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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
The Whole Grain and Nothing But
General Mills announced yesterday it would begin producing its cereals with whole grains in response to the need for healthier eating alternatives. In a statement released by the company, Dr…
Lights, Camera, Action, Sales!
WB’s stars are wearing Kmart’s clothes, the Donald’s apprentices are trying to sell Vanilla Mint Crest and the family on NBC’s “American Dreams” will be found sitting down for a…
Childhood Obesity Called Crisis, Food Industry Responds
A report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies, Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance, says the health issue has reached crisis proportions and requires a…
Good News, Bad News Day For Kmart HQ Staffers
First: the good news for the survivors at Kmart’s headquarters. The company has decided to increase the amount it contributes to your 401K plan. Second: the bad news for those…
New Return Policy Has Consumer Group Concerned
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC), a consumer advocacy group in San Diego, Cal., is concerned about the number of complaints it has been receiving from consumers who say stores have…
Let the Debating Begin
Tonight at 9:00 p.m. EST., President George W. Bush and his opponent, Sen. John Kerry of Mass. will seek to make their best case for their candidacy in the first…
Renovation Means Revenues for Home Depot
Home Depot is riding high on a construction boom, reports the Chicago Sun-Times, spurred on, in part, by consumers’ “fascination with upgrading older housing.” How has the phenomena of urban…
May Puts Its Own in Charge of Field’s
Has May Department Stores decided not to let Marshall Field’s be Marshall Field’s after all? Yesterday, May announced that it had named two of its own to the positions…
Building Bridges to the Hispanic Community
When judging whether or not to go the extra mile to connect with your ethnic customers in your stores, consider that what you are doing is creating relationships. What do…
Health Insurance Eating Into Incomes
The average worker in the U.S. with private health insurance has seen the costs for premiums increase 35.9 percent between 2000 and 2004 while the size of their paycheck grew…
Starbucks Serves Up Steeper Prices
Beginning on Oct. 6, Starbucks’ customers can expect to pay an average of 11 cents more for their favorite coffee beverage. Will Starbucks price increase impact its business? At what…
Political Business
How far should chief executives of large companies go to support political candidates? Wal-Mart’s Lee Scott, Home Depot’s Robert Nardelli and eBay’s chief Meg Whitman all say they’re voting…
WSJ: Dockers Sale Done, Levi To Focus On Jeans
A report in the Wall Street Journal says Levi Strauss has agreed to sell its Dockers clothing brand to the Vestar Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and an apparel…
Department Stores Look For Growth Outside The Mall
After having watched for years as competitors from Kohl’s to Wal-Mart siphoned off previously mall-bound customers, the department store chains have embarked on expansion programs focused on standalone locations and…
Mining Gift Cards for Customer Insights
Eric Dash reports in Inc. magazine on several small and mid-sized retailers who have transformed gift card programs into loyalty programs. These new “stored-value” programs have several benefits. What is…
Wal-Mart Tries To “Set The Record Straight”
If Lee Scott were a singer in a rock and roll band, one of the songs on the set list would have to be The Animal’s hit, “Don’t Let Me…
Retailer Casts Vote for the Environment
Patagonia is a retailer that is passionate about the great outdoors. A report by Wired News says its “corporate mission is to protect planet Earth.” With so much riding on…
“Nordstrom Sells Service”
Robert Spector, author of The Nordstrom Way: The Inside Story of America’s #1 Customer Service Company, says the company isn’t in the retailing business. It’s in the customer service business…
H-E-B Realigns Workforce
H. E. Butt Grocery announced yesterday it was realigning its organization to add 300 customer service positions in stores while cutting about 100 administrative positions, primarily from its headquarters. What…
Field’s and May On Different Online Page
Marshall Field’s is going through transition pains as it moves its computer system from Target to its new parent, May Department Stores. The Chicago Sun-Times reports consumers are longer able…
Music Download Store to Open on eBay
PassAlong Networks, a music download service that includes the complete catalogs of Warner Music, BMG and Universal Music Group, plans to set up a storefront on eBay to gain exposure…
