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Can Best Buy build momentum with new services and IoT?
A positive earnings call that beat expectations has analysts wondering what Best Buy is doing right and if it can keep it up. Should Best Buy continue to push IoT…
Does your college freshman have Meijer mania?
Meijer knows something about college towns. It is based in Grand Rapids, MI, which has 15 colleges and universities in the area. Every fall, the big box retailer holds back-to-college…
Has beauty been the ‘missing link’ for Kohl’s business?
Kohl’s has fast-forwarded by a couple of years putting beauty departments in all its stores after the chain’s management found the category was driving incremental business. Do you see beauty…
Has Sears discovered how to profit from its softer side?
Some may remember when apparel was considered a strength of Sears’ business. Whenever that was, it was some time ago. Will Showcase by Sears give the department store chain’s…
Amazon tests one-click product placement
Amazon is rolling out another way to capitalize on its content: product placement. Is adding one-click purchases to products seen in Amazon Prime Video content a potential game changer or…
How much will POS malware attack cost Eddie Bauer?
It’s pretty much guaranteed that Eddie Bauer’s business will take a hit after customers’ payment card information was compromised following a malware attack. How much of a problem will the…
Why is Apple dropping ‘Store’ from the name of its stores?
The Apple Store is no more. Recent store openings have seen Apple drop “Store” from the name as part of a subtle branding effort. Do you understand why Apple dropped…
Will Target get wrapped up in fake sheet controversy?
Target announced that it will no longer do business with Welspun after the retailer discovered that sheets labeled as being made with Egyptian cotton were not. Is there anything else…
Will third time be the charm as grocer changes loyalty program again?
Australian supermarket Woolworths has had severe difficulty finding the right balance as it is now retooling its loyalty program for the third time in response to customer dissatisfaction. Should retailers…
Will Amazon drive-up grocery stores disrupt food retailing?
Following the launch of bookstores and pickup locations on college campuses and in New York, Amazon is reportedly planning on building drive-up grocery stores. Do you think it is likely…
Will drop shipments become a major online fulfillment tool?
While ship from store is often touted as a primary way retailers can support e-commerce fulfillment, drop shipments from suppliers directly to customers are gaining more attention. Do you see…
Is on-site childcare the key to cutting employee turnover?
Companies hoping to boost their employee retention could benefit from implementing perks that address the personal needs of their employees. Should retailers consider implementing on-site childcare, paid family leave and…
Is Walmart on a roll?
There are so many stories written about Walmart trying to catch up with Amazon.com online that you might think the world’s largest retailer is having a tough go of it…
Happy Meal fitness trackers are now an exercise in crisis management
After appearing in Happy Meals for only a short time, McDonald’s has pulled the fitness trackers from Happy Meals in response to complaints. What can retailers learn from McDonald’s public…
What can retailers do to find and hire amazing people?
With unemployment on the decline and many companies in need of workers, competition for top candidates is definitely on the rise. Which of the recommendations in the article do you…
Is Walmart passing its crime buck to local governments?
Walmart is getting noticed for the amount of crime that takes place in and around its stores and the demands those problems place on local police. What do you see…
Have consumers accepted dynamic pricing?
Although dynamic pricing has gotten negative press, consumers are becoming accustomed to the practice, according to a study from Wharton professors. Are consumers becoming less apprehensive about dynamic pricing?
Will Adidas’s Speedfactory disrupt shoe production?
Adidas is making its entry into U.S. manufacturing with a factory built to churn out product quickly and staffed mostly by robots. What impact could such a fast-producing, localized model…
Will other brands follow Birkenstock in cutting off Amazon?
Birkenstock will no longer sell on Amazon.com, nor with third-party merchants that do business on the site, beginning Jan. 1. The reason given was a rampant increase in counterfeits and…
Does Millennials’ credit card wariness spell trouble for retail?
The willingness of consumers to take on debt has proven to be a net positive for merchants over the years, but that may be in jeopardy as Millennials push back…
Will a blog help Publix make social connections with customers?
Publix, which has long seen the utility of using social media to burnish its brand, is now launching its first blog site, The Publix Checkout, to help the chain make…
