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Walgreens is not ready to kick its cigarette habit
While cigarette sales may seem at odds with Walgreens’ “Happy & Healthy” messaging, the apparent discrepancy has not been enough to get the chain to follow the lead set by…
Is the convenience economy convenient for retailers?
Just when retailers are finally getting up to speed on omnichannel, they face a new challenge: The Convenience Economy. In what ways do you see on-demand technologies altering expectations around…
The roof caves in on Trader Joe’s
Last weekend’s blizzard was particularly tough on Trader Joe’s in Westfield, NJ, which had its roof collapse under the weight of the snow from last week’s blizzard. Westfield officials said…
What happens when Walmart closes a store?
One of the criticisms leveled at Walmart in its rise to become the world’s largest retailer is that every store the retailer opened forced others to close. But what happens…
Starbucks dumps tea bar concept, keeps tea
Starbucks has been instrumental in creating “coffee culture” in the U.S., but creating a similar space for tea has been less successful. The company recently announced that it was closing…
Will free soul cycling classes help Target get on a roll?
Target is partnering with SoulCycle, the popular indoor cycling fitness chain, to offer free cycling workout classes as part of a 10-city tour. Do you think retailers will gain an…
NRF Show attendees are hopeful for 2016
In our own randomly, unscientific fashion, RetailWire hit the floor at the NRF Big Show last week to get answers from retailers and their vendors to two questions: Were the…
The why and how to do an employee review
Employee reviews are one of the most neglected tools a retailer can use to alter their fate. Some retailers might scoff whether it’s worth the investment, with turnover rates over…
I pledge allegiance to the United States of Amazon
Amazon.com is becoming as American as apple pie. While we’re not ready to follow those who believe that Amazon is nearing a day when it will vanquish all its retailing…
New browser promises to fix what’s wrong with the web
With a promise to “Fix the Web,” the former co-founder of Mozilla and inventor of JavaScript has come up with a new browser that blocks ads and third-party trackers while…
Is virtual reality ready for retail?
After much hype over the last few years, the Oculus Rift is set to land at retail accounts starting in April. Its arrival, along with HTC Vive and Sony Morpheus,…
Is digital loyalty a bigger hurdle for smaller retailers?
Smaller retailers that have long faced pressures competing on price with larger chains must now also compete on personalization through their loyalty programs. That’s according to Victor Ho, CEO of…
Will Penney’s appliance test put a fork in Sears?
Beginning on Feb. 1, some 30 years after the department store chain stopped selling appliances, J.C. Penney is testing the sale of the products again. What will Penney’s reentry into…
Target CEO makes house calls
Target isn’t just for suburban soccer moms anymore. According to CEO Brian Cornell, the retailer’s customers have “profoundly changed over the past couple of years.” That’s why he and other…
Can data collaboration save the mall?
At an NRF Big Show session, Steven Lowy, co-CEO of Westfield Corp., said greater collaboration around data needs to happen to take the experiences found at physical retail to another…
Will Target succeed where Walmart failed?
Earlier this week, Walmart announced it will be closing all of its 102 Express locations. Target, on the other hand, appears to be just getting started with the opening of…
Consumers still squeamish about third-party data sharing
Even with generations of people now comfortable using technology for all manners of purchasing, a majority of consumers have not warmed up to the idea of having their data sold…
Sam’s Club adds Visa to payment forms it will accept
The rule used to be that when you walked into a warehouse club, the cashier would accept only one form of credit or debit card as payment. But Sam’s Club…
Publix and Wegmans to compete head on
Publix has been inexorably moving northward up the East Coast, while Wegmans has been on a steady march south. With the news that Wegmans has found a location to open…
Will beacons in every store work for Rite Aid?
Rite Aid plans to deploy beacons in its more than 4,500 stores across the U.S. The beacons, which are compatible with both Android and iOS devices, will work with Rite…
Is there gold in the stories of local food artisans?
While many consumers first find out about the stories of local food artisans at farmers markets or sites like Etsy, Williams-Sonoma for the fourth straight year will bring many to…
