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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
‘Precycler’ Nation
A newly identified group of eco-conscious consumers doesn’t believe that recycling goes far enough to protect the planet. No, for “precyclers”, a segment of consumers identified by The Intelligence Group,…
Macy’s Wants to Relate Better to Shoppers
Macy’s wants to better understand its customers. That’s why the department store has hired dunnhumbyUSA to analyze its sales data, develop customer segmentation models and help the chain develop more…
Angry Customers Vent to 3,000
In the digital age, disgruntled customers are in the driver’s seat, according to Pete Blackshaw, head of strategic services at Nielsen Online, in his new book, Satisfied Customers Tell Three…
Retailers Brace for Business Post Rebates
The U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson took exception this past Sunday when Tom Brokaw, host of NBC’s Meet the Press, said, “The tax rebates that were sent out earlier this…
South Los Angeles Halts Fast Food Expansion
While some cities are pushing for calorie counts on restaurant menus or banning trans fat, South Los Angeles is taking more drastic measures to help its chubby residents. The local…
GHQ: Looking behind the pharmacy counter
According to a consumer-intercept survey conducted by Grocery Headquarters this year, the vast majority of shoppers have high expectations of their pharmacy. Yet, many shoppers noted that when the pharmacy…
No Stopping TJX
Millions of people have their personal financial records exposed when TJX Cos. has its computer systems hacked – not a problem. The economy softens and people reign in their spending,…
C-Stores Substitute for Costly Stock-Up Trips
Once again, poor people are looking for ways of stretching limited funds. Buying in bulk, especially when getting to the store involves an expensive car trip, may not be an…
CVS to Acquire Longs Drug Stores
CVS Caremark is at it again. “It” being acquiring another pharmacy chain – this time CVS has made a deal to buy Longs Drug Stores. What is your reaction to…
Jones Apparel Group in Item-Level RFID Test
Jones Apparel Group announced it has begun a pilot program in Nine West stores to test radio frequency identification (RFID) technology at the item level. The company is seeking to…
Adrenalina Surfs into Malls
If retailing was a sport, Adrenalina, a new action sports concept, could easily be considered an “extreme” store. It’s the first retail store to include a FlowRider, the indoor-surfing attraction…
Retail TouchPoints: D’Agostino Offers Shoppers Automated Grocery Lists Via Ikan Scanning Technology
In an age of increasingly time-poor and Internet-savvy consumers, the Ikan grocery scanner is designed to do for grocery shopping what Netflix did for DVD rentals. Manhattan retailer D’Agostino Grocery…
Wharton Profs Offer Strategies for Tough Times
Knowledge@Wharton asked professors at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business to offer strategies for retailers to compete more effectively in light of the current economic challenges. What are…
Wine Taster Stimulates Tastebuds
Wine tasting has long been a sign, for some people, of their sophistication and skill in appreciating the finer things in life. And just sometimes, the skill itself can be…
New Stores are Certifiably ‘Green’
In July, Office Depot joined a number of other retailers in opening its first “green” store in Austin. Pre-certified to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards by the…
Walmart Looking for Big Things from Small Format
Walmart is looking for the new Marketside small format store concept it is developing to eventually generate over $10 billion in annual sales from 1,000 to 1,500 locations around the…
Competitors to Sell Safeway Brands
Safeway’s done pretty well with its Blackhawk Network business selling gift cards in other retailers’ stores. Now, the chain is looking to competitors to help it build its private label…
BrainTrust Query: Is it OK for advertisers to have fun with gay themes?
Mars, Inc. has decided once again to pull a Snicker’s ad as a result of an outcry from the gay community. This time, it was an ad aired in the…
Bill Would Make it Easier for Unions to Organize Retail Workers
Retailers are anxious about the upcoming election for a number of reasons including the distinct possibility that a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House could lead to the passage of a…
IT Spending Up Even as Cuts Made Elsewhere
Retailers are continuing to invest in information technology despite all the various economic factors that are causing chains to cut back in many other operational areas. This development, according to…
CPGmatters: Focus on Shopper Engagement Paying Off for Kimberly-Clark
Befitting its status as a leader in the CPG business, Kimberly-Clark is helping its retailer partners do a better job of hooking shoppers in their aisles. But that doesn’t mean…
