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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Basha Warns of Economic Blitzkrieg
Eddie Basha, chief executive of the Bashas’ grocery chain claims Wal-Mart is carrying out what amounts to an economic blitzkrieg with practices that drive competitors out of business and forces…
McD’s: Improving Service Top Priority
An internal assessment by McDonald’s says the company has made improvements in customer service and cleanliness, but it still has a ways to go before it can begin feeling good…
Wal-Mart Willing To Raise Prices
A report on the Business Week Web site says Wal-Mart is being more flexible when it comes to suppliers raising prices on the cost of goods. Have you seen evidence,…
Home Depot Gets Recruiting Help From AARP
Home Depot and the AARP have agreed on a deal that will put the senior’s organization to work recruiting and training workers over 55 to work in the home improvement…
Whole Foods Makes It In NY, NY
Whole Foods Market has opened a store in Manhattan at Columbus Circle that is billed as “the ultimate grocery and lifestyle shopping experience.” Have grocery retailers rediscovered urban America? What…
Wal-Mart’s CIO Bangs The Drum For RFID
The chief information officer of Wal-Mart, Linda Dillman, believes that the benefits of radio frequency identification technology go beyond cost savings, as is frequently mentioned when the topic is being…
UFCW Arbitration Offer Rejected
The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) offered to immediately end its strike in Southern California yesterday and agree to binding arbitration with Albertsons, Kroger and Safeway in the…
Dunkin’ Donuts Wants To Be Consumers’ Only Choice
Dunkin’ Donuts chief executive, John Luther, told Reuters in a recent interview he wants everyone to drink his company’s coffee and he expects that will be the case in the…
Workers Expect Less In Retirement
A study by Towers Perrin, a personnel consulting firm, has found that employees are resigned to having employers cut their retirement benefits. What impact will the reduction in retirement benefits…
Witness Says Martha Covered Up Deal
A key witness for the prosecution in the securities fraud case against Martha Stewart testified she was involved in a cover-up to hide being tipped off to sell her shares…
The Heck With Growing Old Gracefully
Joan Bakewell, writing in The Guardian, said there’s an expression used in the UK to describe older women who try on younger women’s clothing. “Mutton dressed as lamb” is a…
UFCW To Rally on Wall Street
The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) has planned a rally for tomorrow on Wall Street to urge investors to rethink their investments in Albertsons, Kroger and Safeway, reports…
Kraft Wants To Reinvent How Coffee’s Made
Kraft Foods will launch an entirely new line of business when it introduces its low-pressure coffeemaker at the annual Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference Feb. 18, reports the…
RetailWire Turns Two and Takes Stock of Top 100
RetailWire went live for the very first time two years ago today. Which news topics and discussions on RetailWire do you find most interesting? Why?
Anti-spam Law Talks Tough, Accomplishes Little
Consumers hate getting junk mail, whether it comes delivered by a U.S. postal worker, or arrives in an e-mail box from a fictional acquaintance. What is the answer to the…
The Governator Wants Strike Terminated
California’s governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, thinks its time that the grocery chains and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) “go back to work and normalize the situation.” Does the…
Low-Carb-Mart Deal Announced
Blimpie International announced a deal for the company to lease space to operate more than 100 Blimpie Express restaurants in Wal-Mart stores. Is the Blimpie Express deal an indication Wal-Mart…
Walgreen’s vs. Mail Order
A piece in Crain’s Chicago Business says the growth of mail order prescription services could pose a threat to Walgreen’s corner store business model. How big will the impact of…
Safeway Delivers Good News
Bad news about the contentious labor situation in Southern California may be what first comes to mind for many when thinking about Safeway, but as an East Bay Business Times…
Bud Light Spot Uses Biting Humor
A Bud Light commercial was chosen as the winner of USA Today’s 16th annual Ad Meter ranking of spots run during the Super Bowl broadcast. What are your thoughts on…
Wal-Mart Analyzes Online Merchandising
Wal-Mart is trying to apply the same type of analytical thinking to merchandising online as it does in assessing the effectiveness of its tactics in physical stores. How adept are…
