RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Retailers Still Timid on Mobile Marketing
A survey of chief marketing officers at leading U.S. retailers found that stores remain divided on mobile marketing’s potential and its ability to convert sales. What do you think is…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Meijer Vs. Party City
In the eighth episode of the RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge, we offer up new spots from Meijer and Party City for you to critique. Which will do the best job…
Drop ‘Til You Shop Reinvents the Clearance Rack
Likened to the last 30 seconds of an eBay bidding war, a new website, Drop ‘Til You Shop, launched last week, bringing gamification to bargain shopping. What do you think…
Are CPG Companies Underestimating Online’s Potential?
According to a new study from Deloitte, consumers’ intent to purchase food, household and personal care products online is far outpacing CPG executives’ expectations. Is everyday online buying of CPG…
Macy’s Quiero Latinas
As part of its “My Macy’s” micro-marketing initiative, the department store announced an exclusive deal to market a new fashion brand inspired and fronted by Thalía, an actress and popular…
Gen X Wants the Steak, Gen Y Wants the Sizzle Too
New research shows that while people in Generations X and Y are attracted to functionality, the Gen Yers place more value on brand image. How valuable are archetypal definitions for…
Steel This Starbucks Card, Part Two
When Starbucks introduced its limited edition stainless steel Metal Card in 2012 at a price of $450, the company sold all 5,000 offered for sale on Gilt.com. This year, the…
Measuring Your Omni-Channel Maturity Level
RSR recently introduced an online tool designed to help retailers determine where they are on the road to omni-channel maturity. It came from insights gleaned from responses to our Omni-channel…
What the Hack? Massive Breach Affects 2 Million Accounts
According to a blog for the cybersecurity firm Trustwave, nearly two million accounts around the globe have been hacked since the initial breach on Oct. 21. Passwords were hacked from…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: L.L. Bean Vs. RadioShack
Two commercials: Each created with the goal of drumming up consumer excitement and driving holiday traffic and sales. Which will do the best job of reinforcing the individual retailer’s brand…
Selling What’s In-Stock. Or Not.
A salesperson recently asked Doug Fleener if selling only what’s in-stock is good service. Her manager had instructed the staff to only show and sell what was in-stock.Doug told her…
Chinese Retailer Comes to U.S. Seeking Tech Talent
Following on the heels of Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Staples, QVC and others, Suning Commerce Group, China’s largest electronics retailer, last month opened a retail tech lab in Silicon Valley. What…
Cyber Monday Smashes Sales Records Again
According to whom you believe, online sales yesterday were up somewhere between 17.5 and 19 percent over last year. Those figures come on top of the more than 20 percent…
Apps Promise to End Retail Parking Hassles
Frustrated with finding a parking spot at the mall? There’s an app for that. As part of its Black Friday coverage, The New York Times last week profiled a number…
Former Dominick’s Boss Proves You Can Go Home Again
Back in the 1990s when Bob Mariano ran Dominick’s Finer Foods, the chain was the market leader in the Chicagoland area. When Safeway acquired the chain, Mr. Mariano moved to…
Amazon Preps For Retail Drone Wars
It was pretty big news when Amazon.com announced it would begin using the USPS to make deliveries to customers in select markets on Sundays. Now Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos has…
‘Tis the Season to Bash Brick & Mortar
While broadcast news reports certainly helped hype Black Friday, most showed the negative side of the brick & mortar shopping experience. E-tailers also slammed the in-store experience on their websites…
Sorry Forrester But Facebook Benefits Marketers
A recent blog by Forrester claims Facebook is letting marketers down, but exhibits an astounding lack of understanding of the ways in which Facebook’s presence benefits brands. Do you think…
EBay Offers the Gift of Free, Same-Day Delivery
The question as to whether or not consumers will pay for same-day delivery of goods ordered online is being made moot by eBay for the holiday season. The company announced…
Paying Less Works for Target Shopper
“It turns out, I can be bought. I know this because Target has bought my business,” says George Anderson. While many people emphasize the chic over the cheap when it…
CPG Lacks Talent for Trade Promotion Effectiveness
According to a survey from Accenture, more than half of the senior executives of CPG companies believe they lack the talent to capitalize on their technology investments that support trade…
