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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Walgreens Refutes Mail Order Assumptions
While the corner drugstore may be losing share to mail-order pharmacies required by some benefit plans, it’s not true that the prescriptions are less costly, says Walgreens’ chief executive David…
Convenience, Older Women, No Returns and Martha Stewart
Oh, no! It can’t be another ‘What will the retailing business look like in 2005?’ article. Oh yes. It is. And this one’s from Emily Lambert on the Forbes.com Web…
Wal-Mart Fighting Urban Legend
Wal-Mart’s chief executive, Lee Scott, says an “urban legend” has grown up around his company and it’s time to dispel the myth. Will Wal-Mart’s campaign to set the facts straight…
Kraft Isn’t Kidding With Marketing Changes
Kraft Foods announced today it was changing the message mix of its advertising in media targeted to kids, primarily in the six to 11-year age groups, to emphasize the company’s…
Apple’s Jobs: No Excuse Not to Switch
To all those who have cited the high price of Macintosh computers as a reason for sticking with Windows, Apple Computer’s Steve Jobs has a message for you. You no…
Computer Vision Applications vs. Privacy Rights
You can’t argue with the notion that the better you know your customers, the better you’ll be able to serve them. This was simple when single shop owners made it their…
Lights, Camera, Ethics
In an environment where it sometimes seems as though if it weren’t for bad news, there wouldn’t be any business news at all, a number of television shows are bringing…
Loyalty Means Saying You’re Sorry
A Starbucks Sumatra coffee email promotion was ill timed in light of the devastation the Tsunami caused that island. The willingness of Starbucks to step up and quickly apologize stands…
GHQ Cover Story 01/05: Bowed But Unbroken
The supermarket as we know it may not be dead, but there’s not much doubt when you look around and see the problems companies such as Penn Traffic, Winn-Dixie and…
Natural Competition Grows in Charlotte
Charlotte, N.C. is a growing market for retailers catering to consumers of natural goods and organic foods. Whole Foods plans to open its first store in the market within the…
Costco and Wal-Mart: A Tale of Two Very Different Competitors
Costco and Wal-Mart. As different as they are, they are also similar in a number of respects. Provide your own comparison of Wal-Mart and Costco. Does either one have anything…
Premium McCoffee Roll Out Plan
It’s not Harry Met Sally, but McDonald’s wants what Dunkin’ Donuts, 7-Eleven and Starbucks are having — success with premium coffee sales. A report by USA Today says McDonald’s plans…
Retailers Come to Tsunami Victims’ Aid
The world has responded to the images of devastation and stories of personal loss from the tsunami in Asia that was felt as far away as Africa. Retailers in the…
Fat In The City
For the fourth year out of five, the home of the Astros, Rockets and Texans has garnered the ignominious honor of being named America’s fattest city by Men’s Health magazine…
What If There Were No Discounts?
Report after report following the Christmas holiday suggest retailers (excluding those who specialize in luxury goods) that came out with sales at or above plan did so because of deep…
Obesity Legislation More Dangerous Than Lawsuits
Forget tort reform. If a new report from Levick Strategic Communications is right, food manufacturers, retailers and restaurants, particularly those in Europe, needn’t worry so much about obesity-related lawsuits. What…
Are Big Retailers Being Smart About How They Expand Their Hispanic Marketing Strategies?
A recent article on AdAge.com highlights steps that large retailers like IKEA, Circuit City, Target, Home Depot and JC Penney are taking to adjust their Hispanic marketing programs, as well…
Patent Law Affects You…Really
The patent system in the United States has become a government-sanctioned source of legalized monopoly for the companies with the resources to exploit it. In their recent book Innovation and…
Grocers Just Want Shoppers to Have Fun
Kate Lowery, a spokesperson for Whole Foods, said her company wants to make shopping for groceries more enjoyable for customers. “Americans love to eat and they love to shop, so…
Former Federated CEO Indicted For Perjury
The Financial Times reports a grand jury in New York has accused James Zimmerman, the former chief executive of Federated Department Stores, of lying under oath for denying he tried…
Staples Pulls Ads From Sinclair Stations
The Sinclair Broadcast Group came under scrutiny during the recent presidential election when it announced plans to air a news program before the vote that many saw as a thinly…
