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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Sears Rocked by CEO News
Very few people have confused Edward Lampert, chairman of Sears Holdings, with the master merchants of retail. That said, Mr. Lampert is preparing to lead the company following the surprise…
Target Invites Showrooming With Price Match Offer
Target’s decision to match prices on Amazon.com and other sites during the holiday season must have worked out pretty well because the chain announced that it is instituting the policy…
CPGmatters: Enjoy Life Foods Rides Mobile’s Reach
Enjoy Life Foods, which makes packaged gluten-free and allergen-free products, launched an aggressive mobile marketing program 18 months ago, resulting in a 43 percent increase in sales in 2012. What…
Target to Guests: ‘Dominate That PTA Bake Sale’
Target has the opportunity to do something big in grocery if it could only bring some of the elements that differentiate it in fashion, home, etc. to food. Now, it…
Other Retailers Can Learn a Lot From Grocers
Facing commoditization, measly margins and outside-channel competition, grocery stores have become the hands down winners among channels at delivering top-notch “experiences” to shoppers, according to a report from PwC US…
REI Gets Personal On Twitter
Social media has become a place for consumers to vent. But many individuals go online to connect with friends, family and even brands and companies they like. An article published…
Rivals: Walmart Plays Loose With the Truth
Best Buy, Toys “R” Us and a number of regional supermarket chains have filed complaints in several states against Walmart over the accuracy of its price-comparison ads, as reported by…
Retail Customer Experience: The Right Way To Do In-Queue Merchandising
Wrongly perceived as a necessary evil, the often “lost” space and time of a checkout line can easily be transformed into both an important revenue source and a happy diversion…
The Center Store Makes a Comeback
While grocers in recent years have been focusing on perimeter departments as the source for differentiation, the center store has returned to become the “heartbeat” of the store, according to…
Retail TouchPoints: Nearly 50 percent of Consumers Believe They Are More Informed Than Store Associates
Shoppers found their personal mobile devices to be more efficient than store associates in helping them make buying decisions, according to a new survey from Motorola Solutions. How should stores…
Walmart Taking ‘Alternative’ Route to Global Growth
Walmart management expects big things to come from opening small boxes outside of the U.S. The company has named an executive to focus on building business through alternative concepts in…
2012 Holiday Sales Clicked Online
There were so many reasons for retail sales to disappoint this past Christmas season, but one takeaway seems clear — merchants with strong online businesses were more likely to come…
Perks/Culture Make Happy REI Employees
Benefiting from its work culture as well as the many perks that extend to part-timers, REI for the second year in a row ranked highest in Glassdoor’s 2013 Best Place…
Safeway’s CEO Announces Plan to Step Down
Steve Burd has made for good copy since joining Safeway as its president in 1992. His legacy will be felt long after he steps down as the company’s chairman and…
Starbucks to Debut Reusable Cups for a Buck
Beginning today, Starbucks will begin selling $1 reusable plastic cups in its stores in Canada, and U.S. Consumers who purchase the tumblers will receive a 10 cent discount with every…
MarketingCharts: Online Reviews Growing in Influence
According a survey from Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange, 78 percent of Americans aged 18-64 agree that online reviews help them decide whether or not to purchase a product. Are online…
The Same-Day Delivery Experiment
With Amazon, Walmart and eBay all rolling out or experimenting with same-day delivery and a host of start-ups also touting similar services, same-day delivery became a popular theme this past…
Study: Meal Planning Influenced by Foodie Bloggers/Peers
While seeking out healthier meal options for their family, a new survey shows that moms are placing a higher priority on the opinions of bloggers and peers than that of…
Amazon E-Customer Satisfaction King
For the eighth straight year, Amazon ranked first in ForeSee’s annual Holiday E-Retail Satisfaction Index, holding steady from last year. Other big companies such as Penney, Dell and even Apple,…
BrainTrust Query: Should Restaurants Change Prices By the Hour?
Like an empty hotel room or airline seat, a restaurant table without guests is lost revenue. The New York Times recently reported that some restaurants are now introducing variable pricing…
Beach Bodies-Themed Tabloid Pulled from Checkout Lane
Loblaws in Canada removed a copy of the National Enquirer from some of its stores after a local schoolteacher’s rant about its “Best and Worst Beach Bodies” cover story created…
