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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Meijer thinks smaller (but not small) with its new grocery concept
Meijer is known as a pioneer of the supercenter concept. Now the retailer is thinking a bit smaller with a new store concept focused on grocery. How do you envision…
Things go from bad to worse at Bed Bath & Beyond
The death of Bed Bath & Beyond chief financial officer Gustavo Arnal last Friday has shocked the company and the retailing world. What do you do now if you are…
What should Starbucks’s new CEO’s priorities be?
Starbucks announced plans to hire retail and restaurant industry outsider Laxman Narasimhan as its next CEO, replacing three-time CEO, Howard Schultz, as the chain embarks on a “Reinvention.” What do…
Is Lululemon inflation proof?
Lululemon raised its outlook for the year after reporting second-quarter results that came in well above expectations. The stellar performance came despite concerns over promotions across the apparel space and…
Will Americans get started earlier or later this year on their Christmas shopping?
A recent study predicts that shoppers will be more likely to spread their dollars out earlier in the holiday season as ongoing concerns about inflation change spending habits. Will promotional activity…
Walmart takes a stake in a rancher-owned beef company
Walmart has agreed to acquire a minority stake in Sustainable Beef LLC, a rancher-owned company dedicated to producing top-quality Angus beef. Do you expect large grocers to make more direct…
Will Instacart’s new acquisition change pricing and promo strategies for retailers and CPGs?
Instacart will acquire Eversight, an AI-supported pricing and promotions platform for CPG brands and retailers. What impact will Eversight’s technology have on the pricing and promotional practices of retailers and…
Will Bed Bath & Beyond’s new turnaround plan work any better than the previous one?
Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday went public with the struggling retailer’s new plan to get its business on solid footing. What are the key challenges that Bed Bath & Beyond…
Peloton looks to get back in shape by selling on Amazon
Peloton, which seemingly overnight went from boom to bust, last week reached a deal to sell through Amazon.com’s U.S. website, marking its first wholesale selling relationship. Do you see more…
Will Sam’s Club customers be okay with paying a higher membership fee?
Sam’s Club is increasing the price of its annual membership options for the first time in nine years. The increase comes at a time when the chain’s sales have been…
Sephora learns an expensive lesson about customer data privacy in California
Sephora ran afoul of California’s new data privacy laws, and the beauty retailer is paying the price for it — a settlement of $1.2 million to the state. What impact…
What’s really behind Amazon’s decision to shutter Amazon Care?
Amazon last week said it would stop offering its Amazon Care in-person and virtual health service at the year’s close, signaling a major reset amid its pending purchase of a…
Will Nuuly’s rental and resale model drive profitable growth for Urban Outfitters?
Urban Outfitters, Inc. can’t wait for its Nuuly business to really take off. The retail clothing chain operator will soon go live with Nuuly Thrift, a peer-to-peer resale marketplace. How…
Nordstrom Rack bets on premium merchandise in the face of rising prices
Nordstrom Rack sales were up six percent in the second quarter. That’s the good news. The bad news is that sales at Nordstrom’s off-price chain started to go south towards…
Should grocers make a big deal out of freezing prices?
On Walmart’s second-quarter conference call, Doug McMillon, CEO, said the retailer’s merchants are focused on “holding prices down or rolling them back” across categories based on demand. Should retailers be…
Would organic grocery stores do better if coupled with conventional food stores?
In 2020, Schnucks opened EatWell, A Natural Food Store by Schnucks in Columbia, MO, with a focus on natural, organic, local and specialty products. Last week, the company opened a…
Should retail worry about the ‘quiet quitting’ trend?
A global trend dubbed “quiet quitting” has replaced “The Great Resignation” as the latest development among disgruntled workers arising from the pandemic. Has the quiet quitting movement been caused by…
Full-price clothing retailers me-too off-pricers with a packaway inventory strategy
Gap, Express and Kohl’s are among the retailers getting ready to employ packaway sales to reduce the markdown blow of last holiday’s late deliveries. Has packaway become a more standard…
Can Instacart transform from a transactional to an inspirational shopping platform?
Instacart has retained Grammy winner Lizzo as the face of its biggest brand campaign to date to introduce Carts, an in-app experience that will enable pop culture personalities, retailers and…
Transactional reward programs are easy, but do they build customer loyalty?
Another day, another retail loyalty program launch. Bath & Body Works earlier this week debuted its “new” rewards program, which was soft-launched in July after it began testing in March. Do…
Employees want Apple management to ‘think different’ about office work
Apple has ordered its employees back to the office, and many are not happy about it. Will companies with either full-time remote or hybrid work schedules have an advantage in…
