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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Kmart wants to bring the ‘fun’ back to shopping
In a continuing effort to “to bring fun back to shopping,” Kmart recently introduced a new series of t-shirts for its store associates as part of their dress code. What…
Three ways to motivate employees, beyond commission
Employees don’t come to us hard-wired to perform well in a vacuum. Unless you can find a way to connect powerfully with your crew, your sales are doomed to failure…
Should food labels be tied to exercise?
A UK health group is urging the food industry to explore adding “activity equivalent” calorie labels to food and beverage products, or the amount of physical exercise needed to burn…
Loyalty is tough to build, easy to destroy
According to a survey from thinkJar, 13 percent of customers who are unhappy and frustrated about an interaction tell a whopping 15 or more others about it. And 91 percent…
Survey says Wegmans is America’s favorite grocer
Trader Joe’s is no longer America’s favorite grocery retailer, according to a survey of more than 10,000 consumers by Market Force Information. What factors do you think are most important…
Will readers follow Amazon to the Kindle Oasis?
An Amazon.com press release put out on Wednesday touts the new Oasis e-reader as the thinnest and lightest Kindle e-reader ever, with other product attributes that Amazon claims will make…
Target sells ‘connected health’
Last year, Target made high-profile moves into the wellness space, both on the sales floor and in the break room. Now Target is making a wellness move that appears to…
Where will Old Navy’s new captain steer the ship?
For several years, Old Navy was the clear bright spot among the portfolio of struggling brands owned by Gap Inc. That was until last year when the chain began falter…
Justifying IT infrastructure investments
It wasn’t that long ago that the IT department drove IT investments. However, now business leaders (mostly) make those decisions. IT infrastructure investments have consequently taken a hit. What’s your…
Will Macy’s change marketing direction as CMO departs?
Macy’s is searching for a new chief marketing office with the news that Martine Reardon, a company veteran of 32 years, has decided to leave. Do you think Macy’s should…
Five things retailers must do to make IoT not about ‘things’
The track record of selling IoT devices in stores has been pretty abysmal. It has turned out that IoT is not about selling “things” at all. Today’s consumers aren’t buying…
Will Penney find its sweet spot in a plus-size brand?
In a recent article on the Forbes website, Walter Loeb argues that J.C. Penney needs to up its fashion game if it hopes to go from pursuing a turnaround to…
What will it take to compete with Aldi and Lidl?
Although no one knows exactly how big a share they’ll take, it’s clear that Aldi and, eventually, Lidl are likely to become key players in the U.S. marketplace. So what’s…
Menards says it is not building a store because of Obama
There are a number of factors that go into the decision by a retailer to open a new store, but somewhere between rarely and never do you hear that a…
Employees to Publix – Let our beards grow!
Retailers faced with the reality of having to staff stores with low wage workers have loosened dress and personal appearance codes in recent years. Now comes news that more than…
Should retailers work with Amazon Payments?
Amazon last week announced an expansion of its Amazon Payments service to extend the trust and familiarity of “Pay with Amazon” to third-party e-commerce merchants. Should small to medium-sized online…
Will pop-up fever withstand a rent hike?
With stories about traditional retail largely focused on store closings and bankruptcies, pop-ups seem to be getting much of retail’s positive press. And on the cost side, pop-up rents have…
Kohl’s backs off in-store cafes
Kohl’s is abandoning its recent in-store cafe concept and will be closing the two test locations in the next few weeks. Has a cup of coffee become a more important…
Should online browsers be told they’re being targeted?
While many consumers say they’re creeped out by the knowledge that they’re being targeted based on their browser history, a new study finds telling them may improve clicks and conversions…
L Brands reorg sets stage for a seamless shopping future
It’s common in conversations with retailers today to hear about a given chain’s pursuit of a seamless shopping experience, and while most seem to talk the talk these days, there…
Kroger has a format for every taste and wallet
Kroger has a wide range of store formats catering to consumers in the upper, middle and lower end of the grocery spectrum, as it continues to expand the store count…
