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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
BOPIS substitution processes need work
A new university study exploring BOPIS finds consumers are more likely to be satisfied with substitutions for out-of-stocks when the item is a staple, like ketchup or paper towels, rather…
Does Krispy Kreme fill a hole in McDonald’s menu?
McDonald’s is beginning a small test of the sale for a limited time of select Krispy Kreme doughnuts at nine restaurants in Louisville and the surrounding area. Does the collaboration…
Has tipping for takeout become a social norm?
According to a recent survey, 67.7 percent of Americans feel pressured to tip when picking up takeout food or coffee if the POS system prompts them to, and 44.8 percent…
Will Target own the Christmas season as it moves past its inventory glut?
Target CEO Brian Cornell is nothing but positive on the chain’s prospects for the 2022 holiday season. What do you think is behind Target’s continuing shopper traffic gains and do…
Does Lululemon need a teen strategy?
According to a new survey, the Lululemon reached the number two favorite apparel brand spot behind Nike, moving ahead of American Eagle Outfitters, Pacific Sunwear and Adidas. Should Lululemon adjust…
Uber Eats puts weed delivery on the menu
Adults in Toronto can now buy cannabis online and have it delivered to their homes by Uber Eats. It marks the first time that a major third-party delivery provider has…
Christmas 2022’s inventory looks a lot like 2021
With last year’s in-store Christmas shopping stifled, and supply chain disruptions preventing orders from hitting the shelves on time, retailers ended up sitting on a lot of seasonal inventory. They…
What would adding smell to virtual reality tech mean to retail?
Demonstrating the potential of adding smell to virtual reality, researchers led by Stockholm University recently created a “wine tasting game” in which the user smells wine in a virtual wine…
Is Circle K about to change the legal weed game in a big way?
Circle K has reached agreement to lease space within its convenience stores in Florida for the purpose of dispensing medical marijuana to patients in the state. Is Circle K’s move…
Big retailers say they need more tech to deliver better customer experiences
Technology is everywhere in retail today, but some big retailers say there is not enough, according to a new survey. Do you believe big retailers are still lagging in their…
Can Amazon afford to keep churning through its frontline workers?
Amazon.com knows it has an employee turnover problem, and internal documents acquired by Engadget put a price on what that costs the company — $8 billion a year. What will…
Will adult pajamas prove a good fit for The Children’s Place?
After finding success over the last several years selling holiday-themed family pajama sets for Halloween, Christmas and Easter, The Children’s Place has launched PJ Place, a sleepwear lifestyle brand. Are…
How can grocers prevail in inflationary times without winning on price?
Grocers not known for rock-bottom prices can minimize the damage in competing against low-price leaders — and potentially strengthen bonds with customers — by keeping price gaps tight while using…
Will Shein’s new resale platform mute its fast-fashion critics?
Fast-fashion giant Shein is the most downloaded retail app in the U.S. despite operating a business model that critics claim is helping to push the Earth towards environmental calamity. Will…
HomeGoods is booking showroom weekend getaways for $29.99 a night
HomeGoods last week introduced House of HomeGoods, offering customers a chance to book a weekend stay at a two-bedroom Hudson Valley, NY, home for $29.99 a night. What do you…
Are donation requests at the checkout worth the shopper anxiety they cause?
A new university study finds being asked to donate at cash registers heightens anxiety for shoppers, despite good intentions. Do you see donation requests at checkout as more of a…
Was Amazon’s Prime Early Access sale a bellwether event for the retail industry?
Amazon last week held its second Prime Day event of the year and, as it turned out, the sales promotion may not have been the kickoff to the holidays that…
CVS battles the ‘pink tax’
CVS is slashing prices on its menstrual products and working to eliminate sales tax on such items across states as part of a broader push against the “pink tax,” a…
Kroger and Albertsons are merging
Kroger and Albertsons have agreed on a deal that will combine the first and second largest supermarket operators in the U.S. The deal valued at $24.6 billion will see Kroger…
What’s holding back creativity in marketing?
The biggest impediment to creativity is not a lack of direction or failure to be bold enough, it’s a risk-averse culture, cited by 51 percent of marketers, according to new…
Are pop-ups ready to become a permanent fixture in retail?
The pop-up model has brought some retailers a lot of success in recent years, so much so that some retail experts see pop-ups as a standard component in the future…
