RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
BOGOs Come Under Scrutiny
The Beacon Journal in the Akron, Ohio area recently conducted a price comparison study that it says demonstrates items on sale as a buy-one, get-one had significantly lower single-unit prices…
Sears Cuts Prices to Capture Market Share
Sears said it planned to expand selection of low-end appliances and cut prices to help the chain capture sales currently being lost to Home Depot, Lowe’s and other retailers.
Moderator’s Comment:…
Accounting Tops Ahold’s Concerns
Those hoping that Ahold’s accounting scandals would end with US Foodservice and Disco appear as though they will be disappointed.
Moderator’s Comment: Should the retail grocery industry adopt a single standard…
Coke Looks to Swerve Past Competitors
Coca-Cola plans to launch Swerve, a skim milk-based drink in chocolate, vanilla/banana and blueberry flavors in July, according to The Associated Press.
Moderator’s Comment: What other beverage categories are most likely…
Big Revenues and Cheap Rent on the Web
Williams-Sonoma’s online division has had revenues grow 53 percent in the last year and the company plans to build on this effort by further integrating its stores, catalog and Internet…
Are Girls Smarter
The good news is that recent reports find “girls are graduating from high school and college and going into professions and businesses in record numbers.”
The bad news is boys…
Safeway Chief: It’s the Economy Stupid
Steve Burd, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Safeway, told attendees at the International Council of Shopping Centers convention in Las Vegas, the company’s performance was more about the…
Dirty Don’s Prices Beat Dollar Stores’
Dirty Don’s Bargain Center in Kansas City sells items salvaged from boxes that were broken due to accidents. It also sells manufacturer closeouts, irregular or flawed items and food near…
10 Questions for Success
The June 2003 issue of Fast Company article, “Is Your Company Up To Speed?”, asks what it calls “10 make-or-break questions” businesses need to answer positively if they wish to…
Macy’s Accused of Racial Profiling
According to the New York Times, lawyers for Sharon Simmons-Thomas of the Bronx claim Macy’s employees “handcuffed and detained her in a holding cell, and pressured her to make a…
Shaw’s Knows One Size Doesn’t Fit All
The supermarket chain, Shaw’s, is opening its first neighborhood store in Providence, RI. The new store concept was created to cater to the ethnic groups in a specific neighborhood. The…
Target to Shareholders: Don’t Ask, We Won’t Tell
Target’s annual shareholder’s meeting had been in progress less than thirty minutes when it was adjourned by chief executive officer, Robert Ulrich. The adjournment prevented shareholders from asking questions about…
Chapter 11 Possible for Penn Traffic
Penn Traffic, operator of more than 200 stores under the Big Bear, Big Bear Plus, Bi-Lo and Quality banners in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, upstate New York, Vermont and New…
US Bans Canadian Beef Imports
A confirmed case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease in Alberta, Canada has prompted the US to ban all imports of cattle, beef, animal feed and beef-based…
Tea Sales Are Hot
According to the Tea Council of the USA, dollar sales of tea grew from approximately $1 billion to $5.1 billion over the last decade. The health benefits of tea…
Working Late Into Life
A new Census Bureau report says 13.2 percent of Americans 65 or older are currently working or looking for work. An Associated Press report says many are working or looking…
Not Too Old to Pay for Rock and Roll
According to a poll by the Recording Industry Association of America, the biggest demographic group for buying music are those 45 years and older, representing 25.5 percent of music sales…
Shrink Grows
A survey from the National Supermarket Research Group (NSRG) has found shrink in supermarkets is growing, with overall inventory losses up three percent. Shrink currently stands at 2.32 percent of…
Irish to Require Health Warnings on Bottles
Ireland’s Prime Minister has announced legislation to be introduced to the Irish parliament (The Dail) requiring companies selling alcoholic beverages in the Republic to place health warnings on cans and…
A Mosque Grows in Suburbia
Just as those before them, Muslim immigrants who originally settled in US cities are moving to suburbia in search of the American dream. What does the movement of Muslim consumers…
Rude Rules
Nancy Friedman, an expert in customer-service training with clients such as Nordstrom and Wal-Mart, is planning a book that will focus “on the experiences of irate customers nationwide”. Ms. Friedman…
