RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Can Gap beat fast fashion chains at their own game?
Gap is testing a new way of purchasing goods to see if it can keep pace with and then eventually pass fast fashion chains that have been leaving it with…
Belk sale means chain is no longer a family affair
Yesterday’s announcement by Belk that it is to be acquired by Sycamore Partners means the company will soon go from the largest family owned and operated department store in the…
What are consumers missing about loyalty programs?
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, COLLOQUY gathered a select group of loyalty leaders and visionaries and asked them to share their own insights into the loyalty industry’s evolution. What do you…
Uniqlo tests four-day workweeks in stores
Uniqlo is testing a four-day workweek schedule for its store associates in Japan in a bid to improve retention and support full-time employment. Do you think a four-day workweek for…
Target sets online delivery promise
This fall, Target will be testing a new program, “Available To Promise,” providing customers more clarity on delivery timing for items ordered online. Are broad and uncertain delivery windows a…
Kohl’s CIO lawsuit shows the power of IT in the enterprise
Never has the role of the CIO been more important to retailers. This is evidenced by the recent legal action between Kohl’s and its former CIO Janet Schalk. Do you…
Study: Trader Joe’s boosts home values
According to a new study, homes near a Trader’s Joe’s increase in value as much as 40 percent. By comparison, homes near a Whole Foods have seen 34 percent appreciation…
What’s up with call centers?
With so many retailers needing call centers for customer service issues, the technology should at this point be easy for consumers to deal with. Part of the problem, according to…
C-stores are missing out on grocery fill-in shoppers
Many customers prefer shopping at grocery stores on their fill-in trips. But the quick and convenient nature of c-stores should make them ideal for in between stock-up grocery trips when…
Walmart shifts inventory to warehouses
In reporting second-quarter results, Walmart officials said the chain is holding more inventory “for certain items” at its distribution centers rather than in store backrooms in a bid to improve…
Are hearables the tipping-point wearable device?
Wearable technologies are already collecting information that ultimately may be used to make the wearers’ lives easier. But “hearables” are set to have a huge impact on the Internet of…
Saks brings fictional fashion to life with ‘Empire’ collection
When we think of retailers that market products that appear in movies or television shows, toy companies tend to come to mind. But as people’s relationship with entertainment media has…
Macy’s gets pointers from Hointer on fighting Amazon
A RetailWire story in 2013 asked, “Is Hointer the Future of U.S. Clothing Stores?” That question remains to be answered, but a new report from Bloomberg suggests the company’s unique…
Multi-channel marketing campaigns still not a reality
A new survey from Hotwire PR finds marketers struggling to integrate campaigns across marketing channels, finding that nearly half generally admit that campaigns tend to work in isolation, with different…
Barnes & Noble College schools brands on what students want
The recent spinoff of Barnes & Noble College from Barnes & Noble is expected to open up a number of opportunities for the business, including further monetizing its understanding of…
Are shoppers ready for their facial recognition close-ups?
According to a survey, more than 75 percent of consumers would not shop at a store that used facial recognition technology for marketing purposes. The number drops to 55 percent…
There’s good news, but is Penney turning around fast enough?
J.C Penney had a decent second quarter, while many other department stores struggled. Yet for all the good news around Penney’s quarter, there remains the reality that the chain still…
Will the zulily deal bring QVC younger customers?
QVC, the home shopping channel and e-commerce retailer, announced that its parent company, Liberty Interactive Corporation, had reached an agreement to acquire zulily, the flash sales site, for $2.4 billion…
Jeff Bezos doesn’t recognize the Amazon in Times report
An extensive piece by The New York Times that describes Amazon.com as a workplace where employees are demeaned and ruthlessly driven to be productive doesn’t fit with the culture that…
Is Walmart a public nuisance?
Dennis Buckley, the mayor of Beech Grove, IN has had it with the local Walmart store. After a series of criminal incidents, he has declared the store a public nuisance…
Should Sephora be in subscription boxes?
Sephora last week revealed plans to introduce its first beauty subscription box, five years after the arrival of Birchbox, the apparent leader in the space. Do you see more brick…
