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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Target’s Department Store Sale
Target Corp. announced yesterday it has hired Goldman Sachs to help it explore the possible sale of its Marshall Field’s and Mervyn’s department store divisions. What are your thoughts on…
Supers Can Do Better
A recent study conducted on behalf of the National Grocer’s Association — by Phil Lempert — the “Supermarket Guru,” Today Show food editor and RetailWire BrainTrust panelist — found there…
Pepsi Seeks Edge With Low-Carb Cola
Pepsico announced it will rollout a new Pepsi beverage with half the sugar, carbohydrates and calories of its flagship product. Will Pepsi grow its share of market with the introduction…
Oldham Targets La-Z-Boy Market
The designer of high-fashion apparel and cheap chic houseware, Todd Oldham, is branching out into the furniture business. What will Todd Oldham do for the La-Z-Boy name and vice versa?…
Who Will Be The Next Martha?
Now that Martha Stewart has seemingly been laid low by her conviction for violations of federal securities law, others are hoping they can take her spot in the hearts and…
Ruby Tuesday Says Goodbye To Old Menus
The fast-casual restaurant chain, Ruby Tuesday, announced it will begin printing nutritional information for all its meals on its menu in an attempt to appeal to more health-conscious consumers. What…
Kash n’ Karry Reinvents Itself
Kash n’ Karry has announced plans to blow itself up and start from square one. revamping all its stores in a new fresh-food focused format under the banner of Sweetbay…
Coffee Sales Perking Along
Senior citizens are drinking more coffee away from home while 18 to 24-year olds are staying home to get their jolt of java. These are just two of the consumer…
McD’s Plans To Keep Big M Going
McDonald’s is riding the wave of the Big M (momentum) from its latest financial report and it is looking to build on that with store remodels, new menu additions and…
Personal Care Line Targets Tween and Teen Boys
A new company founded by a group of former Procter & Gamble execs has created a new line of personal care products targeted to boys between the ages of nine…
Hispanics Challenging Assumptions
A piece in Business Week, Hispanic Nation, details the growing size and influence of those describing themselves as Hispanic and says, as a group, they are challenging many of the…
Fallout Begins With Stewart’s Guilty Verdict
Martha Stewart’s conviction on conspiracy, obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements about her sale of ImClone stock may land her in jail. It has already hit…
Retailers Try To Plug Leaks, Limit Liability
According to a Washington Post report, some companies have concluded they simply cannot guarantee their system’s security or consumers’ personal information. Some have begun requiring customers to waive their right…
The Talent Search
The recent agreement between the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) and the big three supermarket chains, Albertsons, Kroger and Safeway, is being hailed by supporters of the companies…
Wal-Mart Tries To Fit In
With all the dust being kicked up about Wal-Mart seeking to build stores in some communities, you might think the retail giant was simply running roughshod over local concerns and…
Managing Consumer Demand: Art Becoming Science
As a veteran of the days of the “pile it high” school of merchandising, it’s sometimes hard to realize that retailing is fast becoming more of a science than art,…
Target Thinks Smart Move Is To Dump Cards
Target has decided to phase out its Target Visa smart cards because of lack of interest (use) by consumers. What are your thoughts on Target’s plan to dump its smart…
Office Depot Expands and Some Ask Why
Brian Postol, an analyst with A.G. Edwards & Sons, can’t figure out why Office Depot would be looking to add stores after years of seeing same-store sales decline. What are…
Marketechnics: Figuring Out Next Steps
Attendees to the Food Marketing Institute’s Marketechnics Conference were treated to a good working meeting in San Francisco this week. Is there a trend in the retail technology business toward…
McD’s To Super-Size No More
Soon, customers at McDonald’s won’t have the option to super-size their orders. That’s because the chain announced it will stop selling the extra-large portions in its U.S. restaurants by…
Target Tests Dollar Section
It is one thing to be chic at cheap prices, but can Target still maintain its brand aura if it starts selling goods for a dollar? It is going to…
