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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Were Crazy Eddie’s commercials pure genius or insanely awful?
A new best-selling book, “Retail Gangster: The Insane, Real-Life Story of Crazy Eddie” is bringing back nostalgia for the long-gone electronics chain’s abrasive yet memorable commercials. Are Crazy Eddie’s television…
Will upgraded virtual try-on tech get more Walmart shoppers to say yes to the dress?
Walmart says it is leveling up its virtual try-on technology in an effort to put its customers in clothing that fits their bodies right off the rack. Will Walmart’s upgraded…
Will on-the-job training become a new norm in CEO succession planning?
Lands’ End earlier this week said it had concluded its search for a new CEO with the hiring of American Eagle Outfitters president, international, Andrew McLean, who won’t take over…
Will climate change make supply chain disasters the new normal?
Forty-four percent of chief supply chain officers say they have a general sense of potential climate change risks based on previous events, but they have not methodically identified or quantified…
Walmart and other retailers are canceling billions of dollars in orders
Walmart, Target, Macy’s and Kohl’s are among retailers that have recently said they are canceling some orders to better balance inventory levels, a replay of a strategy used at the…
Should Target expect something big from its FAO Schwarz toy deal?
Target is hoping for big things from its newly announced multiyear agreement with FAO Schwarz that will give the chain exclusive rights to sell the toy brand’s products within dedicated…
Will Temu have Shein-like success as it goes online in the U.S.?
Temu has officially launched its website in the U.S. The Chinese e-commerce marketplace features a wide variety of inexpensive products in many categories. What do you see as Temu’s major challenges as…
Should store associates handle customer service chats?
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Bonobos enabled associates to handle customer chats beginning as a pilot in 2019 on an employee’s suggestion and they now do…
Shoplifters force Wegmans to pull the plug on its self-scanning app
Wegmans is ending the use of its SCAN app, saying that it could no longer afford the losses associated with the app as shoplifters exploited the technology. Is Wegmans’ experience…
Is traditional advertising on the cusp of a comeback?
The 28th Edition of The CMO Survey found marketing budgets for traditional advertising increasing for the first time in a decade, although well below the expected growth rates for digital…
Kroger simplifies its budget private labels
Kroger has updated its opening price point strategy in private label, winnowing 17 brands down to two: Heritage Farm for fresh and dairy product lines and a new brand, Smart…
Is now the right or wrong time for retailers to invest big in their businesses?
Many retailers saw dollar sales slow and profit margins drop over the first six months of the year and some have responded to this situation by cutting back on capital…
Do retailers face too many conflicts as they move into logistics services?
Gap and American Eagle Outfitters have joined Amazon, Walmart and Target in peddling logistics services to third-party retailers. But there are concerns over their ability to recruit prospective customers due…
Target ditched its mandatory retirement age to keep Brian Cornell in charge
Target will apparently need CEO Brian Cornell when he’s 64, and beyond. All it took was for the company to scrap its mandatory retirement age of 65 so the CEO,…
Should Ulta be merging premium and mass beauty products in its stores?
Ulta Beauty plans to combine in-store displays of mass and prestige skincare and makeup brands for the first time in a new store layout. Do you see a greater upside…
Is ‘shrinkflation’ a better option than charging higher prices at retail?
A recent Morning Consult survey concludes that only 25 percent of U.S. adults have failed to notice “shrinkflation” in any grocery categories, and many that have are seeking alternatives. How…
Why is Lowe’s moving its marketing ops under its merchandising veep?
Lowe’s said on Tuesday that it was doing away with the CMO role and that its marketing team would now report to Bill Boltz, executive vice president of merchandising. Does…
Will robots nail in-store manicures at Target?
Shoppers at some Target locations can now get a 10-minute manicure from a robot. The service has been getting a boost in popularity, thanks to videos posted on TikTok. Do…
Dove and Wendy’s battle ageism
Dove and Wendy’s in Canada have both launched campaigns against ageism in support of a beloved Canadian news anchor who was relieved of her duties, allegedly for letting her hair…
Will making house calls redefine CVS and Walgreens’ relationships with their customers?
CVS on Monday said it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Signify Health in an all-cash deal valued at around $8 billion. Do you see the move into…
How does smartphone shopping differ from laptop shopping?
A new university study finds that the intimate nature of a smartphone causes consumers to reflect inward, elevating their preference for unique and self-expressive options while shopping, versus when buying…
