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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Not everyone at Zappos loves Holocracy
There is no shortage of people to be found, in retail or elsewhere, with criticism of management hierarchies in the workplace. But Zappos’ choice to get rid of all workplace…
Should smartphones, tablets or walkie-talkies be the selling floor tech tool?
With reports showing more people bought goods via smartphones than tablets for the first time last year, tablets appear to be losing ground as a purchasing tool. But one place…
Hershey sells insights
The key to Hershey’s recent success has been its “willingness to share data and share the insights” into what it has learned with its retail partners. That’s according to the…
Walmart shutters Express
Walmart said Friday it plans to pull the plug on its small-format Walmart Express concept as part of a broader plan to shutter 269 stores worldwide. Why was “small-mart” not…
Why did holiday sales miss?
Hurt by unforeseen weather events across the country and an “extreme deflationary retail environment,” the National Retail Federation said holiday sales in 2015 increased three percent to $626.1 billion, falling…
Should retailers bring on fewer holiday hires?
According to a survey from Challenger Gray & Christmas, retailers hired fewer workers over the holidays for the second straight year. Is technology or the shift toward online selling the…
Are the easy online gains over?
According to a report from Shop.org and Forrester Research Inc., e-commerce growth appears to be plateauing for some retailers. Is online entering a phase in which the big get bigger…
Is Amazon preparing to dump FedEx and UPS?
It seems Amazon management thinks not only can it do a better job delivering its own packages, but those shipped by others as well. Does it make business sense for…
Sears Holdings not looking to make a fuss over store closings
Is there anyone left who still believes that Kmart and Sears has been anything other than a real estate play for Edward Lampert? And yet, some of the company’s recent…
Should all online orders be fulfilled by stores?
As part of its advancing omnichannel strategy, Zumiez, the teen chain focused on skate, surf and other action sports, is closing its e-commerce fulfillment center in Edwardsville, KS and will…
Sheetz becomes an even better place to work
Sheetz, the 500+ convenience store chain based in Pennsylvania, has a pretty good reputation as an employer. That rep is likely to get a boost following the company’s announcement on…
How can retailers get shoppers over low points and drive impulse sales?
Mars Chocolate has concluded from global research about shoppers’ “emotional journey” to buy candy and gum that “checkout is the emotional low point of the shopping journey, no matter where…
Zappos launches micro-campaigns
Zappos recently ran two small, quirky marketing campaigns. One was designed to demonstrate its commitment to customer service and the other its knack to “surprise and delight.” What benefit does…
Should retailers consider new recruiting strategies for Millennials?
Just how different Millennials are from earlier generations of U.S. workers is a matter of ongoing debate. But it’s a question that those in recruiting and hiring are hoping to…
What is Albertsons (Safeway) doing in Florida?
Yesterday, the Tampa Bay Times reported that the Albertsons banner was being removed from the last three stores that carried it in the state. The strange thing is that, instead…
Rivals need to up customer experiences to compete with Amazon
In the wake of Amazon’s stellar holiday season, it looks like competitors really have reason to worry. They don’t get everything right, and some innovations are reaches, but overall, Amazon…
Should Kohl’s go private and Macy’s sell its real estate?
Recent times have been tough for chains in the department store sector. Company boards and activist investors are looking for ways to wring returns on investments that have little to…
Should big food follow Campbell Soup’s GMO labeling lead?
In a break from its Grocery Manufacturers Association peers, Campbell Soup announced last week that the manufacturer would support mandatory labeling listing genetically modified organisms contained in all packaged foods…
Target reviews CES 2016
While reviews of CES 2016 were published last week by the score, a surprise one came from Target’s top brass, who all descended on Las Vegas “to share and discover…
Should Cyber Monday be retired?
In a blog post entitled, “Hello Cyber Season, goodbye Cyber Monday,” Verizon Enterprise Solutions said high-profile online selling days such as Cyber Monday and Green Monday are now behaving like…
Dick’s Sporting Goods hires Olympic hopefuls
Dick’s Sporting Goods has hired more than 180 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic contenders to work at its stores as part of a sponsorship program with Team USA. Does hiring Olympic…
