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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Can indie dollar stores compete with the big chains?
Low price is implied in the name when it comes to dollar stores, but there’s only so close to rock bottom a store can go. How can mom-and-pop dollar stores…
Will ‘doubling down’ on tech help McD’s disrupt the fast food business?
McDonald’s model for serving cheap burgers fast disrupted the food industry in the chain’s early days. Now, the fast food giant is looking to again stir up the market, except…
Can robots keep shelves stocked at Schnucks?
Schnuck Markets, the 100-store supermarket chain based in St. Louis, announced it will run a six-week pilot program at three locations to test robots that will move up and down…
Are post-merger culture clashes inevitable?
The very nature of a successful startup is that it offers something different from the status quo. But the very things that made the company attractive to bidders can be…
Can in-store experiences save retail?
In-store “experiences” are often portrayed as the way stores can combat the juggernaut of online ordering via Amazon.com and other sites, but are they worth the effort and money that…
How much did Amazon’s Prime Day hurt rival retailers?
Prime Day 2017, Amazon.com has reported, was a huge success, with record sales. But what effect did the annual event have on those retailers competing with the e-tailing giant? If…
Will Hy-Vee’s new c-store concept redefine convenience in the Twin Cities?
Just over a year ago, Hy-Vee confirmed that it was scouting sites to open what a Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal headline called a new convenience store “on steroids” concept. The…
How will smaller rivals survive in an Amazon and Walmart world?
A new report by analysts at Moody’s asserts that, in today’s marketplace, fierce competition between Amazon.com and Walmart is creating even more competitive disparities. How do smaller rivals survive in…
How should retailers reinvent the center store?
For the past decade or more, supermarkets and their brand partners have frantically worked to devise new incentives to lure the shopper to center store. But any transformation of the…
Will dropping prices on cosmetics drive traffic to department stores?
Declining department store traffic has compelled mall anchors to make some unprecedented moves to draw customers. Recently two major department store retailers have begun discounting in an area typically off-limits…
Why is Amazon paying full-price for third-party inventory?
Apparently sacrificing margin aspirations, Amazon.com is reportedly paying full price to third-party sellers to expand its inventory. Do you see Amazon’s third-party seller purchases as a short- or long-term solution…
Do consumers want to be recognized across channels?
According to CMO Council’s “The Customer in Context” report, only 15 percent of consumers expect companies “to be everywhere.” Does it make sense that consumers are less enthralled about being…
Do mini makeup studios make sense for Sephora?
On the heels of its largest North American store opening on Manhattan’s 34th Street (11,380 square feet), Sephora opened a new concept with its smallest footprint (2,000 square feet) that…
Did Amazon just send Sears a life line with their Kenmore deal?
If you can’t beat ‘em, join them. That appears to be the thinking behind an announcement yesterday by Sears Holdings that its Kenmore brand will now be sold on Amazon.com…
Will Walmart’s innovation strategies pay off?
With Amazon continually looming with quick product delivery, competitive pricing and a seemingly infinite product selection, all traditional brick-and-mortar brands must take notice. Is Walmart on the right path with…
Will customers use an Amazon app to chat?
Smartphone messaging is perhaps one of the only areas of technology where we haven’t seen Amazon.com’s name show up front-and-center. But that may be changing. Is it a worthwhile pursuit…
Is the one-stop grocery shop coming to an end?
The days when consumers made one big shopping trip to their local supermarket may be a thing of the past as households increasingly designate specific stores for items such as…
How much Big Data do retailers really need?
A recent RSR survey found half of retailers had implemented capabilities related to capturing and analyzing “Big Data while less than a quarter claimed to be “satisfied” with what they…
Will facial recognition tech make for happier customers at Walmart?
A Walmart patent application filed last year describes a system that would enable the chain to use facial recognition technology at the checkout. Do you think the facial recognition technology…
Is Donald Trump the reason Latinos are spending less at retail?
Latino consumers are cutting back on purchases, and the consequences are real for retailers. That was the message delivered to an audience at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech event yesterday by…
Can retail pay be made more equitable?
Look across the ranks of almost any office, retail floor or faculty lounge and you’ll see many workers doing essentially the same job. Peek at their paystubs, though, and you’ll…
