RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Interest rates top retail’s concerns
In its eighth annual study of the risk factors cited in 10-K annual filings by the 100 largest publicly traded U.S. retailers, BDO USA found that interest rates jumped to…
Is Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 a laptop killer?
Until yesterday, pretty much everyone thought that Microsoft’s newest product announcement would be that it was coming out with a smaller version of its Surface tablet — wrong. Instead, the…
Chefs spice up grocery store atmosphere
One thing missing from many (most) supermarkets is atmosphere. Many critics of the modern shopping experience point to restaurants as a source for new thinking when it comes to creating…
Is credit aversion a bump or a barrier toward mobile payment acceptance?
The results of a poll of 2,503 college students in early April certainly don’t bode well for the mobile payment industry. “Somewhat” is not a ringing endorsement. Is credit aversion,…
Retailer loses case over critical online review
The case is not that unusual in many respects. A consumer orders a product from a retailer and, after failing to receive the item from the merchant, posts a negative…
McD’s gets pushback on new Happy Meal food and mascot
McDonald’s has announced the addition of a lower calorie yogurt to its menu, and a new animated character to promote its meals with kids. The response from child health advocates…
Are dark stores a good solution for online fulfillment?
It has no customers and is used strictly for picking and fulfillment. Its location and layout are similar to traditional stores, but there are no price tags, no endcap advertising,…
WOM ROI still elusive
According to a survey of over 300 marketers across a variety of industries, nearly two-thirds believe social marketing is “more effective than traditional marketing.” Yet, few think they can effectively…
Self-checkout theft is habit forming
According to a recent survey from the U.K., approximately 19 percent of shoppers admitted to stealing from self-checkouts with the majority of those claiming they did doing so regularly. Around…
Target’s CMO: ‘The truth hurts’
The email published on Gawker from an anonymous Target worker claimed the company’s headquarters is “in bad shape and in desperate need of help, direction and vision, starting from the…
Walmart supports (maybe) a minimum wage hike
Back in 2005, many people were shocked when then CEO Lee Scott came out publicly to express Walmart’s support for an increase of the minimum wage, which was then at…
When does identity marketing go too far?
According to a new university study, identity marketing may reach consumers drawn to brands that fit their personality, but the approach can also be a turn off when a person’s…
Will an ‘Easy, Fresh and Affordable’ strategy improve Food Lion’s results?
Last August, the then still relatively new CEO of Food Lion, Beth Newlands Campbell, spoke about the need for her company to set itself apart and not be a “middle…
Macy’s blames/credits the weather for its sales performance
Macy’s, which largely blamed a decrease in sales during the first quarter on the awful weather that gripped much of the country, noted that warmer temperatures beginning in April have…
Does SkyMall need a makeover?
SkyMall, the iconic inflight magazine known for its eclectic items, is apparently losing money. A recent Los Angeles Times article explored whether the catalog “must modernize or join the Montgomery…
Panera Bread turns to tech for faster, more accurate service
Panera Bread is turning to a high-tech solution to improve the customer experience at its restaurants. The company, according to reports, is reducing the number of cashiers at its counters…
Forget mobile, consumers use PCs to place online orders
Despite reports to the contrary, the desktop computer is not quite dead. Evidence of life comes from comScore, which found that retail e-commerce sales from desktops increased 11.7 percent during…
Are DIY meal kits a threat to grocery?
Meal kits – subscription services that bring ready-to-cook dinners to home cooks – have intrigued the food blogging community over the last year and are now apparently gaining the attention…
Tesco follows in Amazon’s mobile footsteps
Following on a successful launch last year of a budget tablet, Tesco is planning to introduce an Android smartphone by the end of 2014. What are the pros and cons…
Mobile behind e-tail’s bigger share of retail sales
New research from Forrester concludes that mobile devices will be used to transact some $114 billion in sales this year in the U.S., with tablets accounting for $76 billion of…
Will Apple’s sales improve due to faster refund times?
Easy returns, while costly to retailers, are becoming an increasingly important element when it comes to achieving e-commerce success. Now Apple has reportedly cut the amount of time it takes…
