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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Sweetbay: We’re Cheaper Than Publix
Sweetbay has an uphill battle going up against Publix in Florida but it’s looking to gain an edge with a new ad campaign that sends a straightforward message: its prices…
PL Buyer: Retailing to Localvores
As the population of “localvores” — consumers who regularly purchase locally grown/procured products — grows, retailers will continue to think of interesting ways to better serve this consumer type. Are…
BOGOs Redefined (Buy One, Give One)
A growing number of retailers are turning the traditional notion of a BOGO (buy one, get one) on its head by offering to give one item away to a needy…
Coupon Redemption at All Time High
Consumers are looking to save money wherever they can and they’re clipping coupons at a furious pace, according to NCH Marketing Services (a division of Valassis). Will coupons continue to…
TPMA Outlook: Where Did Kmart Go Wrong?
An interesting article in dbusiness, the Detroit business magazine, attempts to explain how Kmart blew the huge lead it had in the discount channel and collapsed into bankruptcy. In hindsight,…
Chili’s Fires Back at Steve Carell’s Treachery
Michael Scott, the character that Steve Carell plays on the NBC comedy, The Office, loves Chili’s. Apparently, so did Mr. Carell until recently. What do you think of Chili’s response…
New Cola War Breaks Out
It’s been a long time, but Coke and Pepsi are back at it again. The cola wars, this time with a zero calorie angle, are on. Will Coke and/or Pepsi…
CPGmatters: McNeil Provides Solutions at Shelf for Shoppers of the OTC Drug Category
Research from Johnson & Johnson, the parent of McNeil Consumer Healthcare, found that OTC drug is a complex category that leaves shoppers overwhelmed and often confused. How can retailers…
McD’s Cancels Smoothie Giveaway
July 13, 2010 – McDonald’s announces it will offer customers a free sample of its new McCafe Real Fruit Smoothies on July 22 – 24. July 16 – McDonald’s decides…
Is Forever 21 Encouraging Teen Pregnancy?
Some are questioning whether Forever 21, a young women’s fashion chain, is in some way encouraging teen pregnancy now that it has launched its “Love 21 Maternity” line of clothes…
Teen Retailers Go Younger
According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, several teen chains are shifting resources to concepts targeting kids after finding little luck opening ones targeting adults. Why are teen…
George Steinbrenner: How Was the Boss?
A string of obituaries over the past week have praised the late George Steinbrenner’s will to win and willingness to spend money to improve the Yankees. But a few also…
New Reality of Marketing to Older Moms
For the past several years, one pundit after another has observed that more women are waiting longer to start their families. Experian Marketing Services has now taken a look at…
RSR Research: Stores Say They Need More Knowledgeable, Tech-Enabled Employees
In RSR’s just-released annual report on in-store technologies, The Customer-Centric Store 2010: How Retailers Engage Tech-enabled Customers, they studied how stores plan to contend with a smart phone-armed customer with…
JoS. A. Bank Launches Factory Store Concept
JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, the no-week-goes-by-without-a-sale retailer, is looking to burnish its credentials as a company that saves guys money on high quality clothing with the launch of its first…
Techie Types Go Out to Eat
New research by Technomic has found that consumers in “the gotta have the latest gadget” crowd are more likely eat out than the population as a whole. What are the…
Buyer Beware Weight Loss Product Claims
Those quick-weight-loss diet books and 10-minute workouts have transcended to a whole line of simple weight-loss products. The latest includes a line of calorie-burning underwear, joining such products as toning…
CPG Manufacturers Called to Innovate
It’s time for consumer packaged goods companies to move out of hunkering-down mode and get serious about product innovation. That’s the gist of new research from the Grocery Manufacturers Association…
Marketers Move to Facebook as Teens Move Away
In marketing as in life, it is all about timing. That’s why retailers and brands should be concerned that they are moving to Facebook at a time when large numbers…
Retail Customer Experience: Pennsylvania’s New Wine Kiosks Get Panned
In December, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) announced it would test self-service wine-dispensing kiosks in a select number of grocery stores. What do you think of wine kiosks as…
Kmart Adds Shopper Reviews to Store Shelves
Consumers are interested in what others have to say about the products they are thinking of buying, apparently part of the premise behind Kmart’s decision to post reviews of various…
