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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
FedEx ruins Christmas for some
Missed Christmas deliveries again made the headlines this holiday season. The culprit this time was FedEx. What lessons should retailers take from FedEx’s challenges meeting Christmas Eve delivery targets this…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: The Finals
Seven weeks of weekly competition has brought us to the finals of this year’s RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge. Which spot is the best? You decide.
Target’s mascot makes a comeback
For the first time in over a decade, Target has brought back “Bullseye,” its mascot dog, to star in several television ads. Do you see more positives than negatives in…
Brickwork brings localized webpages to big-name retailers
For big chains, the web presence of individual stores is often limited to an address on a “Store Locator” page or a handful of store-specific Yelp reviews. But as retailers…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge Goes Global – Week 4
We’re one week away from choosing a winner for the global version of the RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge. This week we’ll make your decision even more difficult with four high-quality…
Macy’s giving away cash cards to shoppers
With a few days to go until Christmas, Macy’s is giving away $10 gift cards to shoppers who visit stores between Dec. 20 and 22, effectively subsidizing holiday purchases. Do…
Is Rent the Runway’s ‘retail price’ misleading customers?
When someone visits the Rent the Runway website looking for an upscale dress to rent at a reasonable price, they might think they’ve gotten a great deal compared to the…
Is staying open 179 hours crazy or savvy?
Kohl’s laid down the gauntlet in announcing plans to stay open 179 straight hours until Christmas Eve. Outside of Toys “R” Us, the retailer appears to be largely alone in…
Why beacons’ bright light dimmed in 2015 – and what’s next
The use of beacons was one of this year’s hot retail topics. But while some still say their ubiquity is just a matter of time, others believe their utility is…
Does Amazon need its own air cargo operation?
Amazon is reportedly in negotiations to lease nearly two dozen cargo planes to establish its own air freight operations. What are the pros and cons of Amazon developing its own…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Sears vs. Target
This week’s competition puts Sears up against Target. Which spot will move on to join our previous week’s winners in next week’s finale of the 2015 RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge?…
Does digital open doors for private label marketing?
Private label manufacturers can help grocery retailers boost sales of their store brands by working together on digital marketing programs. Are grocers missing an opportunity by not collaborating with their…
Is experiential gift giving a threat to retail?
According to the NRF’s final consumer holiday spending survey of the season, about 22 percent of consumers are planning to give an experience-type gift and 37 percent would like to…
Will IBM Watson help customers make better choices?
IBM Watson, the natural language processing platform that once won Jeopardy, has taken a job in customer service. Could a recommendation engine like Watson/XPS become a valuable part of customer…
Wegmans lands in the Smithsonian
Wegmans has funded the first National Mall exhibit tailored for children 6 and younger at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Does Wegmans gain much of…
What’s up with Costco?
Costco is a bit of a puzzle at the moment. A best-in-class retailer by most standards, they are noteworthy for legions of devoted shoppers. But earnings per share declined year…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge Goes Global – Week 3
We’ve gone global for two weeks and the quality of spots from the UK have been topnotch so far. This week brings three new retail competitors from across the pond:…
How should retailers secure their rewards programs?
Credit card fraud is a known epidemic in the U.S., but with all eyes on credit cards, there are other avenues into the bank accounts of retailers and customers that…
Does the Internet of Things need a showroom experience?
Four early employees of Nest Lab, acquired by Google last year, have opened the first brick-and-mortar store dedicated to the Internet of Things. What do you think of the b8ta…
The Year in Review: What Did 2015 Mean For Retail?
So how did retail do this year? In looking back at the topics Nikki Baird touched on in 2015, here are her top take-aways for the year. Which of the…
Should drones be a specialty item?
Expert Drones, with three mall-based stores and an e-commerce site, claims to be the first brick-and-mortar retailer dedicated to the sale of unmanned flying machines. Should sales of drones be…
