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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Did Paula Deen Get Her Just Desserts?
By now, most everyone in the Western Hemisphere must be at least somewhat acquainted with the circus around Paula Deen. While many came out to support Ms. Deen, many business…
Is Barnes & Noble Wise to 86 Nook Tablets?
Amazon.com has won. Barnes & Noble (B&N) has lost. That’s pretty much the only way to read the announcement earlier this week that B&N is getting out of manufacturing its…
Retail TouchPoints: Can Social Gifting Help Retailers Boost Sales and Integrate Channels?
Retail industry experts predict that the immediacy of peer-to-peer gift giving will bring social gifting into the mainstream within the next year. Do you expect social gifting will emerge as…
Is Warby Parker Making a Mistake Building Its Own POS System?
Warby Parker’s business model is simple: cut out the middleman and go right to the consumer. A similar philosophy appears to be in play now that the company is opening…
Can Square Create a Better Marketplace for Small Retailers?
Square, the mobile payment company, is looking to be involved in every retail transaction it can. The company is setting up a free online marketplace for local shops where consumers…
Do Price Comparison Ads Work?
In a RetailWire poll in January, 68 percent of respondents said consumers were somewhat or highly skeptical of the claims made in price comparison ads. Skeptical or not, it would…
CPGmatters: CPGs Need to Prepare for Growth of Online Grocery Shopping
While online grocery retailing has become a solid niche in the United Kingdom, it has been slower to take off in the U.S. That is about to change, according to…
Will Early Home Release Change the Movie Rental Market?
By this time, consumers in the U.S. know how the system works. A new blockbuster is advertised online and on the television and you either go to see it in…
RSR Research: Why Are Retailers Flunking the Omni-Channel Test?
RSR’s annual Cross Channel Benchmark re-confirmed that delivering a consistent cross-channel shopping experience has become table stakes for successful retailing. Yet retailers are still slow to adopt efficient omni-channel operations…
Are Hudson’s Bay Company and Saks Right For Each Other?
It’s a deal that may never come to pass, but there are plenty of people who seem to think that Saks could do a lot worse than being acquired by…
Will Retailers Deliver Better Results Via Logistics?
The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals 24th Annual State of Logistics Report suggests the economy continues to make headway, albeit slowly, and showcases key trends and U.S. logistics costs…
FRBuyer: Should Retailers Save, Not Bury ‘Dead’ SKUs?
A lot of retailers look at detailed profitability reports prior to category reviews or management meetings and without fail, they’ll zero in on some items to chop. Is it always…
Consensus Advisors: Will the NSA Scandal Make Consumers Unwilling to Share Personal Info?
As consumers in the 21st century, we leave a digital trail. Building this digital trail can be a boon or creepy, but generally, the personal customization of your digital…
Has Staples Launched the Omnichannel Store of the Future?
Staples Inc. last week launched its first two omnichannel stores, a smaller concept featuring a range of kiosks that extends the amount of merchandise a customer can select to more…
Does the Digital Experience Need Humanizing?
As part of ongoing attempts to “humanize technology” through emotive digital experiences, Burberry has teamed with Google to create Burberry Kisses, allowing users to send virtual kisses to anyone in…
It Really Isn’t All About Price or Is It?
With most of retail engaged in a competition where the lowest price wins, not all can offer the lowest price despite claims to contrary. How can retailers shift the consumer…
George Zimmer Didn’t Like Getting Fired, He Guarantees It
George Zimmer, the public face of Men’s Wearhouse, is out of a job at the discount clothing chain he founded. Where do you put George Zimmer in the ranks of…
Isn’t It Time Eddie Lampert Fired the CEO of Sears?
Many failed to see what the big deal was back in January when it was announced Edward Lampert, chairman of Sears Holdings, was taking over as CEO of the company…
BrainTrust Query: When You Think Fast Food Retailer, Do You Think ‘Customer Centric’?
For food service retailers, high levels of employee turnover, the franchise model’s ability to provide a consistent experience across all outlets, and changing customer behavior are obstacles to long-term loyalty…
What Will Firefox’s ‘Do Not Track’ Mean for Online Merchants?
The folks at Mozilla are serious about keeping companies from tracking consumers who don’t want to be tracked, and is developing blocking technology to limit the placement of cookies in…
What Challenges Face CPGs With Direct-to-Consumer?
Forget the middleman. According to new research, more than 40 percent of consumer product goods companies expect to sell directly to consumers through digital channels this year. Should almost all…
