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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
To Opt-in or Out, That is the Question
Companies involved in email marketing face the question of which is the best way to go when developing contact lists — should customers be required to opt-out of receiving online…
Boutiques ‘R’ In at Bloomie’s and Field’s
A report in the Chicago Sun-Times says that Federated Department Stores’ Bloomingdale’s division has begun adding in-store boutiques similar to those at soon-to-be sister company Marshall Field’s State Street store…
Report Issued on Krispy Kreme’s Mess
An internal investigation and report by a special committee named by Krispy Kreme’s board of directors doesn’t come straight out and accuse former CEO Scott Livengood of fraud but it…
Product Moving Through Ports
It doesn’t appear as though containers are going to be piling up on U.S. docks this year. Last year, an increase in goods coming into the U.S. from China and…
Editorial: Perspective Needed on OTC or Behind the Counter
Rachelle Cohen, an editorial writer for The Boston Herald, writes that things may be getting out-of-hand when politicians are requiring that boxes of Sudafed be sold from behind the counter…
Only 137 Shopping Days Left Until Christmas
Ask old St. Nick and he’ll tell you it’s never too early to start putting your Christmas shopping list together. That’s why the man with the most accumulated air miles…
Ice Cream Chain Has Sales Growth Down Cold
Cold Stone Creamery made an important discovery in Alaska back in 1999. It doesn’t take warm weather to sell its high-end ice cream, only consistently excellent product quality and the…
FMI Looks for Trade Show Help
Supermarket News reports that the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) is looking for an outside source to run or possibly acquire its annual trade show in Chicago. Will FMI and,…
Sears Goes for Mall Makeover
While it seems clear that Sears Holdings sees its future outside of mall locations, the simple fact is the company has 900 or so Sears stores inside facilities located around…
The Costco of the Internet
As it turns out, the Costco of the Internet is Costco. The enormously successful warehouse club retailer has taken the same philosophy that has made it great in the real…
GHQ Cover Story 08/05: The Target at the Top
As Grocery Headquarters’ August 2005 cover story, The Target at the Top, tells it, “There is a growing feeling among some grocery operators that if they develop a good merchandising…
Retailers Take Different Paths to Build Loyalty
Chico’s, Men’s Wearhouse and Victoria’s Secret are profiled in a San Antonio Express-News opinion column, to receive special recognition for their ability to attract and keep shoppers coming back to…
Whole Foods Plans Big Mall Store Opening
Traditional department store operators such as Sears and J.C. Penney are looking to build sales outside of malls and, increasingly, retailers who have made their business outside of malls are…
Consumers Get Critical
Some consumers, considering the purchase of a product, like knowing what others who bought the same item thought of it. For these shoppers, Amazon and a host of other retailers…
Dollar Stores Face Challenges
A new study by Retail Forward, Dollar Stores and Other Small Format Value Retailers, says the dollar store channel will continue to grow over the next several years but not…
Toyota Takes Lead Before Government Forces It To
Like most business executives, Toyota’s North American president and COO Jim Press is no fan of government regulation. But he concedes that many times his industry and others have been…
Bealls Test Drives Employee Discount Promo
Conrad Szymanski, president of the Bealls department store business, recently told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, “There’s not an original idea in marketing.” That’s why, after seeing how well the employee discount…
Adidas-Reebok to Take Swipe at Nike’s Swoosh
The announcement that Adidas plans to buy Reebok for $3.8 billion creates an interesting power play in the athletic-shoe and sportswear category. The deal, which requires shareholder and regulator approval,…
Mail Order Cuts Medical Costs
Even with some added costs of doing business through mail order, the results of a new study released by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) says prescriptions filled through the…
Automotive Retailing Takes to Salsa, Tommy Bahamas and Tacos
Automotive manufacturers are all jumping onto the bandwagon of “employee discounts,” but automotive dealers are also vying with each other to make their outlets unique and the preferred choice. For…
RFID About Systems, Not Tags
Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology remains the hot topic in retail technology circles due in large part to Wal-Mart’s mandate that suppliers be RFID compliant by 2006. For most, it’s…
