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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Can retail pay be made more equitable?
Look across the ranks of almost any office, retail floor or faculty lounge and you’ll see many workers doing essentially the same job. Peek at their paystubs, though, and you’ll…
Will Dick’s price match keep it on top of the sporting goods category?
Amazon.com isn’t the only online rival that Dick’s plans to match with its new “best price guarantee,” but it is among the most important in the sporting goods chain’s efforts…
Is online fulfillment from stores too complex for e-grocery?
Supermarkets without a firm handle on on-shelf availability and store-level perpetual inventory had better think hard before committing to an online ordering/in-store fulfillment business model. Does in-store fulfillment of online…
Is Best Buy’s latest Geek Squad service a blueprint for niche IoT?
Best Buy is now offering smart home consultations and installations geared towards adults acting as caretakers for elderly parents. Does targeting a specific niche of smart home services put Best…
Will H&M perform better after ending monthly sales reports?
H&M announced yesterday that it would no longer issue monthly sales reports after reporting that its revenues increased seven percent in June. Do you approve of H&M’s decision to end…
Is e-commerce a job builder or killer?
While the loss of retail jobs caused by shifts to online selling has become a regular news story, one economist believes the growth of e-commerce is adding net retail jobs,…
Can toys raise J.C. Penney’s game?
Following a successful return of the category last holiday season, J.C. Penney will be opening toy shops in all of its stores while significantly expanding toy assortments on JCPenney.com. Are…
Are $3.00 generics a sound grocery e-tailing model?
A new website, Brandless.com, just launched, selling everyday items “from snacks to soap to serving spoons” for $3.00 each. The catch: all items are generics. Will $3.00 generics available online…
Will Walmart win back-to-school with click and collect services?
This BTS season promises to be as competitive as ever as consumers alter traditional patterns of shopping and retailers look for ways to win their business. Among those retailers is…
Can retailers hope to compete this holiday season with standard digital marketing?
The good news for digital marketing this holiday season? Digital ad spend has surpassed TV ad spend, topping $72 billion in 2016. The bad news? For the most part, digital…
Will an AR try-on app cut down on online clothing returns?
There’s no great way to get a feel for how clothing fits without first trying it on. But a new augmented reality solution might make it easier for U.S. shoppers…
Should the Amazon/Whole Foods merger worry national brands?
For consumer packaged goods national brands, the biggest potential reverberation of the Whole Foods sale is whether it helps Amazon.com solve the challenges of delivering groceries to end consumers. How…
How will the Supreme Court’s decision on Trump’s travel ban affect retailers?
When the travel ban was announced earlier this year, it created a worldwide uncertainty that was palpable. Interestingly, employee communications and engagement were the source of much of the media…
Will more customer rewards lift J.C. Penney’s sales?
J.C. Penney is counting on a new rewards program to entice customers to shop more frequently and spend more on each trip to its stores and website. What role do…
Why do so many people love shopping at Ace Hardware?
A new survey of more than 7,800 consumers has found that more name Ace Hardware as their personal favorite place to shop than any other retailer when it comes to…
Will Amazon’s answer to the ‘Geek Squad’ help put Alexa in more homes?
There’s a learning curve for using voice assistant technologies like Alexa. Amazon.com is now addressing that with a new in-home installation and repair service that’s reminiscent of the Best Buy…
How is Walgreens getting older shoppers to use its mobile app?
Walgreens has managed to leverage its mobile app to encourage usage from a generation that is elusive for many retailers: the 55-and-up crowd. What do you think are the…
Will Prime Day give Amazon an insurmountable advantage online?
No rival comes close to matching the sales produced by Amazon.com online. Chances are good that the advantage the e-tailer holds will grow even stronger after the conclusion of the…
Are retailers measuring omnichannel all wrong?
There is a point where customer engagement leads to more sales. But there is also a point where it leads to diminishing returns. That’s the beauty of the sales per…
Will online games fuel mobile engagement for Jet.com and other retailers?
Jet.com has become the latest retailer looking to capitalize on the popularity of online mobile games like Candy Crush to help engage consumers. Will online games evolve into a core…
Will consumers ever feel better about sharing their data?
According to a new survey, consumers’ privacy concerns are growing and they want more control over their personal data. What steps could retailers take to help consumers feel better about…
