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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
What should stores do about BOPIS abandonment?
BOPIS abandonment, or when a user cancels or fails to collect their online purchases at the store, is a “surprisingly frequent occurrence,” according to a recent Forrester report, “Abolish Abandon…
Where are the omnichannel metrics?
Traditionally, retailers have based their core metrics on a legacy of “stores selling things.” Yet over a very short period of time, the definition of “sale” has become very muddy…
American Express doubles down on ‘Shop Small’
Building on the increasing popularity of Small Business Saturday, American Express is launching a new double points program, introducing a number of community events to support the day, and partnering…
Will Donald Trump’s presidency be good for retailers?
Days after the conclusion of arguably the most divisive campaign in U.S. history, retailers are left to wonder what a Donald Trump presidency will mean for their businesses. Do you…
Singles Day 2016 is setting new records
Singles Day, the single biggest retailing day of the year across the globe, racked up $14.3 billion in sales last year. And consumers using mobile phones have accounted for 85…
Should Zappos take steps into the hospitality world?
Zappos is known for experimentation. But the initiative the popular online shoe retailer is now mulling goes beyond an experimental take on shoe sales — it’s a move that would…
Will Samsung’s recall issues ruin Best Buy’s Christmas?
Best Buy has credited store-within-a-store concepts as playing an important role in the chain’s turnaround efforts. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than their relationship with Samsung. But Samsung’s recent…
The drive-thru of the future
In recent years, a veritable flood of patent applications has re-imaged the decades-old and staid format of the drive-thru lane. How can newer technologies reimagine the drive-thru? Should speed be…
Gillette suffers nicks from Harry’s/Target’s partnership
Harry’s achieved a 10 percent share of cartridge sales and 50 percent of razor handle sales in Target within the first four weeks of going on sale in Target stores…
How to use e-mail to engage past customers
It’s been said it costs seven times as much to attract a new customer as it does to retain an old one. And while social media is great for getting…
Now Amazon wants to clean your home
In his annual letter to shareholders, Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos wrote, “We want Prime to be such a good value, you’d be irresponsible not to be a member.”…
Will outside recruits help fix Target’s supply chain?
Target has gone outside the company, once again, to find talent to help improve its supply chain performance. The latest hire comes to the retailer from Walmart where he led…
Omnichannel changes how retailers make price and promo decisions
With the rise of click-and-collect and home delivery, ecommerce is growing rapidly. The U.S. market for online goods is expected to surpass $350 billion this year and exceed $525 billion…
What will Christmas on Sunday mean for last-minute deliveries?
The last-minute holiday rush is always a hectic time. And this year, with Christmas falling on a Sunday, retailers face extra challenges. With the holiday falling on a Sunday, would…
Is PetSmart barking up the right/wrong tree with same-day delivery?
PetSmart, the largest pet products and services retailer in the U.S., announced yesterday that it would offer same-day and customized scheduled deliveries to customers in 17 major metropolitan areas across…
Ode to retail: Death of the traditional mall
An overstored environment, consumers conditioned for discounts, and Amazon.com have been cited as factors contributing to the death of American malls. But our obsession with dead malls has resulted in…
Will a national loyalty program yield rewards for Whole Foods?
Whole Foods Market is rolling out a nationwide rewards program in 2017. Can Whole Foods successfully use a national rewards program to fight its “Whole paycheck” image without diluting its…
Will Macy’s parade spot connect with new consumers?
Macy’s is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. For the first time, the event will be the focus of a TV commercial. Considering its recent challenges,…
At Amazon Books, only Prime members get the best price
Amazon Prime members are used to getting a slew of perks and discounts not available to Amazon users who don’t pay for the service. But the benefits of Prime membership…
Will the Chase Pay option help Walmart increase mobile payments?
When Walmart launched Walmart Pay within its mobile app earlier this year, one of the primary criticisms was that it worked only at Walmart. It appears as though Walmart has…
Should browser data be opt-in only?
The Federal Communications Commission last week adopted new privacy rules requiring internet service providers to get consent from consumers before sharing sensitive personal information with third parties. Should browser history,…
