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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Costco Drops Apple
Apparently ruffled over pricing policies and limited access to product, Costco confirmed last week that the wholesale club is phasing out all Apple products from its doors. What do think…
A&P Files for Bankruptcy Protection
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company announced yesterday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to enable it to restructure operations. What do you think is likely…
Macy’s Makes Mark as Tourist Attraction
When people from outside the U.S. plan vacations here, where do they go? Macy’s, of course, according to a new survey. How big an opportunity are foreign visitors for American…
IKEA Surprises Workers with New Wheels
The company has a reputation for being a great place to work so it’s not a huge surprise that it would give its co-workers (the company term) a surprising gift…
BrainTrust Query: To Party or Not
This time of the year is when many companies wrestle with how to acknowledge the season and how to show their appreciation for both their employees and their customers or…
More Shoppers Head to Target, Fewer Go to Walmart
A higher percentage of Americans shop at Walmart than Target. But, according to new research, the number of people shopping at Walmart this holiday season is down pretty substantially from…
Zappos Fires the Misfits
At a recent Conference Board event, Tony Hsieh, CEO at Zappos, indicated that fifty percent of the online retailer’s performance review criteria measures how an employee is furthering the company’s…
Many Happy Returns a Competitive Advantage
Nearly one in five consumers will return a gift from the holiday season. Some will find that returning merchandise is not as easy as in the past as policies are…
Walmart to End Sunday Pay Perk
Walmart announced that all hourly workers hired in the new year will no longer be eligible to receive an extra $1 an hour for working on Sunday. Do you think…
Consumers Prefer Smartphones to Associates
A new survey by Accenture on how consumers use mobile devices to shop shows that a large majority prefer to get information they need on products and pricing from their…
Retail Customer Experience: The Five Online Commerce Features That Create Loyalty
Limelight Networks Inc. released a survey showing that rich media and personalization are essential to establishing brand loyalty, especially with those who shop online most frequently. How does customer loyalty…
BrainTrust Query: What Constitutes Compliance?
In James Tenser’s role as director of the In-Store Implementation Network, the challenge of merchandising compliance is frequently addressed, from a variety of perspectives — both theoretical and solution-oriented. What…
BrainTrust Query: Is a Value Added Tax (VAT) All That Bad?
Like most people, Bill Bittner’s first reaction to the discussion of a value added tax (VAT) was “no way.” But maybe a VAT makes some sense. Is it politically…
Ackman Pushes Borders Bid for Barnes & Noble
Usually in business, it’s the bigger company acquiring the smaller one. But sometimes the normal rules no longer apply. What do you think of the proposed merger between Borders and…
The New Normal for Holiday Meals
There are implications of extended family households when it comes to holiday meals. These factors are contributing to families’ multiple Christmas celebrations. Do you see a bigger opportunity with American…
Limited’s Les Wexner: To Lead is to Teach
Leslie Wexner, the founder of Limited Brands Inc., believes in the importance of effective communication and, ultimately, teaching. What do you think of the metaphor of the CEO’s role as…
CVS Hire Blocked by Walmart
Walmart last week sued CVS to prevent the drugstore chain from hiring a former regional head, becoming the latest executive shuffle embroiled in a non-compete clause. Do you tend to…
Gilt Groupe Launching Full-Retail Men’s Clothing Site
Gilt Groupe, a company that has made its reputation offering flash sales to consumers, announced it would launch its new full-price site next summer to introduce pre-Fall fashions to men…
BrainTrust Query: Could Santa Steal From Your Store?
Santa as a shoplifter? Santa would make a great shoplifter if he decided to turn to crime. Think about it. What are some obvious and less obvious signs of a…
The News is (Nearly) All Good
It’s hard to look anywhere online this morning without finding a story about how good a month November was for retailers. Are you surprised by the results of the holiday…
Google Readies E-Book Store Opening
Google doesn’t have its own e-reading device and that might be one of the strengths of its planned Google Editions e-book store. What will Google Editions mean for the e-book…
