RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Joe Fresh Set to Conquer U.S. With Assist From JCP
Joe Fresh fans will be happy to hear that the Canadian brand owned by Loblaw is about to become widely available in the U.S. through branded shops planned to open…
Big Food Turns Organics Into Big Business
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has increased the number of materials approved for organic foods from 77 to 250 since 2002. “Big Food” is said to play a…
Kmart Educates Consumers on Layaway Savings
With very few other retailers offering layaway programs, Kmart has a point of difference in the market. Now, the retailer is promoting a five percent discount on layaway purchases made…
Drugstore Implements Dress Code for Shoppers
An independent pharmacy operator in New York State took the unusual step of posting signs at the entrances of his two stores advising people wearing sunglasses and hats or hoodies…
PL Buyer: The Ethnic Foods Opportunity
Private label earned only 6.8 percent of the growing ethnic foods category, according to a January 2012 report from Mintel. But that could change if consumers became more convinced of…
CSD: The Customer Service Saboteur
A senior in Hospitality Business Management at Washington State University set out simply to study customers who misbehave, but soon realized that no research had been done on how those…
Amazon’s Announces ‘Innovative’ Education Program
Amazon.com has been criticized over the past year for its treatment of warehouse workers, so its newly announced Career Choice Program for those same employees is bound to face a…
Consumers Not Happy Being Tracked by Facebook
According to new research conducted by Harris Interactive for Placecast, 66 percent of consumers were okay with the idea of having Amazon using their purchasing history to target new offers…
Retail Customer Experience: Go Mobile Or Go Home – Check-Out Lines Are Disappearing
Although only 13 percent of retailers are currently testing mobile POS, another 19 percent said they will begin tests in the next 12 months, according to a recent survey from…
Making Malls Internet-Proof
At Scottsdale Quarter in Arizona, 30 of its 53 tenants offer dining, entertainment, or a service in addition to traditional retailing. The emphasis is designed to bring experiences to the…
Study: Youth Obsession Waning?
With Boomers getting crotchety and the top end of the Millennials range reaching their mid-thirties, society’s obsession with youth is over, according to a global survey by Euro RSCG Worldwide…
Target to Tackle the Big City
Target has been looking for ways to crack larger urban markets and next week the world will get a look at how the company plans to chase the opportunity when…
BrainTrust Query: Successful Time Off
We all need time away from work to clear our minds, recharge our batteries and dedicate precious time to our families and friends. That’s easier said than done for many…
Small Guys Benefiting Most From Pinterest
In the Darwinian world of retailing, it’s axiomatic that the big chains get bigger while the small guys, well, don’t. But new research shows that independents may have an early…
The Eyes Don’t Lie
Several CPG companies are adopting eye-tracking technologies as a way to overcome the unreliable answers that often come from focus groups. What do you see as the pros and…
Athleta Hot on Lululemon’s Tail
Athleta, the online seller of women’s yoga and athletic wear that Gap Inc. bought and then brought into the brick & mortar world, is going after Lululemon. What do you…
Macy’s Customers to Get Their Kicks in New Mobile Program
Macy’s is going national with a rollout of the shopkick mobile rewards program. Customers can earn rewards and obtain shopkick’s “kicks” currency simply by walking into any of the 800+…
Ace, Amazon Look to Opportunities in DIY Market
The approaches are different, but the goals are the same. Ace Hardware and Amazon.com are looking to grab greater share of the home improvement market. How big a threat does…
FD Buyer: Margins Heading Up or Down?
Most retailers expect decreases in frozen/dairy margins of between one percent and three percent in the next 12 months. Perhaps not so surprisingly, most manufacturers see the reverse. Do you…
Paul Blart’s Got a Gun
While it’s safe to say that mall security personnel may not get the respect they deserve from Hollywood or from teenagers, it’s equally true that they play an important role…
Hypocrisy Abounds Over Olympic Uniforms
A lot of people are genuinely upset over the news that the new U.S. Olympic team uniforms designed by Ralph Lauren were made in China. Do you think the…
