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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Publix to Test Digital Coupons Sans Loyalty Card
According to a Tampa Tribune report, Publix, which doesn’t have a loyalty card, is now testing a program where its shoppers can go online to set up an account where…
Target Continues P-fresh Makeover
As previous RetailWire discussions on Target’s P-fresh have shown, industry experts are divided on just how successful the chain’s grocery initiative has been. There is no denying, however, that Target…
BrainTrust Query: Self-Checkout – What Should Drive the Retailer Decision?
The self-checkout continues to be the subject of fierce debate within the retail community. The controversy is propelled by the multiple dimensions of the issue to retailers, manufacturers and shoppers…
Sears Sells Big Data Solutions on a MetaScale
It’s been argued that Sears Holdings really isn’t interested in being in retailing — at least not the bricks and mortar kind. Yesterday, Sears Holdings announced it had created a…
U.S. Retailers Try to Get Faster with Fashions
Two separate RetailWire polls in recent years point to difficulties that department stores and large apparel specialty chains had in dealing with fast-fashion competitors such as Forever 21, H&M and…
Walmart Faces Fallout From Mexican Bribery Allegations
A New York Times report that Walmart paid $24 million to obtain building permits and gain market dominance in Mexico has brought the retailer a lot of negative attention from…
Google ID’s Trusted Websites
Google last year quietly began piloting a Google Trusted Stores program whereby Google awards a badge to websites with a strong history of reliable shipping and top-notch customer service. Now,…
Uniqlo May Explore U.S. Growth Online
Japanese retailer Uniqlo, according to an Advertising Age report, is looking for “partners” to help it build and launch an e-commerce site, a “digital flagship,” in the U.S. by October…
BrainTrust Query: Is Retail Quietly Trending Away From Bricks and Mortar?
Back in the late ’90s, a fear pervaded among many retailers that they might be torpedoed by the new phenomenon of online shopping. Over time, retailers relaxed and joined the…
Best Buy’s CEO Succession Circus Continues
With alleged personal indiscretions, covert investigations and a founder’s potential meddling amid a crumbling business model, the search for Best Buy’s next CEO could make for a pretty good soap…
Don’t Let Food Go to Waste
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, America wastes 40 percent of its food supply, more than any other geographic group. What are the benefit to…
Amazon Keeps a Low Profile
Other corporate titans have received greater scrutiny as they’ve became larger and more dominant and Amazon now appears to be facing similar questions and critics. The surprise, at least to…
The Art of Creating ‘Permanently Delighted’ Customers
Earlier this year, the National Retail Federation and KPMG released the Benchmarks for 2011, Forecasts for 2012 report, which found that retail executives listed improved customer service as their top…
Safeway Seen as Takeover Target
Sentiment among gamblers on Wall Street is that Safeway can be bought on the cheap, at least for a company with earnings above $1 billion, and that Kroger or some…
Haggling Goes Online
It’s not unusual for shoppers to go into a consumer electronics store or a jewelry shop and negotiate over an item they want to buy. Now, they can do it…
Big Box Stations Fuel Growth
Americans are very sensitive to increases in gas prices. Costco, Kroger, Walmart and many others have dangled gas savings in front of consumers with great effectiveness. Will we see big…
Apps Deliver Food Answers in Stores
It’s more about transparency than ever. Abbreviations, codes, scientific obfuscation can instantly be explained with a simple mobile swipe. All you need is the right app. Do you see food…
Nation’s Highest Court to Take on ‘Gray Market’
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court announced that it would take up the gray market/copyright issue again. Should retailers be able to go outside normal distribution channels to purchase and…
Will Whole Foods Find Foodies in Detroit?
Walter Robb believes Whole Foods will find a following with its first store in the Detroit. But he even admitted the opening is “obviously stretching a bit” in a city…
Retail TouchPoints: New Study Spotlights Need to Promote Online Channels In-Store
According to a survey from Bronto Software, websites were found to be the most promoted digital connection promoted at physical stores, followed far behind by QR codes, social networking programs…
CPGmatters: Increased Coupon Fraud Underscores Need for Better Security Measures
With the annual cost of coupon fraud estimated to be nearly a half billion dollars, coupon security was high on the agenda recently at CIC’s Industry Leadership Summit. Are retailers…
