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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Wal-Mart to Push Flextime on Law Firms
It’s common for large suppliers to place requirements on vendors as part of doing business together. Wal-Mart appears ready to add flextime as a requirement for firms that want to…
Braintrust Query: Four Ways Smaller Stores Can Create Deeper Customer Connections
A small retailer has the ability to develop stronger and more loyal customer relationships. The reality is that merchants aren’t doing enough to create and maintain customer relationships. How can…
Toys ‘R’ Us Adding FAO Schwarz Boutiques
There were questions when Toys “R” Us acquired FAO Schwarz about how it would operate an iconic toy merchant that was the virtual opposite of itself. One answer is now…
CPGmatters: Marketers Gain Efficiency with Online Sampling
CPG marketers want efficient promotions, while consumers welcome free stuff. The two may have common ground in the relatively new world of online sampling. What do you think of the…
Black Friday Still Matters, But How Much?
With retailers basically setting up holiday displays and running Christmas sales in July, it is easy to come to the conclusion Black Friday isn’t quite as important as it once…
Home Depot Offers Trade-In Programs to Drive Sales
Home Depot is looking to get consumers to stop trying to get by with their old power drills and holiday lighting by giving them an incentive to trade-in the old…
Overcoming the Guilt of Luxury Purchases
The overriding guilt of shopping in a downturn is said to be delaying a recovery in luxury spending but some high-end firms and retailers are working on ways to reduce…
BrainTrust Query: To Understand Social Media, Marketers Must Drop the C Word
In ARF’s first meeting on social media, Chris Andrew, leader of Digitas Social said, “We must stop using the ‘C’ word.” (C for “Campaign”). To what extent does the arrival…
Taking Stores to Customers
The UK’s WH Smith stores have traditionally been located in town centers but, more recently, branches have opened in airports, train stations and hospitals. Latest plans, just announced, are for…
Retail TouchPoints: Attracting Male Consumers Into Stores
Although retailers are focused on providing an optimal in-store experience, retail strategist Bertrand Pellegrin says stores are typically designed to cater to women, and that today’s male consumer is doing…
Retail:Next Study Results: Separating Fads From Trends
Just how much financial trauma is required to permanently affect how consumers shop? That is a question that both retailers and brand marketers are asking. How do you see the…
Tesco Store Goes Without Cashiers
Tesco has opened one of its Express convenience stores in England but with one significant difference. The store in Kingsley, Northampton is the first of its kind to run a…
Grocers Pump Up Promotions
To get something, you sometimes have to give something. That is the clear lesson that retailers have learned in the past couple of years as many consumers demand some kind…
Mary Queen of Shops Arrives on American TV
Mary Queen of Shops, a British television import, reached American airwaves in mid-October. The reality show features fashion guru Mary Portas as she attempts to pull back boutiques from the…
CVS Takes Different Approach on Reusable Bags
CVS is giving shoppers an Extra Care Buck coupon for $1 after they shop with the same cloth bag four times. The chain is going to keep track of bag…
CEO Expects Supervalu to Grow-A-Lot
As a former executive with Wal-Mart Stores, Supervalu CEO Craig Herkert knows what low prices and a tightly-controlled selection can do. So, there shouldn’t be much surprise that his plans…
Compete Blog: Can Microsoft’s Zune HD challenge the iPod?
Hopes were high when Microsoft introduced the Zune in 2006. But the concept never took off; Zune adoption was limited, while Apple’s iPod line continued to dominate the media player…
Sears Looks to Piggyback on Others’ Book Discounts
With Walmart.com and Target.com’s decisions to offer big discounts on expected best sellers before they are in-stock, Sears doesn’t want to get into a price competition with stronger competitors so…
Loblaw Expects Benefits From Adding Full-Timers
While most chains in the grocery business continue to rely primarily on part-timers, Loblaw in Canada has made the strategic decision to expand the number of full-timers it employs. What…
JTPP: Localization’s Inventory Dilemma
While economic conditions have forced retailers to slash inventories as quickly as possible, localization has caused them to rethink what the “right” level of inventory is to begin with. Does…
Best Buy Opens First 24-Hour Store
Best Buy announced plans to open its first 24-hour store in New York City. The 48,000-square-foot location in Union Square at the corner of 14th Street and Fourth Avenue replaces…
