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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Are CPG brands ready for e-commerce?
Among consumer packaged goods industry professionals, there are few topics as perplexing as direct to consumer sales. Even so, many are dipping their toes into e-commerce waters. Do CPG vendors…
Retailers look to cash in as solar power prices plunge
According to a recent New York Times article, the price of solar panels has dropped some 60 percent over the past three years and the cost of producing solar energy…
Starbucks to test mobile ordering app to speed checkout times
Starbucks is updating its iPhone app to give cardholders easier access to their account information as well as adding digital tipping and “shake to pay” features. But the most interesting…
Ads are catching up with the reality of American life
While it’s been clear for some time that the make-up of American households is changing in terms of age, race, religion (or not), sexual orientation, etc., the faces in commercials…
Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank find a deal that suits them
A lot back and forth has been going on since Jos. A. Bank made an unsolicited bid for Men’s Wearhouse last fall. The offer was rejected, as were subsequent bids…
Should students be taught to sell?
Our education system is under attack on many fronts, whether it be over too much emphasis on testing and meeting government requirements, or if students are being properly prepared for…
Hispanics – A demographic retailers can’t ignore
In the recent shopper study, “Amazon Can’t Do That — Consumer Desire and the Store of the Future,” a key finding was Hispanic consumers’ strong preference for community-driven environments and…
Google puts wearable tech on the fast track
As a blogger wearing Google Glass found out in a San Francisco bar last month, wearable tech may have some societal hurdles yet to overcome. But there is little doubt…
Neil Young evokes Steve Jobs, plans to take on Apple’s iPod
“My, my, hey, hey, it’s time MP3s went away.” That’s the song being sung by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Neil Young who believes the iPod may have changed…
Does Costco have a youth problem?
On last week’s fiscal second-quarter conference call with analysts, Costco officials noted that the company is taking several steps to reach a younger demographic, including more social media outreach. Is…
Giving the customer a seat at the boardroom table
As retailers large and small increase their investments in Customer Experience Management and Voice of the Customer technologies, customers are being given a voice, but is that enough? To…
Target’s Canadian folly
With last year’s entry into Canada contributing to nearly a $1 billion loss, Target’s missteps to some are adding up to a textbook example of what not do to when…
Albertsons reaches deal to acquire Safeway
One of the worst kept retail M&A secrets is now official. Safeway and Albertsons have announced an agreement under which AB Acquisition will acquire all of Safeway’s outstanding shares in…
The Container Store launches employee emergency fund
The Container Store Group, Inc. recently announced the launch of its Employee First Fund, designed to provide grants to employees experiencing unforeseen emergencies. What type of support structure, if at…
‘Ag Gag’ bill makes it a crime to video animal abuse in Idaho
Many people were horrified to see undercover video in 2012 of cows being beaten and sexually abused by workers at Bettencourt Dairies, one of Idaho’s largest dairy operations. It led…
Overstock CEO bullish on bitcoin sales
Customers using bitcoins have spent more than $1 million on Overstock.com since the site began accepting the virtual currency in January. Do you see bitcoin becoming a mainstream form of…
Did PayByTouch have it right after all?
FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) recently announced plans to release a framework and set of standards to make it easy for systems to support two-factor authentication, theoretically making it easy to…
Target CIO resigns, chain to look outside for IT leadership
Beth Jacob, chief information officer at Target, has resigned from her position, the first major executive change following a massive data breach last year. What challenges will outside IT executives…
Penney says turnaround takes hold, ends monthly sales reports
When Ron Johnson was CEO of J.C. Penney, he decided to forego providing Wall Street with monthly sales reports. When Mr. Johnson’s initiatives failed, his successor Myron “Mike” Ullman brought…
Are retailers missing opportunities to connect via e-mail?
If one did business with a brand or signed up for its loyalty program, they may have opted in for its e-mail stream. The problem then becomes e-mail overload, leading…
RadioShack to shutter 20 percent of its stores
When Joe Magnacca took over as CEO of RadioShack just over a year ago, the odds were against him getting the business turned around. With the announcement yesterday that RadioShack…
