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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Everyone Buys Online
According to Chris Kelley of Forrester Research, “If you look at people who buy online, how long they have purchased online, e-commerce has gone mainstream.” Will having an online sales…
Senior Service Clerk Gets It Done
Norman Kagan is a 78-year old associate at a Winn-Dixie in Florida and his presence on the job is making a difference for customers and store management. What must retailers…
Food Lion’s Training Creates Diverse Management Opportunities
Food Lion has developed a management training program for new graduates of African American colleges in partnership with the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Are racism and/or other discriminatory behaviors…
Dominick’s Downsizes
Dominick’s gave 500 employees pink slips last Thursday, just a few weeks after they came to a temporary agreement to avoid a strike action with the United Food and Commercial…
The Locally Grown Foods Drive
A growing number of people are willing to go great lengths to find “pure, high-quality, locally grown food”, says The Boston Globe. Are traditional grocers and large-scale manufacturers moving quickly…
Amazon Seeks to Become Earth’s Biggest Store
Amazon has grown from a bookstore to selling everything from apparel to Segway scooters. Although Amazon has only one quarter of profitability on its side of the ledger, many are…
Reinventing Retail x 5
In a current Fast Company article, Bill Breen profiles five companies: Wal-Mart, The Container Store, ESPN, Amoeba Music and Take Good Care that he says are “reinventing retail”. What…
You Really Are What You Eat
The results of a new study from a couple of Colorado researchers claims that food can be “more powerful than drugs”, says the Rocky Mountain News. Ms. Demmig-Adams and her…
Embarrassed Customer Sues Wal-Mart
Tamie Dragone claims to having been detained and interrogated by police after dropping family snapshots off at the local Wal-Mart’s one-hour processing center. She is suing Wal-Mart for more than…
Retailers Looking to 2003
Department store retailers such as Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, J.C. Penney and others are busy analyzing holiday sales results to help in their planning for spring and next Christmas. What type…
Roundy’s Rounds Up Seven More Stores
Roundy’s has agreed to buy seven Pick ‘n Save supermarkets and a bakery from Prescott’s Supermarkets Inc. Where does Roundy’s go from here?
Coke Names New President
Coca-Cola has announced that its Board of Directors has elected Steven J. Heyer to be the company’s president and chief operating officer. Mr. Heyer was president and chief operating officer,…
Making Ronald Right
Bruce Horovitz has some advice for James Cantalupo, the next chief executive of McDonald’s in a USA Today article, “Ten things McDonald’s must do to get its house in order”…
Trade Relations: Who’s Got the Power
In an essay on Reveries.com, Chris Hoyt takes issue with the perception that retailers are the party calling all the shots in trade relations with CPG manufacturers. Who holds the…
Sierra Club Calls For End to Routine Antibiotic Use
Two new research studies have brought renewed calls for an end to the routine use of antibiotics in livestock. One of the study’s authors reported that approximately 62 percent of…
Columnist: Forget Kwanzaa, Go With Black Santas
Tannette Johnson-Elie, columnist with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, writes that retailers trying to connect with African-American consumers would be better served running ads “featuring a black Santa” rather “than one highlighting…
MayoClinic.com Juiced Over Promotional Deal
Beginning in January, consumers will find Healthy Living Tips from the Mayo Clinic’s web site on cartons of Minute Maid juices in the cold case. How do retailers benefit from…
Consumers Stay Home and Shop
The late autumn storms that brought retail store sales to a near standstill last week did not dim the shopping spirit of consumers who went online to spend $2 billion…
FMI Bags Leadership Forum
The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) will no longer be holding its IT Leadership Forum Conference, says the Executive Technology web site. What is your view on the current state of…
AMA Wants Beer and Wine Commercials Pulled
Reuters Heath reports that The American Medical Association (AMA) wants beer and wine commercials banned from prime-time television. Should there be tighter restrictions (or possibly a ban) on advertising…
2002 – A Good Year for Charles Shaw and Trader Joe’s
One of the hottest selling and highly regarded wines is also one of the least expensive. Consumers are flocking to Trader Joe’s stores in California and elsewhere to stock up…
