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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Is Amazon going to open a grocery drive-thru?
Amazon may be getting ready to get into the click and collect business. The giant e-tailer is planning to open a drive-up grocery concept in Sunnyvale, CA that will give…
The mobile arms race: Why privacy is the next battleground
Recently, Apple and Google unveiled the latest iterations of their iOS and Android mobile platforms and while these were incremental enhancements, a war is brewing to make consumers’ smartphones even…
Walmart cuts back hours at some 24/7 stores
Walmart is reducing hours at about 40 of its supercenters as part of a pilot program designed to evaluate customer shopping habits. Should Walmart eliminate 24-hour openings? How much should…
EBay and Neiman Marcus find gold in secondhand clothes
EBay and Neiman Marcus, two companies not known for having a lot in common, have demonstrated that they see opportunities to build their businesses via the secondhand route, even if…
Designing the best mobile customer experience
As mobile becomes the common denominator guiding, informing and influencing the customer through their journey, the opportunity to increase ROI through mobile is growing exponentially. How should retailers and brands…
Chuck Taylor: Old school is cool again
There was period of time in the 1970s when wearing Converse All-Star sneakers became decidedly uncool. Now, with a resurgence in popularity, Converse has announced a new version of the…
Jet.com beats Amazon and Walmart on price
There’s a new low-ball retailer in town and it goes by the name of Jet.com. The site promises the lowest prices online and so far, according to new price comparison…
Are mobile apps the key to driving in-store impulse sales?
Not so surprisingly, a university study finds impulse shopping notably increases the longer a customer is in a store. A newsier revelation is that mobile apps may be the way…
GameStop powers up with Geeknet acquisition
Video game retailer GameStop has been lauded as a company that understands its customer base. Now the company is taking a step that may embed the retailer even further into…
NRF lowers 2015 forecast
If the National Retail Federation (NRF) is correct, retail industry sales will be okay in 2015, just not as okay as the group originally thought when it issued its first…
Crowdfunding: Not just for Kickstarter anymore
In 2012, Kickstarter published a blog post reiterating that the site “is not a store.” Despite that stipulation, Kickstarter has clearly ignited a new way to conduct e-commerce. What do…
Adults pick up their crayons and drive retail sales
Adult coloring books are becoming a big deal in publishing circles and it may soon become even bigger as Marvel Comics joins the category. How can retailers best take advantage…
A&P goes out with a whimper
There was a time when A&P was the largest grocer in America. Later it became the butt of jokes. Now A&P has filed for Chapter 11 protection for the second…
Study: Loyalty reward discounts work better online
With consumers typically not needing the incentive of a coupon to return to their favorite physical store, discounts from loyalty reward programs tend to be more effective in encouraging repeat…
Dick’s new concept goes after Lululemon
Yoga pants are big business and Dick’s Sporting Goods wants in on it. The retailer has announced it will open two new specialty women’s fitness and lifestyle boutiques next month…
Target targets local pride
In a unique twist on localization, Target has partnered with American menswear designer Todd Snyder to come up with a number of small collections tailored to select U.S. cities and…
Starbucks leads effort to hire 100,000 young people
Starbucks is partnering with nearly 20 other major U.S.-based companies to create the nation’s largest employer-led coalition to hire and train up to 100,000 young people. If hiring and training…
Do you like or loathe being asked for a donation at checkout?
While Boomers typically aren’t crazy about being asked to donate at cash registers, younger generations generally favor the spreading practice. Do you see donation requests at cash registers as a…
Is Facebook ready to become an e-commerce force?
Evangelists have long touted the potential of bringing social media and commerce together, and now, according to reports, Facebook members will be able to make purchases through e-commerce shops within…
Why Zappos thinks employee happiness ‘shouldn’t be about the dollar’
While it’s easy to think of raising wages as a blanket solution, employee engagement may be the best strategy to foster productive and happy workforces, says Christa Foley, head of…
EBay sells enterprise biz to focus on marketplace
Another loose end tied up for eBay. The company, which has been readying itself for its split with PayPal Holdings, has agreed to sell its Enterprise to a group led…
