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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Home Depot to Let Customers Do It Themselves
Home Depot has taken a step in addressing its information technology and customer service issues with the announcement that they will be adding self-service checkouts from NCR in 800 of…
Kraft Tells Grocers Half Now, Half Later
Kraft Foods announced a change in its slotting allowance payment program in which they “will offer half the payment when the retailer accepts its product and the other half only…
Trader Joe’s Goes to the Mall
The Philadelphia Business Journal reports that by the end of 2003, Trader Joe’s will become the sole tenant of a new building being constructed at the Suburban Square Mall in…
Wanted: Execs to Stock Shelves and Run Register
A weak job market is benefiting retailers as highly qualified professionals laid off from other fields and nearing the end of jobless benefits seek store-level employment. What’s your assessment of…
Retailers Give Thanks for Black Friday Weekend
Sales for the two days following Thanksgiving were up 10.9 percent from the same days last year and there was a 40 increase in online sales (excluding travel) from Black…
Spiders Sour the Grapes
A bizarre report out of England from the BBC says that three shoppers that bought grapes from Tesco found black widow spiders in the bunch when they brought them home…
That’s How the Krispy Kreme Krumbles
An article on the Multex Investor web site, says that Krispy Kreme’s decision to sell its doughnuts in other outlets will hurt its ability to expand its own store network…
CEO Superstar
In a Women’s Wear Daily Business Review article, Dan Burrows writes that many companies are looking for bigger than life personalities to help lead them through the turbulent economic conditions…
Reaching Latinos Means More than Speaking Spanish
Effectively connecting with Hispanic consumers requires more than simply translating ads and commercials written in English into Spanish, say experts in the field. For many, MasterCard is a proper example…
Focus on Food Not Price
Last week’s announcement that Burger King was lowering prices on additional menu items to compete with McDonald’s dollar offerings had absolutely no effect on Wendy’s, the country’s number three burger…
Crate & Barrel Makes Shopping Fun
There’s a good reason that housewares retailer Crate & Barrel continues to rack up annual double digit sales increases nearly 40 years after it opened its first store. Consumers love…
Mail-Order the Right Rx for Many Consumers
Reuters Health reports that consumers are increasingly turning to mail-order pharmacies for convenience and to save money on prescriptions. According to NDCHealth, a healthcare information service company, mail-order generated 15.7%…
Baby Boomers Going Bust
A new study from the AARP says that many baby boomers are concerned about their ability to finance their way through the golden years ahead. Are the concerns of Baby…
Coca-Cola Looks to Energize KMX Sales Online
Coca-Cola is taking is taking its fight for share of the energy drink market with Red Bull directly to consumers by selling 12- and 24-packs of its KMX energy drink…
Coke’s Fountain Business to Run Hot and Cold
Coca-Cola is the leading supplier of cold fountain beverages and, if the rumors are true, will soon begin working its way to holding that designation in coffee and other hot…
Free Gas Speeds Trip to Customers’ Wallets
Grocery chains such as Kroger and Safeway are just two operators that are using the Fuel Rewards’ customer loyalty program. Fuel Rewards provides consumers with free gas coupons with the…
Wall Street Wants Eckerd to Get Healthier
Despite a third-quarter that produced $89 million in profits, with profits per share up to 30 cents from the previous year’s 13 cents, many on Wall Street are nervous about…
To Heck With Conventional Wisdom
Now is no time to be sticking with conventional wisdom if you want to succeed in business, argues Gary Hamel, founding director and chairman, Strategos. Is Mr. Hamel correct about…
Wal-Mart Stunned By Sales Price Disclosure
Bargain hunters are finding great deals on holiday gifts with comparison shopping web sites such as FatWallet.com and DealofDay.com. That is precisely the problem, according to retailers such as Wal-Mart,…
How Hy Will Capital Expenditures Go
Hy-Vee plans to significantly raise its spending on capital expenditures next year — $190 million up from current levels of approximately $140 – $150 million. The spending boost is the…
Private Label Wines Make an Entrance
As seen at this week’s Private Label Trade Show in Chicago, private label wines are emerging as one of the next growth categories for the segment. Wal-Mart, Kroger and Albertson’s…
