RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Online Grocer Makes Money Helping Shoppers
The retail landscape in the U.S. has been littered with companies that have failed trying to make a buck at the online grocery business. But now, at least one, FreshDirect…
Body Shop and Sephora Try Vending Machines
Anyone who has ever stopped to smell the roses may soon notice a different aroma in some American grocery stores — and the Paris Metro (subway) for that matter. What…
Kroger CEO Feeling Confident
Kroger CEO David Dillon knows that Wal-Mart Stores plans to drop prices on a lot of items as it seeks to regain a competitive edge that it has seemed to…
CSD: Would You Like Wi-Fi With That?
Wi-Fi is a trendy offering customers are clamoring for, and it’s starting to appear at more c-store locations, especially as chains expand their foodservice programs and look for new ways…
The Great Recession is Over, Sort of…
While we seem to be past the worst of the Great Recession, we keep getting conflicting signals. Marketers can no longer take for granted that brands will be strong, price…
Kmart’s Coupon Mistake Becomes PR Blunder
Last week, Kmart made a mistake. It sent out an email to customers offering them a link to a coupon worth $10 off any purchase of $20 or more. The…
NRF and eBay Team Up to Fight Retail Crime
Retailers have long complained that stolen goods ultimately make their way online for sale, with eBay named as the place where these illegal transactions often take place. Now, eBay and…
Retail TouchPoints: Redefining Reach – A New Lens for an Old Media Metric
As more retailers embrace the concept of marketing at retail, old school media planners are struggling to include the store as media. Should retailers accept old school “reach,” or a…
CPGmatters: Nutritional Labeling Provides CPGs, Retailers with Unique Competitive Edge
Manufacturers can gain a competitive advantage by working with nutritional ranking systems, especially those that provide information to shoppers at the point of purchase. Should food retailers be investing in…
Undercover Boss Gets Noticed
The latest breakout reality show, Undercover Boss on CBS, shows a CEO covertly taking a job alongside lower-rung employees. How much of a retail CEO’s job should be spent in…
BrainTrust Query: Marketing Research Transformation is Not an Option
Research transformation isn’t just about changing a department; it’s about being an agent of change for the culture and beliefs of the whole marketing organization. In what ways do you…
Cities Banning Sales of Pets
The city of Richmond in British Columbia is considering banning all sales of dogs in an effort to reduce impulse buys as well as to crack down on puppy mills…
Payless Moving Up (From Feet) in the Retail World
Payless ShoeSource, a chain selling moderately priced footwear, is looking beyond its female shoppers’ feet to offer two exclusive new lines of beauty and body care products in its stores…
PL Buyer: Setting Your Sights on Seniors
Retailers, start your engines. As baby boomers begin to reach the age of retirement, the population of seniors is expected to swell dramatically. What common assumptions about selling to Baby…
Blockbuster Facing Possible Bankruptcy
Back in 2008, we wrote that Blockbuster’s CEO Jim Keyes was looking to unlock the chain’s potential by creating a deeper connection with customers. Now reports suggest that tightened credit…
Addicted to Facebook in America
We don’t know if it has been classified as an addiction by psychiatric professionals, but even if it hasn’t, it’s clear that many Americans have a very difficult time staying…
Recruiting for Retail Careers
It would be easy to churn out relevant clichés. But where education, experience and skills are concerned, retailers are recognizing a need for vocational and academic qualifications to co-exist and…
Best Buy Seeks First Forever Status with 3-D TVs
Best Buy is betting that by being first out out of the gate with 3-D television offerings, it will establish a hold on the category. Do you agree that it…
‘Mr. Employer, I’m Ready for My Close-up’
Retail executives are always saying that store-level employees are their most important asset. Now, chains are taking the importance of workers one step further by featuring them in television commercials…
Eco-Conscious Meets Cost-Conscious at P&G
While Procter & Gamble’s Future Friendly initiative aims to clear up the confusion around how to be eco-friendly, it is also designed to remove the perception of high prices that…
Furniture Market Grows with Consumers
As a Daily Finance article points out, big-and-tall shops and plus-size stores have found a profitable niche that furniture marketers are also hoping to tap into. Do you see a…
