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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Can retailers become omni-channel omnivores?
Recently, the retail world was abuzz over speculation that Walmart might take a shine to Family Dollar. But that seems downright regressive at a time when the platforms that are…
Does poor customer service pay?
It’s generally held in retailing circles that poor customer service has a correlation to sales. If you tick customers off enough, they’ll go elsewhere to shop. That’s what makes findings…
The good, the bad, and the ugly for Abercrombie
The once hip retailer, Abercrombie & Fitch, has struggled for more than a decade as it tries to find its footing with teens who research the latest trends on the…
Price tracking sites help consumers to Amazon’s best deals
Amazon’s ability to continually adjust prices daily to undercut competitors has been touted as a competitive advantage. But a number of rogue price tracking websites have arrived to help consumers…
Modell’s CEO gets stung for spying on competitor
Back in 2012, Mitch Modell, the chief executive of Modell’s Sporting Goods, changed his appearance to participate in the “Undercover Boss” television show on CBS. But now, a lawsuit alleges…
Smartphone users don’t want targeted ads
Even with the assumption of “ad relevancy,” a majority of U.S. smartphone users say they don’t want to ever be targeted on their devices, at least according to a new…
The Container Store networks its experts from store-to-store
Like many chains, The Container Store was seeking out a better store employee communication tool in large part to keep up with smartphone-enabled consumers. But it had to be easy…
Nordstrom pushes boldly into the digital future
If you go with Geekwire columnist John Cook’s take on Nordstrom’s fourth quarter performance, the department store chain “is in a bit of a pickle.” But Kyle Stock of Bloomberg…
Nutrition facts label getting a makeover
In its first overhaul in 20 years, the FDA is planning a significant update of its nutrition facts panel, featuring more realistic serving sizes, and more prominently highlights calories. Should…
Target sends sharp message to P&G over Amazon deal
It’s not unusual for retailers and consumer brand suppliers to have disagreements. What’s unusual is when news of these temporary rifts becomes public knowledge. What do you think of Target’s…
There’s proof that digital is a branding medium
Google recently announced a partnership with comScore to better measure digital ad effects in real time. And what underlies this may be yet another way of trying to disprove the…
Half read e-mail on mobile devices and nothing else
Fifty percent of consumers reading e-mail during the fourth quarter of 2013 did so using smartphones or tablets, according to new research by Yesmail Interactive. What effect will the growing…
What’s up with Facebook’s WhatsApp deal?
Why did Facebook pay $19 billion for WhatsApp? With a mantra of “no ads, no games, no gimmicks” and strict rules guarding customer data used in its messaging services, many…
Target’s got (mobile) game
Target wants to play games – mobile games, to be more specific. The retailer’s Digital Vendor Marketing team has been working with brand partners to create mobile games that promote…
Pediatricians try to scare parents away from in-store clinics
Attention parents: the American Academy of Pediatricians wants you to know that in-store clinics do not provide “the high-quality, regular preventive health care children need.” Do you expect in-store clinics…
Eight reasons why retail employee turnover is so high
A CAP study found it costs on average $3,328 to find, hire and train a replacement for a $10/hour retail employee. Hay Group reported a median turnover rate of 67…
Walmart to play small ball
The consensus of a discussion last week on this site was that Walmart shouldn’t acquire Family Dollar, but instead the company should devote greater resources to opening small stores. Turns…
Grocery buys too selective for circulars
An analysis of more than 32 million shoppers across almost 10,000 grocery stores during a 52-week period ending in mid-year 2013 found that, on average, shoppers bought just 0.7 percent…
Amazon recruits retail fashion stars for its marketplace
Amazon is in discussions with about 10 prominent fashion retailers, including J. Crew, Abercrombie & Fitch and Neiman Marcus, in regards to selling on Amazon’s marketplace. Would you advise major…
Retailers and tech vendors look for co-development opportunities
Recently RSR Research has received a fair number of inquiries from both retailers and technology vendors on the value of co-development. It may not always make sense, but there are…
Independent grocers can gain an edge in trade promotion game
When it comes to capturing their fair share of impact from trade deals, independent grocers have long struggled to match their crosstown, big-chain rivals. But there are three areas of…
