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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Supply Chain Digest: Order and SKU Velocity Profiling is Key to Picking System Design and Technology
There are a wide range of potential picking system options, from manual, paper-based systems to highly automated approaches. For many companies, the question is: where do you begin? The smart…
Jewel Tests Urban Fresh Concept
Jewel-Osco, a division of Supervalu, is the latest chain to test a small store concept that it hopes will speak to the needs of urban consumers in tony neighborhoods, including…
More Shopping Centers Looking for Tenants
The recent announcement that Steve & Barry’s was seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and would close a large number of stores has sent a shiver through shopping center operators. A…
Word-of-Mouth: 50 cents a Chat?
Two groups – BzzAgent, a Boston-based WOM agency, and ChatThreads, a Boston research group – have calculated that word-of-mouth conversations for brands are worth around 50 cents each. But nobody…
Macy’s CEO Doesn’t Want Team Distracted by Economy
Macy’s chief executive Terry Lundgren had heard enough from the naysayers and so he recently sent a letter to company managers to let them know that, while others may raise…
Apple’s ‘Service is Marketing’ Mantra
As if they didn’t already receive heaps of acclaim, Apple Stores in the last few months have been both boosting the number of “concierges” that meet and direct customers in…
Whole Foods Touts Low Prices/Savings
Times are tough and consumers, even those who shop at Whole Foods, are looking for ways to save money on their grocery bills. Last week, the chain dubbed “Whole Paycheck”…
Stop & Shop Tests Choose & Cook Program
Stop & Shop Supermarkets is testing a new program that appears to bridge the gap between pre-made and homemade meals. With key ingredients assorted in special refrigerated sections, Choose &…
Off-Shoring/Outsourcing Customer Service Gets Dismal Grades
A new survey finds that outsourcing customer service – whether to offshore providers or domestically – typically causes a “significantly negative” impact on customer satisfaction. But the study’s authors still…
Retail TouchPoints: Retail Loyalty Programs Lag in Customer Metrics
A new survey of retailers showcases the sophistication and diverse multi-channel approach best in class companies are bringing to loyalty programs. At the same time, the report makes it all…
RSR Research: Macy’s Returns to Selling Electronics, Customer-Centric Store Style
Macy’s announced plans to outfit at least 250 more stores with e-Spots: in-store kiosks dedicated to selling branded consumer electronic items without requiring a store associate to assist in the…
Best Buy Plans to Double Sales
Best Buy is looking to double its sales to $80 billion over the next five years and the consumer electronics (CE) giant has a plan for getting there, according to…
GHQ: Scary Movie
At a time when finding talented young grocery managers is a crucial challenge for the industry, Hollywood has come out with what may be the ultimate anti-recruiting film. Is there…
Will Edward Lampert Play White Knight for Steve & Barry’s?
It’s official. Steve & Barry’s has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and now the question is what the discount clothing retailer needs to do to pay off some of…
Lord & Taylor Parent May Bid for Hudson’s Bay
NRDC Equity Partners, which owns Lord & Taylor and Fortunoff’s, may be getting ready to make a bid for Canada’s Hudson’s Bay Co. (HBC). The currently circulating rumors are not…
CPGmatters: Promotions Need to ‘Engage’ Consumers to Be Effective
Coupons and other promotions need to break away from traditional mass marketing and engage consumers in order to be effective. Moreover, CPG marketers need to draw in consumers rather than…
Amazon Offers Shoppers Options of Paying Later
Amazon.com is now giving its shoppers the option of ordering goods and paying for them later with the addition of the Bill Me Later payment service to the website. How…
Kraft Goes Wall-to-Wall to Drive Sales
Kraft Foods’ sales reps are rolling up their sleeves and helping to drive the company’s sales with a hands-on presence in 15,000 stores across the U.S. The initiative known as…
eBay Fined for Not Spotting Fakes
LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy), the French holding company specializing in luxury goods, has successfully sued eBay for not taking sufficient steps to prevent fakes being sold through its auction…
Upscale Jeans Focused on Market Share Gains
Upscale jeans brands are taking different approaches to try and gain market share now with an eye to the future when affluent consumers will feel better about spending $100, $200…
Retailers Look for Edge Going Back to School
By some estimates, the back-to-school selling season will be lackluster this year as the combination of a shaky economy and a dearth of “must-have” items keep consumer purchases down. What…
