RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
CSDecisions: Inspiring a Solid Work Ethic
Ever wonder how older co-workers keep going long after many of their younger cohorts seem to have worn down and out? This isn’t a column aimed at taking the younger…
Indy Bookstores Stage a Comeback, Of Sorts
Watch out Amazon (okay, maybe not), the independent bookstores are coming! According to the American Booksellers Association (ABA), things are beginning to look up for independent booksellers. What is…
BrainTrust Query: SoLoMo Is So Confusing For Merchants
Almost every day, there seems to be a new entrant on the radar of social loyalty. You’ve already tackled Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter, you’ve tried both Groupon and LivingSocial, now…
Starbucks Buys a Bakery
Starbucks has the coffee thing down pretty good, but food — not so much. But the coffee giant announced yesterday that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire…
Out-of-Towners Go Grocery Shopping
At least according to an article in USA Today, a growing minority of frequent travelers are plotting trips based on how close their hotel is to their favorite grocer. Do…
Tommy Bahama: Storyteller
Tommy Bahama knows the value of a good story. “If anything, our brand is based almost all on storytelling,” Doug Wood, president and chief operating officer recently told RetailWire. …
BrainTrust Query: Loyalty Marketing Needs a Revolution
Even with the sweeping changes in media, technology, consumer habits and behavior, most loyalty programs today are not fundamentally different. They are still focused on hard benefits discounts, with soft…
Pinterest Attracts Followers and Purchases Follow
According to a new study, U.S. online consumers follow an average of 9.3 retailers on the Pinterest image-sharing social network compared to 6.9 retailers on Facebook and 8.5 via Twitter…
BrainTrust Query: Help! I’m Being Stalked By a Jam Band
The problem with spending money on targeted web advertising is this: all search engines know is what you’re interested in; they have no idea what you’ve done. What are the…
Walmart Becomes the Place for ‘Goodies’
The world’s largest retailer is planning a new subscription service called “Goodies” that will allow customers to receive foods not sold in its stores. What do think of the opportunity…
‘GQ Selects’ Nordstrom
Nordstrom is going all GQ. The retailer announced yesterday a new online venture that will feature men’s fashion recommendations from the magazine’s editors. What do you think of the Nordstrom/GQ…
RSR Research: The New Front in Omni-Channel – Store Labor
At Epicor’s recent user conference, a panel of Millennials discussed what they wanted from the retail experience. The most interesting part of that panel was the fact that all of…
J.C. Penney Adds Promos to Drive Store Traffic
J.C. Penney may have time on its side for its new pricing policies to get the results it expects, but according to an article on the Advertising Age website, Penney…
CEO: Merger Creates Bigger and Better Natural Foods Chain
Sprouts Farmers Market and Sunflower Farmers Market have announced the merger deal between the two companies, creating a new natural foods chain, with 144 stores and $2 billion in revenue…
BrainTrust Query: Responding to Negative Customer Reviews
Customers gripe for a lot of reasons. The good news is you can have automated alerts sent to you whenever your business is reviewed or mentioned on the ‘net. That…
There’s a Place in Retail for Print Catalogs
In 2007, a RetailWire poll found only 14 percent of respondents believed that printed catalogs would become “largely obsolete.” By 2011, another RetailWire poll found 44 percent believed that…
Neiman Marcus Rebrands Contemporary Fashion Shops
Back in 2006, Neiman Marcus launched its Cusp contemporary fashion concept with two standalone stores. Fast-forward to 2012 and there are now six standalone units, an e-commerce site (Cusp.com) and…
Big Chains Bring PayPal In-Store
PayPal has reached deals with 15 retailers, including Toys “R” Us, J.C. Penney and Barnes & Noble, that will allow consumers to pay for purchases with their cellphones as part…
‘Always On’ Execs Are Happier, More Productive
Always being on call apparently gives high level executives more control of their lives and is actually good for them. So says research by advertising agency and self-described global ideas…
Social Gifting Arrives
The latest shopping trend merging social networks and smartphones is reportedly social gifting, in which friends get together on Facebook to buy each other gifts. What questions should retailers…
Samsung and Sony Get Tough on TV Prices
Samsung and Sony no longer want to be part of the race to the bottom. The two consumer electronics manufacturers, according to a Wall Street Journal report, have set policies…
