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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Men in the Zone at H-E-B
H-E-B’s new Men’s Zone department is looking to stake out some space specifically for guys looking for answers to their grooming needs. Will increased emphasis on men’s grooming products in…
BrainTrust Query: Lessons From the Starbucks Turnaround
Who would have wanted to be in Starbucks’ shoes a year ago? McDonald’s had launched low priced alternatives, the economy had stalled and consumers were balking at spending $4 per…
Toyota Tries to Fix Damage to Reputation
Toyota has climbed into the upper echelon of auto manufacturing and retailing by producing reliable vehicles. However, a massive recall caused the company to halt sales and production of eight…
Amazon Blinks in Stare Down With Macmillan
At least at this point in time, book content belongs to publishers and when faced with the option of agreeing to higher retails or not having anything to sell, Amazon.com…
FD Buyer: Mind The Gap!
A Nielsen review of department-level price gaps between store brands and manufacturer brands shows that retailers may be hurting themselves in the long run…. Do you agree that retailers are…
The Opportunity in Targeting the Malnourished Elderly
In an effort to secure its foothold in the nutrition sector, Nestlé has identified a new market – elderly people who may suffer from malnutrition. How do you rate the…
Wal-Mart Reorganizes U.S. Operations
Wal-Mart Stores is consolidating some of its operations, while dividing the country into three regions with separate presidents. The overhaul is expected to help the retailer on several fronts. What…
Braintrust Query: Why You Should Abandon Having an Online Retail Store
With the struggling economy, a lot of independent bricks and mortar stores are saying they need to build an online store. The reality: major brands are segmenting visitors to their…
Love, Frugal American Style
In 2008, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), consumers spent $17 billion on Valentine’s Day. Last year, that number dropped to $14.7 billion. Do you think consumers will loosen…
Marshall to Attempt A&P Turnaround
There is no doubt A&P’s parent company, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea. Co., is struggling mightily. The company has announced it has found a replacement in Ron Marshall, who…
BrainTrust Query: Loyalty 360 Weighs in on 12 Key Loyalty Marketing Trends for 2010
Engagement. Collaboration. Sustainability. ROI. Some may call these buzzwords, but BrainTrust panelist Mark Johnson predicts these are bottom-line concepts that will drive loyalty marketing in 2010. What overall trends do…
MDs the Right Medicine for Reade’s Clinic Biz
Most in-store health clinics in the U.S. are staffed by nurse practitioners. Duane Reade in New York has taken another tack and partnered with companies to offer in-store clinics manned…
Compete Blog: Can Shipping Costs Affect Online Sales?
If this past holiday’s trend is any indication, consumers love free shipping. But to what extent do shipping costs actually factor into a consumer’s decision to purchase online? Have free…
Apple’s iPad: Magical, Revolutionary and Cheap (Really)
Now, Apple is out front with a new item that apparently it has no lack of superlatives to describe. However, the claim that may resonate with most consumers is low…
Forever 21 Thinks Big
To the uninitiated, the typical Forever 21 store environment can seem pretty chaotic. But with all the activity comes sales. Is it possible to maintain the customer experience and other…
Borders Looking for a New CEO, Again
When Ron Marshall replaced George Jones and joined Borders as its CEO last January, some were not keen on the change of management. Change, however, is in store for Borders…
CPGmatters: Analysis of Data Underscores Importance of Best Shoppers
Analysis of over two million grocery shoppers by Concept Shopping shows that the top 10 percent of a store’s customers visit the store more than twice a week, spend over…
Giant Eagle Tests In-Store Wellness Areas
Giant Eagle, is testing dedicated health and beauty areas featuring a wider selection of dietary supplements, a premium cosmetics counter, a pharmacy with a drive-through window, a dietitian, and a…
Eco Fashion Still Waiting to Go Mainstream
Let’s call it a case of “deja vu all over again.” We’re reading a story on how designers admit that eco-friendly fashions were not all that stylish in the past,…
BrainTrust Query: Killer Tech for Phones
At the tail-end of the Mobile Retailing panel at NRF, BrainTrust panelist David Dorf was asked, “What will this panel be discussing next year at NRF 2011?” From a mobile…
Focus Groups Take on New Format
Focus groups 2.0 have arrived. One of the first, and arguably foremost, is based at 3M Company’s St Paul headquarters and is known as a “World of Innovation” showroom. What…
