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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Is QVC about to be Amazon’d?
Think QVC — except its online and much more focused on younger consumers. Amazon.com has launched its first live, interactive show online. How great an impact do you see coming…
What if online marketplaces conducted sales like a stock exchange?
Described as the first online consumer “stock market of things,” StockX is a new online marketplace that promises to bring the transparency and efficiency of equity trading to the online…
Whole Foods plans to buy funny looking fruits and veggies
The issue of food waste has garnered a lot of attention recently. Both governments and private grocers have jumped in to try to limit the amount of perfectly edible perishables…
J.Crew is sued for fake sales prices
Transparency is a key word these days. Management gurus say it’s essential for motivating employees and building trust with customers. But a customer of J.Crew says the retailer’s prices are…
What does it take to improve staff productivity?
As a leader, it’s your responsibility to manage today’s business while at the same time creating tomorrow’s opportunities. The more efficient and effective you are, the more productive you are…
Data insights give Wayfair’s print catalog a digital edge
Wayfair.com is on a roll. But the furniture and home furnishings e-tailer is not resting on its laurels. Instead, the company is doubling down on customer service and looking to…
Do Costco’s wages need to be so high?
With other retailers raising pay rates, Costco is hiking its wages even higher. How important is it for Costco to keep its wages well above its competitors? Does Costco have…
The future of self-service in stores is dire
A lot of retailers appear to be embracing the old perspective that consumers want more self-service. And yet that perspective is getting dated. In essence, self-service, in the sense of…
Kroger explains food deflation
Shares of Kroger Co. slid seven percent last Thursday after the company indicated that lower-priced dairy, meat and seafood products were causing its overall sales growth to slow. What are…
Will a less is more strategy solve Target’s out-of-stock problem?
Target has plans to fix its big out-of-stock problem, but its strategy is questionable, according to assortments expert Dr. Stephen Needel, including the assumption that carrying fewer items will help…
Amazon takes the next step in CPG auto-replenishment
Amazon may have found the way to pull customers into its replenishment ecosystem without requiring that they press a Dash button. Will smart devices featuring automated ordering make Amazon more…
Are retailers being helped or hurt by low gas prices?
Low gas prices may be good for consumers and could prompt more frequent visits at some stores. But chains that rely on gas sales, including Costco and Kroger, posted lower…
Did Restoration Hardware CEO’s customer service rant go too far?
Gary Friedman, Restoration Hardware’s CEO, wrote a searing memo to employees comparing its operations to a burning building and threatening to fire employees who didn’t raise their commitment to customer…
Are yesterday’s department stores ready to make a comeback?
Having settled its legal dispute with Macy’s, Strategic Marks LLC of Newport Beach will move forward with resurrecting the brand names of Bamberger’s, Bullock’s, Foley’s, I. Magnin, Jordan Marsh and…
Aldi’s evolution leads to credit cards
Aldi’s management announced this week that the chain will begin accepting Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express in all its U.S. stores. Will Aldi’s moves to go more upscale muddy…
Four shifts are shaping retail data
A variety of intuitive and flexible analytics tools are arriving to finally help retailers make sense of the endless amount of data coming at them. Carol Spieckerman shares four ways…
Target hires supply chain help from Amazon
In a move to address its on-going logistics concerns, Target is hiring Arthur Valdez, an Amazon.com executive, to run its supply chain, including distribution, planning and transportation. Where do you…
Zappos employees Leap (Day) for joy
Zappos decided to close down on Feb. 29 (AKA Leap Day) to allow its employees to “do something big, something they’ve always wanted to do.” What can other retailers learn…
Will Walmart’s training academies improve the shopper experience?
In efforts to address its customer service challenges, Walmart will open 200 academies inside or nearby stores to train its department and assistant store managers with live classroom and on-the-floor…
Amazon partners with a major grocer
Under a new agreement, Amazon will work with Morrisons, Britain’s fourth largest supermarket, to offer fresh and frozen goods to its Prime Now and Pantry customers. Does it make sense…
What’s holding back smartphone shopping?
Every year, retailers see more web traffic originating on mobile phones, and yet only 15 percent of e-commerce sales are expected to come from mobile in 2020. What are the…
