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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
How Can Retailers Best Attract a Growing Cohort of Value-Seeking Consumers, Beyond Price?
The percentage of U.S. consumers identified as value-seekers has been increasing as of late. What can retailers do, beyond providing enticing pricing, to attract these shoppers?
Will Costco’s New Hours for Executive Members Drive Growth or Create Headaches?
Costco is enacting new hours exclusively for executive members. Will this strategy increase sales and drive profit through increased executive memberships?
Do ALDI’s Private Labels Cross the Copycat Line?
Mondelēz filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against ALDI, alleging the packaging for ALDI’s store-brand cookies and crackers “blatantly copies” Mondelēz snack products. When does similar packaging become unfair competition?
Will Claire’s Find an Interested Buyer Despite Tariffs and Competitors?
Claire’s is allegedly considering a sale of its assets and brand. Will it find an interested buyer?
Can Hybrid Environments Work Better Than In-Office?
While the debate over return-to-office (RTO) mandates rages, hybrid work environments are still seen as a potential solution. What are the obvious and less obvious shortcomings of hybrid work environments?
Is Brand Loyalty Becoming a Thing of the Past in Grocery?
A new study suggests that brand loyalty in grocery could be fading. What can national brands do to retain market share?
Can In-Store Returns Get Less Clunky?
A new survey finds retailers still struggling with the extra costs and new workloads created by processing in-store returns while barely benefiting from returnees making an add-on purchase. What do…
Will Target’s Planned Factory-Direct Shipping Model Improve Sales?
Perhaps eying the massive success enjoyed by Chinese e-commerce giants such as SHEIN and Temu, Target is allegedly testing the waters surrounding the launch of its own direct-shipping model. Would…
Why Is Amazon Expediting Delivery to Rural Markets?
Amazon plans to expand its same-day and next-day Prime delivery service to over 4,000 smaller cities and rural regions in the U.S. by the end of 2025. How should Walmart…
Will 2025 Back-to-School Shopping Spend Actually Top Last Year’s Results?
The back-to-school season has been pushed forward to capture greater spend in the face of inflationary pressure and tariffs. Will 2025 outperform 2024 or flatten further?
Why Is Amazon’s CEO Warning of AI-Driven Job Losses?
Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, last week joined a number of other high-profile U.S. CEOs cautioning that AI would lead to job cuts. Is it the right approach?
Will Netflix House Display Staying Power in Experiential Retail?
Netflix is turning at least some of its attention away from curating the world’s largest streaming service in order to capitalize on the very same properties, this time in a…
Should Victoria’s Secret’s Board Be Replaced?
Victoria’s Secret is being targeted by two activist investors seeking to overhaul the retailer’s board. Would it benefit from a board shake-up?
Are Retail Consumers Tired of Being ‘Bombarded’ With Deals?
Gap’s CEO, and preceding research, indicates that deal fatigue may be setting in. How can retailers maintain marketing efforts without driving away their customers?
Will Tariffs Reignite Food Inflation?
Many consumers believe tariffs are playing the primary role in driving food inflation, with many expecting they’ll only drive prices higher later in the year. How should grocers respond to…
With One Product Sold Every Second, Is TikTok Shop Redefining the Future of Beauty and Retail?
TikTok Shop is now the UK’s fourth-largest beauty retailer, with one product sold every second. How do you think platforms like TikTok Shop will change the way we discover and…
Is Goodwill Poised To Continue ‘Winning’ in a Shaky Market, or Are Erratic Prices Turning Off Shoppers?
Goodwill appears to be pleased with significant revenue despite a faltering U.S. retail apparel market. However, will erratic pricing lead to a significant loss of its traditional customer base?
Should Eliminating Free Shipping Be a Tariff Offset?
Some online sellers are eliminating the perk of free shipping or making it harder to get to lessen the brunt of product price hikes. Will online consumers respond more negatively…
General Mills Follows Kraft Heinz in Cutting Out Artificial Dyes: Will This Trend Continue?
General Mills and Kraft Heinz have committed to removing artificial dyes from their food products. Will this trend spill over to other U.S. companies?
Why Did Amazon Double Its Prime Day Event to 4 Days?
Amazon announced plans to expand its annual Prime Day event to four days, up from two traditionally. How should competitors respond?
Will Retail Sales Remain Sluggish This Summer?
Retail sales have been experiencing a decline over the past few months. Will they continue to fall over the course of the summer?
