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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
L.L.Bean Tries to Go Younger
When Julia Winder, a 20-year-old college sophomore from Princeton, N.J., spoke with The Boston Globe, she said exactly what L.L.Bean wanted to hear. “This is more of a preppy East…
Compete Blog: Smartphone Owners – A Ready and Willing Audience
Years ago, when smartphones were introduced to the market, they were promoted as devices to help the busy, on-the-go, business professional. Today, they are integrated into the daily lives of…
Amazon Cuts Off Colorado Affiliates Over Taxes
Amazon last week ended its relationship with Colorado-based affiliates in retaliation of a new state law aimed at getting out-of-state, online retailers to collect sales tax. Do you support e-commerce…
New Living Spaces, New Shopping Spaces
Foreclosures and closed retail premises all over the U.S. are encouraging people to re-think where and how they live and work. Add to that consideration of ways to reduce fuel…
BrainTrust Query: Retailing in the Absence of Recovery
It seems that each week experts look for even the faintest sign that the fabled “recovery” has begun. The problem with a speculative view of recovery is that it’s oddly…
Change Coming for Latino Grocery Stores
The Latino population in the U.S. has grown rapidly in recent years and with it has come a corresponding rise in the number of grocery stores catering to this diverse…
Companies Looking to Cut Healthcare Costs
No surprise; employers are looking to cut healthcare costs. That’s the finding of CVS Caremark’s annual survey of employers’ priorities for pharmacy benefit management services in 2010. Is it within…
BrainTrust Query: It Takes More Than Exclusive Lines
In a Reuters piece that appeared on March 2, J.C. Penney CEO Myron Ullman said, “Department stores must keep ramping up exclusive lines of clothing and accessories if they are…
Family Dollar Tests Basket Analysis
In a project last year, Family Dollar worked with Applied Predictive Technologies to understand what’s happening at the basket level. How do you think better access to basket analysis insights…
Google Web Store Pushes Cloud Computing Apps
Google is operating in the cloud and the company is looking to get the rest of us to do our computing up there, as well. The company announced the launch…
BrainTrust Query: Cash Back Popularity on the Rise, But Is There a Better Way?
Cash is king. During the past two years, this age old encouragement from our fathers has been driven home with punctuation. In the loyalty and rewards game, cash is king…
Aldi Not Messin’ Around in Texas
Limited assortment grocer Aldi plans to open its first 27 stores in Texas this spring as part of the chain’s aggressive growth strategy in markets across the country. How is…
American Eagle Closing Martin & Osa
American Eagle was hoping its Martin + Osa concept would give it a bridge to consumers that had outgrown its teen and young adult American Eagle line. On Monday, the…
The Power of Everyday Sounds
Advertising principally engages only one sense: sight. Hearing, the author of the best seller, Buyology, argues, can be equally as powerful, though advertisers rarely capitalize on it. How would you…
Gas Prices Could Mean Trouble for Retail
Gas prices are on the rise, and the question becomes, how high will they go and how will it affect consumer purchasing in other areas? Are you concerned that gas…
BrainTrust Query: The Torrid Truth about Licensing’s Love Triangle
Licensors are just as aware of rationalization as licensees are and they are appropriately freaked out about it … but sometimes for the wrong reasons. How has ongoing rationalization affected…
Wal-Mart Taking Hits Over Price, Selection
Two separate articles conclude that Wal-Mart Stores is having a tougher go of it since the economy began to rebound, in part because a wide variety of competitors have found…
Urban to Launch Bridal Concept
Urban Outfitters Inc. announced plans to launch a new concept focused on the $60 billion wedding industry. The idea for creating a brand aimed at weddings grew out of the…
FD Buyer: Let’s Try Coordinating the Time of Category Reviews
Let’s say you’re a manufacturer with a new product breakthrough, and you’re ready to present it to the trade this month. But let’s also say that several of your key…
Blippy.com: Sharing What You’re Buying
Blippy.com is a social networking site that encourages people to see and discuss what their friends and others are buying on services such as iTunes, Netflix, eBay, Amazon, and more…
Social Shopping Climbers
Social shopping websites such as Gilt.com, Hautelook, RueLaLa and Woot are the hot new thing in retailing, combining limited time sales with fashion and home goods from top luxury designers…
