According to a new survey from Cloud IQ, the leading answer is being rewarded with highly relevant offers, 77…
Lowe’s and Macy’s join rivals chasing smart home opportunity
Move over Best Buy and Amazon.com, Lowe’s and Macy’s want to also help consumers transform their homes with the Internet of Things. Do you see an opportunity for a range…
Retailers need supply chain urgency – now
A recent supply chain benchmark report underscores the many challenges retailers are facing getting products to consumers. What can retailers do, right now, to get ahead? Do you think a…
Omnichannel is just a term to describe everyday shopping
A growing percentage of consumers are shopping both online and in stores for everyday items in categories including food and beverages, health and beauty care, and household cleaning products, according…
Has Google solved the problem of long lines at grocery checkouts?
Grocers have tried plenty of tech solutions over the years to shorten the time customers spend in line. But the latest wait-shortening technology is coming not from an individual grocer,…
Are these the best or worst of times for consumer brands?
Brands now have unprecedented opportunities to reach consumers, yet they’re facing massive disruption to their historical retail models. Would you lean more toward saying this is the best or worst…
Will 24/7 curbside service help Nordstrom pick up late Christmas sales?
Nordstrom is looking to give Santa (aka its customers) a little help as Christmas approaches by offering 24/7 curbside pickup at 10 stores across the country beginning on Dec. 16…
Are retailers caught in a content trap?
A Harvard Business School professor has pinpointed some of the key reasons why retail has found it so difficult to find footing in a digital-first world. Too many companies fall…
Retailers are missing out on food photo ops
Millennials don’t view eating as a utilitarian function. Akin to how a person’s car or clothing says a lot about them, the Millennial generation sees the food they eat as…
Big Data is done, put a fork in it
About five years ago, the usual suspects in IT consulting and cloud-based analytics began to trumpet the phrase “Big Data” to sell into companies hoping to extract that resource. Now,…
As Amazon looms, CVS rolls out next-day Rx deliveries nationwide
CVS Pharmacy plans to begin offering free, next-day delivery of prescription drugs nationwide beginning early next year as well as same-day service in select cities beginning next month. What impact…
Will mobile make another big leap this holiday?
According to Adobe, web traffic on smartphones and tablets is predicted to be higher than on desktops for the first time over the coming holiday selling season. What questions come…
Why is it so hard to get retail associates to upsell?
The dialogue with employees about upselling should start at the hiring process. A crucial tactic is to get your retail staff to see that they upsell themselves all the time…
Amazon scales back Fresh deliveries
Amazon.com’s acquisition of Whole Foods in August led many to speculate that the move would serve as a jumping off point for the company to expand its AmazonFresh delivery service…
Should Papa John’s drop its NFL sponsorship?
While some retailers get criticized for blaming the weather for poor results, Papa John’s is being called out for blaming the national anthem protests at NFL games this season for…
Amazon undercuts rivals by adding discounts to marketplace seller prices
Amazon.com appears determined that its marketplace sellers will not be undersold heading into the holidays. According to numerous press reports, Amazon has begun lowering prices on goods sold by third-parties…
Can Kroger make a name for itself in fashion?
As Kroger tries to reinvent itself to head off Amazon.com’s moves into grocery, part of its new strategy includes strengthening its non-grocery offerings with a new private-label fashion brand. What…
