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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Macy’s Mobile Evolution Takes Next Step
At the recent Women’s Wear Daily CEO Summit, Macy’s chairman, chief executive officer and president Terry Lundgren identified mobile as one of the company’s “engines of growth” and that the…
Should Retailers Promote Free Wi-Fi?
A slew of recent stories warn shoppers that retailers are using Wi-Fi to spy on them. Yet a number of surveys underscore the benefits consumers see by receiving free Wi-Fi…
TOMS Offers a Different Way to Shop
TOMS, the company that gives one pair of shoes away for every pair purchased, has broadened its horizons. The company has found like-minded companies to participate in an online marketplace…
What Does It Take to Boost Morale in Tough Times?
Anyone playing a role in an organization of any kind knows how vital morale is to performance. In sports the coach can lift a team’s morale with inspirational words that…
Is Showrooming a Problem For E-tailers?
Similar to showrooming at physical stores, consumers are shopping at some websites, but then going to other sites to make a purchase at a cheaper price. Will price-match guarantees and…
Will Anyone Shop at Kmart Before Dawn on Thanksgiving Day?
For all the grief some retailers are taking for plans to open stores on Thanksgiving night, you would think there would be more of an uproar over Kmart’s decision to…
Are Retailers Facing a Tech Skill Shortage?
In a survey by SAP AG taken during the recent SAP Retail Forum North America in Dallas, 84 percent of retailers expressed worry about finding employees with the skills to…
Amazon Launches Do-Good Site
On Oct. 30, Amazon.com launched AmazonSmile, a separate website that allows shoppers to direct 0.5 percent of their purchase totals toward a charitable organization of their choice. How much do…
Are Retailers Ready for the Millennial Takeover?
Retailers are underestimating the size and purchasing power of the Millennial generation. That’s the conclusion of a new study, What Happens When Millennials Get the Wallet, from Berglass + Associates…
Can Retailers Teach a Work Ethic to Employees?
In his keynote presentation at this year’s Fast Casual Executive Summit in New Orleans, Eric Chester, employee expert and author, discussed how current approaches to parenting and education have driven…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Best Buy vs. PetSmart
Two commercials: Each created with the goal of drumming up consumer excitement and driving traffic and sales. In this second episode of the RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge, we offer up…
Babies Use Tablets, Grownups Get Tickets Driving With Google Glass
Recently George Anderson had a lengthy discussion with a friend about various types of technology used since their childhoods and the amazing changes that have taken place over the years…
Defending Ron Johnson
It’s been popular for quite some time to pile on Ron Johnson. And current and former CEO Mike Ullman has, by all appearances, done his best to lay the blame…
Target Guests Should Expect to ‘Pay Less’ This Christmas
It will still be chic, but Target wants all its current and prospective guests to know that they can shop on the cheap in its stores and on Target.com this…
Social Customer Service: What Do Consumers Want?
What do consumers expect when they go on a retailer’s Twitter page or other social media site? Most, it turns out, expect a direct answer right there in the form…
Sears Spinning Off Lands’ End
Funny thing, but last May when Sears Holdings CEO Edward Lampert was telling WWD that he was looking to grow Lands’ End from a $3 billion business to a $5…
Do Consumers Want Retailer Texts?
As long as they can opt out, consumers appear at least open to receiving text-messaged ads from retailers, particularly when the ad includes a coupon to a nearby store. Do…
IKEA Helps Customers Sell Second-Hand Furniture
IKEA regularly makes lists identifying the greenest brands on the planet, so it’s not a surprise the company ran an advertising and social media campaign in Norway to help customers…
Is That a Visionary Product Display or a Product Display With Vision?
The latest in-store tech trends usually involve tablets for sales staff, location tracking for consumers or digital signage. But new retail tech is transitioning from research to reality that has…
Simplicity the Key to Retail Success
If you want to succeed in retail, it’s best to follow the KISS (keep it simple stupid) rule. That’s a simplified analysis of Siegel+Gale’s fourth annual Global Brand Simplicity index…
Retailers Need Fresh Approach to Produce
Growers, shippers and retailers need to draw on the model of Silicon Valley and the hi-tech world to better understand consumers to create incremental demand for produce. That was a…
