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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Has text messaging become retail’s go-to communication tool?
Thirty-four percent of businesses adopted the use of texting because of the pandemic and 77 percent indicate they’ll continue post-COVID, according to a new study. How would you rate the…
Amazon acquires Shopify rival
Amazon.com reached a deal last month to acquire Selz, an online platform provider that helps small and medium size businesses create and operate online sites. In what ways do you…
Digital gains are changing how Best Buy puts its associates to work
Best Buy last week laid off some in-store workers and told others their weekly hours would be reduced as digital increasingly drives the chain’s sales growth, according to The Wall Street…
Will Nordstrom celebrate or regret its decision to give brands a lot more control?
Nordstrom is giving more control and responsibility to some of the brands on its shelves through a concessions-based selling model. Do concession relationships make sense for Nordstrom and other retailers…
Walmart discovers a unique craft beer on Instagram. Will this become a thing?
Retailers like to tell their customers the lengths they go to to find unique products to sell. In Walmart’s case, the chain’s merchants rely on a variety of resources when they…
Are huge marketplace seller aggregators a good thing for Amazon and retail?
A number of aggregators have arrived in recent years with a goal of acquiring third-party Amazon sellers and taking them to their next level of growth. Recently, many have secured…
Is the toy category’s pandemic sales boon coming to an end?
U.S. retail sales of toys climbed 16 percent in 2020, according to NPD Group, as parents indulged their kids during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The same research organization, however, sees…
Poshmark’s secondhand sales platform goes to the dogs
Poshmark, the resale platform, last week launched a pet category as it continues to branch out beyond its roots in women’s fashions. Does the pet category offer potential for resale…
Should retailers ask workers to return to their offices?
LVMH is instructing Tiffany’s corporate staff to return to offices two days a week beginning at the start of March. Do you see most corporate workers returning to offices as…
Whole Foods gets a lot right and wrong
It’s been more than three and a half years since Amazon.com’s acquired Whole Foods. While many of the worst predicted fears have not come to pass, some of the expected…
Will IKEA’s new furniture line be a winner with video gamers?
As home PC gaming has grown more technologically demanding, immersive and, in some cases, lucrative for those who compete seriously, the latest developments aimed at gamers finds brands looking not…
Will Men’s Wearhouse’s new digitally-equipped next-gen stores be a must shop?
Men’s Wearhouse recently introduced its first two next-gen store locations that feature a more streamlined layout and host of digital elements. Does Men’s Wearhouse’s next-gen store appear to successfully reinvent…
Should Aldi’s growing store count and digital progress keep rivals up at night?
Aldi has been growing its store count, supply chain infrastructure and digital capability in recent years and continues to do so, having announced plans to open another 100 stores in…
Starbucks’ meatless store pilot ran in stealth mode
Vegetarians and vegans in the Seattle area who wanted to experience a version of Starbucks where all the food was suited to their dietary preferences had a chance to do…
Clothing retailers are trying to cut their way to higher profits
Cut, cut, cut. Retailers are looking to cut their way to higher profits. Do you see retailers, particularly in categories like clothing, significantly cutting orders for the balance of 2021…
Does Walgreens’ nursing home experience portend a slow retail recovery?
Nursing home residents and staff have been among the hardest hit populations since the pandemic broke out in 2020. Yet 60 percent of those working in nursing homes and 20…
Will big food brands turn to home-delivered meals to drive future growth?
Nestle’s purchase of Freshly, the U.S. leader in fully-cooked meal delivery, taps into the stay-at-home dynamics of the pandemic. But will the $950-million purchase last October prove to be the…
Will retail pharmacies be the cure for America’s ‘vaccine deserts’?
Communities that have long had trouble attracting grocers that sell fresh and nutritious foods may find they have pulled the short straw when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations, as well. …
No sweat. Target’s activewear brand’s sales move past $1B
Until recently, Target claimed to have nine $1 billion own brands under its roof. That number has risen to 10 as Target announced that its All in Motion activewear brand…
Will pandemic-fatigued couples love Lowe’s and Whole Foods’ Valentine’s promos?
Lowe’s, Whole Foods and Dunkin’ are bringing some innovative approaches to driving in-store and online engagement for Valentine’s Day, despite the ongoing pandemic. Which of the Valentine’s Day campaigns cited…
Who won this year’s Super Bowl ad contest?
There was a lot that was different about this year’s Super Bowl ads. What didn’t change was that there were winners and losers among the commercial spots. Which commercials from…
