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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Super Values Reshape Wine Market
A survey of more than 300 drinkers of California Super Value Wine (Price points of $3 or less) found most are regular wine drinkers who are trading down from higher…
Sears Adds Computer Kiosk to HR Staff
Applicants looking for a sales job at Sears need to impress the kiosk before they can move on to an interview with a person, according to a report in the…
Ad Burns Smokeless Tobacco Company
US Smokeless Tobacco, manufacturer of Copenhagen and Skoal, has been accused of irresponsible behavior for sending free samples of its products to Marines stationed in Iraq. Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.,…
Kash n’ Karry Gets Broader Perspective
Delhaize America has named Shelley Broader as president and chief operating officer of its 137 store Kash n’ Karry chain in Florida. Ms. Broader moves to her new position from…
Wholesalers in Fighting Mood
It goes without saying that wholesalers and the independents they serve are under serious pressure from Wal-Mart, dollar stores, category killers, the struggling economy, etc. So it was a bit…
Wal-Mart Loses First Union Vote
Wal-Mart has been ordered by a National Labor Relations Board administrative law judge to recognize a meat-cutters union voted on by butchers at its Jacksonville store in 2000. The decision…
Employers Want Waistlines Downsized
Companies including Pepsico and General Mills have joined in a campaign to get overweight employees to shed some pounds, according to a report in The New York Times. The companies…
More Moms and Dads Staying Home
There were 13 percent more stay-at-home moms and 18 percent more Mr. Moms last year than a decade earlier says the Census Bureau. Do retailers need to develop separate marketing…
An Upside to Fleming’s Downside
Grocery wholesaler competitors such as Supervalu and Nash Finch have been the beneficiaries of Fleming’s bankruptcy problems, with added business and higher stock prices. According to the Star Tribune,…
Coke Says Marketing Test Was Rigged
Coca-Cola has admitted employees of its fountain unit faked a marketing test for Frozen Coke at Burger King locations in Richmond, Virginia. Brad Blum, chief executive officer, Burger King issued…
Wedding Gifts Groomed for Guys
According to The Chicago Tribune, the traditional American wedding shower is changing. “Tired of towels and sheets, china patterns and kitchenware, grooms have started to take a wrecking ball to…
Grocer Seeks to Transform Business in 37 Hours
Farmer Jack is closing its 105 stores in Michigan and Ohio for 37 hours in an attempt to “remake itself with lower prices and a focus on fresh food,” according…
Execs Ain’t Misbehavin’
Media coverage of scandals such as those involving US Foodservice, Tops Markets, Rite-Aid, Martha Stewart, etc. gives the impression that unethical behavior is a common and growing practice in corporate…
Shopping With A Conscience
The second annual survey of the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) conducted by The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) found nearly one-third of US consumers say their shopping behavior is…
Fossil, Microsoft Connect on Dick Tracy Watch
The Dallas Morning News reported last week Fossil, a designer and marketer of watches, is introducing a wristwatch targeted to men that not only tells time but will display news…
Marshall Field’s New Lease on Life and Business
The department store retailer, Marshall Field’s, is seeking to revitalize its business by leasing space within its stores to designers and other merchants. According to USA Today, the store plans…
Sears To Dress Store Employees
Sometime between now and September, Sears will begin requiring its store sales staff to wear solid black or white tops with black or tan pants, according to a report by…
The Tom Peters Experience
In a wide-ranging, energetic presentation at the recent IDDBA convention, management guru Tom Peters expressed his ideas on branding in an age of commodities. According to Mr. Peters, consumers have…
RFID to Start with Pallets
Wal-Mart’s chief information officer, Linda Dillman, said the retailer is focusing its initial radio frequency identification (RFID) technology efforts on pallets. Wal-Mart is looking to have 100 key vendors supporting…
Great Retailing Ideas Stopped at Border
In his May Warren’s Wanderings column in Private Label Buyer, Warren Thayer offers a theory that may explain why great retailing ideas from Canadian merchants such as Loblaw’s rarely seem…
Harry Potter Expectations Overblown
Although pre-orders of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” have topped a million on Amazon.com, signs are that this soon to be released J.K. Rowling installment may not…
