RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Lampert vs. Lacy
A report in the Chicago Sun-Times says the retailer’s largest shareholder, Edward Lampert, who also happens to be the chairman at Kmart, is at odds with Sears’ chief executive Alan…
President _____ To Face Jobs Challenge
No matter who wins the election tomorrow, the next President of the United States may find that structural changes in the economy and the realities of the federal budget make…
Delivering Low Value Marketing Messages is No Way to Demonstrate Loyalty to Your Shoppers
“We can be more precise and more relevant, but all we’re doing with these technologies is using them to overwhelm people with things they don’t want. Marketers are in the…
Sears Settles Case with Federal Safety Officials
Sears has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle allegations by federal safety officials that it failed to report known defects on its Craftsman riding lawnmowers. The Consumer Product Safety Commission…
Indy Auto Parts Shops File Antitrust Suit
A CBS MarketWatch report says 160 independent auto parts shop owners have filed an antitrust lawsuit against large retailers such as AutoZone, Advanced Auto, Wal-Mart and manufacturers including Ford alleging…
Families Sue Over Dollar General Employees’ Deaths
The families of two former Dollar General store clerks murdered by a co-worker are suing the chain for failing to adequately screen the employee before hiring him. Does Dollar General…
J.C. Penney’s New Chief a Surprise to Some
The person thought to be the favorite to succeed Allen Questrom as the chief executive at J.C. Penney, Vanessa Castagna, isn’t talking about the retailer’s decision to go outside the…
Retailers, Restaurants Fight Fla. Minimum Wage Measure
A group called The Coalition to Save Florida Jobs, primarily funded by restaurants and supermarkets, is running an aggressive campaign to try and beat back a ballot initiative that would…
Currying Favor with Indian Americans
An article by Joseph Berger that appeared in the New York Times this week about the Indian caste system raised a lot of American eyebrows, but not because the caste…
Report: Pathmark Puts Out For Sale Sign
A report in The Star-Ledger newspaper says Carteret, NJ-based Pathmark has hired the investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein to find a buyer for the 142 store chain. What is the…
Wal-Mart Spends to Influence California Voters and Pols
An Associated Press article points out that Wal-Mart “once had a tradition of trying to stay out of politics.” Based on its current practices, the operative words here would have…
Web Services: Online Dating for Business Aps
Web Services is a hot topic among computer application designers. The term refers to a set of standards that have been established to enable computer applications to interact with each…
Dollar General’s Consumers Are Hurting
Dollar General chief executive officer David Perdue told attendees at Johnson Rice & Company’s Fourth Annual Consumer Conference held in New Orleans yesterday that the retailer’s core low-income customer is…
Stores Going Up Faster, Being Built Smaller
In a preview of its Facts About Store Development 2004 research, the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) reports that grocers are building smaller stores and putting them up faster than ever…
Debtor Nation
In public remarks, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, hasn’t voiced deep concerns about the debt burden taken on by American consumers. The same may not be said…
H-E-B Tries On Plus Size
Even H.E. Butt is not immune to Wal-Mart’s incursion into the food business. While the world’s largest retailer and its Supercenter format has gobbled up dollar share from supermarkets in…
Noddle Makes the Right Moves
Welcome to Mr. Anderson’s retail neighborhood. The lesson for today, children, is don’t bet against Supervalu’s chief executive officer Jeff Noddle. As a piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune points…
Loyalty Lets You Run with the Elephants
Saucony is a $136 million running-shoe company. While small compared to Nike and Adidas, it looms large in its ability to “create a little charisma and ask for loyalty,” according…
Hallmark Sues Dollar General
Hallmark Cards has filed a lawsuit against Dollar General alleging the dollar store chain is selling knock-offs of nine styles of gift bags the company has copyrights on. How big…
Penn Traffic Exploring Compelling Proposals
Penn Traffic postponed its hearing yesterday to approve the disclosure statement for its reorganization plan under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection because the company said it had received “multiple compelling proposals…
Is Sears’ Lacy The Next To Go?
Chief executive Alan Lacy has helped Mr. Lampert reap a solid return on his other retail investment, Kmart, by paying millions for its stores, but Sears’ continuing poor performance and…
