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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Amazon invites customers to ‘make an offer’
Amazon wants to bring out the haggler in its customers. Yesterday, the company announced a new program called “Make an Offer” that allows customers to negotiate with sellers on more…
Will Neiman Marcus’ customers snap, find and shop?
Neiman Marcus is bridging the digital and brick-and-mortar worlds with “Snap. Find. Shop,” a 3-D search and purchase tool that allows consumers to snap images of fashion items and receive…
Controversial CEO leaves Abercrombie & Fitch
Mike Jeffries, who is widely credited with the rise of Abercrombie & Fitch in the 1990’s and blamed for its fall in recent years, has stepped down as CEO of…
It ain’t easy being a teen (retailer)
With Delia’s and Deb Shops filing bankruptcy petitions with plans to liquidate before the final weeks of the holiday season, and disappointing quarterly performances last week by Abercrombie & Fitch,…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Old Navy vs. Toys ‘R’ Us
This week’s matchup includes “Turpigen” from Old Navy, a commercial combining the star power of Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep, Seinfeld) with discounts on merchandise, and Toys “R” Us’ animation-packed “Explosion of…
REI’s customer service gets the big screen treatment
One of the things that has earned outdoors retailer REI so many fans over the years has been the cooperative’s 100 percent satisfaction guarantee. Now that has resulted in a…
Will Black Friday’s slump change the promotional calendar?
Many are wondering what Black Friday’s surprising sales drop will mean for the promotional calendar for the rest of the year. How will Black Friday’s apparent shortfall and the extended…
Calorie counts reach retail and grocers aren’t happy
Prepared meals have been a burgeoning opportunity in recent years for supermarkets and c-stores, but new FDA requirements that stores display calorie count information could dilute the payback. How will…
What personalized data delivers the biggest ROI for retailers?
While personal data is the data type most commonly used to personalize the web experience, personalization based on purchase history has the biggest ROI impact, according to a recent survey…
Will Amazon’s new private label give Pampers a run for its money?
Amazon has launched Amazon Elements, a new line of private label diapers and baby wipes offered exclusively to Amazon Prime members. The launch has been rumored for over a year…
Starbucks’ five-year plan includes doubling food sales
Coffee has made Starbucks a household name, but food sales are going to be a big reason for the chain’s continued growth in the years to come. That’s a key…
Will deal tweets fly?
Twitter, which has been testing a “buy button” since September, last week indicated it was testing Twitter Offers, enabling retailers to tweet time-sensitive, cash-back deals that users can then claim…
What’s the real deal with beacons?
It’s time for a reality check when it comes to beacons. That, somewhat to our surprise, was the position of many industry pros we met this week at the Location…
Amazon looks to one-better Angie’s List
In its apparent effort to have a hand in absolutely everything, Amazon’s latest rollout positions the e-commerce giant as a middleman between you and your handy man, a la Angie’s…
‘Normal Barbie’ arrives – with stretch marks
While Dove has been lauded (and sometimes mocked) for its “Real Beauty” campaign that promotes a healthy body image, one fashion doll has similarly received a ton of attention this…
Price transparency on steroids: The end game
As we careen into the 2014 Holiday Season, one thing is becoming apparent: the phenomenon called “price transparency” has moved on from simple things like a “RedLaser” app to full-fledged…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Kohl’s vs. TJX
This week’s matchup includes “Magic,” a decidedly low-key spot (at least by typical Kohl’s standards) versus a corporate spot, “Surprising Gifts. Surprising Prices.” from TJX Cos., the parent company of…
Purchase of Saks unearths hidden real estate win in $3.7 billion building
For some owners of big-name retail chains, the buildings in which the businesses reside are as important as the businesses themselves, and the most recent news in big retail real…
Will Alibaba reinvigorate or ‘decimate’ Main Street retail?
Alibaba promotes its marketplace approach as being very small merchant friendly. But will a failure by Congress to pass sales tax fairness legislation make it so the Chinese giant winds…
Retailing to win: Stores become local hangouts
From their beginnings, diverse businesses have succeeded by becoming a third place outside of home and work for consumers to pass the hours. The success of various third place destinations…
Nordstrom tests smart fitting rooms
Using software from eBay, Nordstrom is testing interactive “smart mirrors” in fitting rooms that provide shoppers with access to in-store inventory information, product recommendations and other data typical of web…
