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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Best Buy Joins RFID Party
One of the biggest “objections” voiced about the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is the cost of the tags to track product. But with more retailers getting on…
Consumers: Best Values Found Online
A study by the Millard Group said consumers find they get the best value for their purchases when they make them online. More than half, 53 percent, said that online…
Mexican Manufacturers Following Customers North
The August 16th issue of the Economist Magazine observes, when it comes to the growing Mexican-American market in the U.S., “for the most part, American businesses have been oddly slow…
‘The Passion’ Comes To Retail
The controversy is still there but so are the sales. Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ’ goes on sale in retail stores and online today with predictions the DVD…
Microsoft Wants To Take Bite Out of Apple’s Music Biz
Microsoft is hoping to leapfrog a competitor once again. The company, which has made a practice of entering markets such as personal computer operating systems and web browsers after others…
Rite Aid Chief Issues Call-To-Action
Mary Sammons, president and chief executive officer, Rite Aid, told attendees at the 2004 National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Pharmacy & Technology Conference in San Diego, CA, “this…
Steve Burd Unwavering on Cost-Cutting Stance
Millions of dollars lost in one strike/lockout and the potential for millions to be lost in future job actions doesn’t faze Safeway chairman and chief executive Steve Burd one bit…
0.4 Percent Change Means 1.3 Million More Living in Poverty
It’s common to hear announcers talk about the difference between success and failure in various sporting events as being a matter of inches. The same, it seems, can also be…
Do You Listen to Your Shoppers?
Staples and Office Depot are both deploying in-store kiosks. The major focus of these initiatives is to expand the selection of products available for sale to shoppers who visit a…
Starbucks’ Punished For Same-Store Sales Growth
The insanity that is Wall Street was on full display yesterday, although nary a white coat was to be seen, as Starbucks’s saw its share prices drop 6.5 percent on…
McD’s Chameleon Strategy
You’re going to have to start looking more closely to find a McDonald’s. No, the company isn’t reducing its restaurant count. It’s taking a new approach to how it builds…
Wal-Mart, Category Killers and Dodo Birds
Bill Virgin, columnist with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer points out that the history of the industry strictly adheres to the Darwinian model: evolve and survive, don’t and die. Not long ago…
Online Shoppers Search and Spend
DoubleClick’s Q2 2004 E-Commerce Site Trend Report says shoppers on e-tail sites are using the search function more often but they’re also abandoning carts in high numbers. Patti Freeman Evans,…
Home Depot Settles Complaints To Avoid Legal Costs
Home Depot has agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle complaints brought against the company by employees in its Colorado stores who accused it of discrimination based on gender, race…
Krispy Kreme Promotion Magnifies Generation Gap
The lines have been drawn. Kids support Krispy Kreme’s efforts to improve the academic performance of the nation’s youth (at least Palm Beach County, Fla.) and parents and educators are…
Still Making Sense: Timeless Ethnic Merchandising Best Practices, Part 3
In Hispanics’ view, how you offer your product assortment is as important as what products you offer. Offered in the third installment of this series are some merchandising and item…
Kids Holding Off On Buying New Clothes
Forget about being fashion-forward. This year’s group of high school students is taking a wait-and-see attitude about buying new clothes, preferring instead to see what everyone else is wearing before…
Study: Ignore Customers At Your Own Peril
A new research study conducted by Customer Relationship Metrics says companies are forgetting one very important component when attempting to improve their level of customer service — the customer. Too…
Execs Say IT Slows Growth
A new study of senior executives at large corporations found 60 percent believe their company’s information technology focus and performance is inhibiting their ability to grow. According to Bain &…
Consumers Satisfied, Just Not Spending
Consumers are generally very pleased with the quality of products they buy but they’re still not spending. That is the takeaway from the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index compiled by…
Sears Seeks New Image With New Format, New Hires
Sears’ management is counting on the new Grand store format generating enough interest to get people to come back to Sears at least once to check it out. If that…
