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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Will locals choose Brooklyn over Bezos?
With a tagline “Shop Brooklyn, Not Bezos,” Cinch Market is a newer online marketplace aggregating the inventory of local Brooklyn businesses to support same-day delivery. What do you see as…
Lululemon is ready to tackle holiday crowd control
Lululemon plans to use a mix of pop-ups, queuing technology and online assistance to manage Christmas holiday crowds. What steps being employed by Lululemon to prepare for holiday crowds will…
How can grocers help ease home cooking fatigue?
Forty percent of consumers consider “planning different meals every day” among the biggest challenges they face when meal planning, according to a new study. What steps can grocers take to…
How big is the staycationer opportunity?
Staycations — basically, vacations nearby where you live — have become a global trend in 2020 due to social distancing concerns and travel bans in response to the coronavirus pandemic. …
Will Big Lots continue to stand out after the pandemic?
Big Lots has experienced a stock surge of 60 percent this year and seen record sales growth in its most recent quarter, according to CNN. Is Big Lots’ success merely…
Target touts diversity gains, pledges to hire more Black employees
2020 has been great for Target from a sales standpoint. It has not, however, been a banner year for the retailer’s Minneapolis hometown. What will Target’s commitment to the hiring,…
J.C. Penney rescued. Will it now find success and save the mall, too?
J.C. Penney announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with two of its landlords on a near eleventh-hour deal. Do you think J.C. Penney will be in a…
Walmart pilots its way into the drone delivery race
Walmart has launched a drone pilot program to test on-demand delivery in North Carolina, the state where the Wright brothers first took flight with their powered aircraft in 1903. …
How can indie retailers build lasting brand equity?
One of the best ways to describe a brand was coined by Adrienne Weiss, CEO of Adrienne Weiss Corp: “A brand is a country, complete with its own language, rituals,…
Which COVID-19 consumer habits will stick?
Some consumers don’t expect many of the new habits they’ve picked up while adjusting to COVID-19 to continue after the crisis has eased, according to new data. How should retailers…
Is it okay for retailers to ease up on cleaning their stores?
Retailers have worked hard to institute cleaning procedures to make shoppers feel safe during the pandemic, yet It’s clear that many retailers have cut back on the number of hours…
Grocer creates a store-within-a-store for CBD products
Cannabis has experienced medical and/or recreational legalization at the state level throughout much of the U.S., the non- or minimally-psychoactive cannabis-derived compound CBD has had a related boom. Does giving…
Has COVID-19 revealed pickup’s pain points?
Asked about their experiences with curbside pickup since COVID-19, 55 percent of consumers chose the description “fast & easy” in a survey, 35 percent said “a little rocky” and 10…
Will Santa be bringing as many toys this holiday?
Walmart introduced an online focus group of kids to rate toys, rolled out an interactive tool that lets kids and parents try out toys virtually and came up with a…
Learn about AI success from execs who are getting it right
A characteristic of companies achieving the most value from investments in artificial intelligence are executives able to articulate the role of AI in their business. How would you prioritize developing…
Will cities, and the retailers in them, bounce back?
Fleeing residents, empty offices and tourists made scarce by the pandemic are causing wide ranging debates on how steep a recovery cities are facing. How serious a threat is COVID-19…
How can automation help omnichannel fulfillment?
According to 32 percent of U.S. retailers, the top priority around store fulfillment over the next twelve months will be implementing automation, as per a new survey. Can automation solve…
COVID-19, Christmas and working conditions are stressing retail workers out
Some retailers may have eliminated hazard pay, but the threat of COVID-19 is far from over and frontline workers are feeling the pressure. Do you agree that demands related to…
Is Whole Foods’ e-grocery business headed down a dark path?
Amazon.com could be entering a new phase of its e-grocery business as it opens its first dark store dedicated to Whole Foods’ e-grocery fulfillment. What should it signal to retailers that…
Target looks to expand the reach of its $1B+ Good & Gather grocery brand
It’s probably safe to say that the Target-owned Good & Gather grocery brand has lived up to expectations. Target is looking to build on the momentum by adding another 600…
Will Bloomingdale’s grab hold of the luxury products market?
Timing, as the saying goes, is everything, and Jeff Gennette, CEO of Macy’s, Inc., thinks that there has never been a better time for Bloomingdale’s to shine. Do you agree…
