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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Longs Falls Short on Profits
Longs Drug Stores’ profits fell $6.4 million for the latest quarter versus the year ago period. The company said higher operational costs, asset charges and a still weak economy all…
Retailer’s Patriotism Questioned for Selling French Wine
Steve Silver, owner of Pearson’s Wine in Washington, D.C., claims a customer recently accused him of being unpatriotic because his store sells French wine. Should retailers stop selling products manufactured…
Grand Jury Indicts Former Kmart Execs
A federal grand jury charged two former Kmart executives with securities fraud, making false statements and conspiracy for allegedly lying to company auditors about a $42 million payment from American…
Consumers Depressed
Consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since 1993 according to the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index. The prospect of war in Iraq, the rising cost of energy, job…
Ahold’s Woes Grow
Ahold’s troubles continue to grow over its U.S. Foodservice division’s overstatement of earnings. Click for a top line from around the net. Are the accounting problems that have affected…
New Products: Coke’s Remix and Pepsi’s LiveWire
Coke plans to launch its tropical flavored Sprite Remix in the spring. Pepsi plans to target its new orange-flavored Mountain Dew, LiveWire, to the brand’s teen and young adult consumer…
Marketechnics Report: 2002 is Dead, Long Live 2003
The feel from the show floor at the Marketechnics Show in Dallas this week is that things in technology are getting better… SLOWLY. Ron Margulis gives his impression of the…
Aromatherapy for the Bottom Line
Disputes continue over whether aromatherapy works in promoting health and healing. There is no dispute, however, that sales of aromatherapy products are growing. How can (or should) retailers incorporate alternative…
Consumers Rely on Retailers for Safe Food
“Governments are no longer the primary gatekeepers of the safety of a food supply that has grown internationally more diverse and exotic. But instead, consumers will increasingly rely on those…
FAO Brings Toys to Saks Fifth Avenue
Toys ‘R’ Us departments can now be found in some supermarkets. Soon, consumers will be able to find toys from the famous FAO Schwarz while shopping in Saks Fifth Avenue…
Retailers Due for Technology Overhaul
Exhibitors at this year’s Marketechnics show think that many retailers are due for a technology overhaul.Will there be a marked increase in technology investments made by retailers in the year…
Will Safeway Sell Dominick’s in Pieces?
A piece in Friday’s Chicago Tribune said that Safeway is considering splitting the chain up to sell to multiple buyers. “One scenario has Eden Prairie, Minn.-based SuperValu and Pewaukee, Wis.-based…
Ahold’s Shakeup
Ahold’s chief executive, Cees van der Hoeven, and chief financial officer, Michael Meurs, have resigned after earnings were overstated at the company’s U.S. Foodservice unit. How bad is the U.S…
Eminem Gets Grammy and Macy’s Deal
Eminem won a Grammy yesterday for Best Rap Album for his work on “The Eminem Show.” On Friday, the rapper made news when Macy’s announced it would begin selling…
Home Depot Claims Its More Than a Store
Home Depot launched a new ad campaign on the Grammy Awards telecast last night that focuses more on services the chain offers and less on price. Does a move away…
Beware: Working/Shopping May Be Dangerous to Your Health
Last year, Home Depot was cited for 86 violations by OSHA, up from 34 in 1999. Nine workers died from injuries sustained in workplace accidents at the company during that…
Reduce Worker Comp Cases – Be Nice
Researchers report in the February issue of The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), “people who are unhappy at work and are forced to work under intense and hectic conditions…
P&G to Run Spots in Spanish on CBS
USA Today reports, “Procter & Gamble will air a Spanish-language TV spot for Crest Whitening Plus Scope toothpaste during Sunday’s Grammy Awards on CBS.” Will this become a more…
Will That Be Visa, Mastercard, Amex or Meijer’s?
Meijer began rolling out its new proprietary credit card this week to encourage consumers to spend more with the chain, says The Detroit News. What are opportunities and pit falls…
You’re Kidding. He Really Said That?
Greg Tipsford, senior vice president for laundry care, Dial Corp., told analysts the company was increasing the size of caps on its Purex laundry detergent bottles because, “If you have…
Women’s Salary Increases Outpace Men’s
The latest Labor Department numbers show that the average pay raise for women was up 3.9 percent last year compared to 1.9 percent for men. Despite the gain, women still…
