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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Is Nash Finch in an Accounting Pinch?
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is conducting an informal inquiry into how Nash Finch accounts for promotional allowances and returnables, says the grocery wholesaler. Is “Wild West” accounting deceiving…
UFCW Ready to Strike Dominick’s
Approximately 80 percent of the 9,000 associates represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union and working at Dominick’s voted to authorize a strike. What will be the outcome…
Lowes Foods to Enter Charlotte Market
The Charlotte Business Journal reports that Lowes Foods is getting set to enter the Charlotte, NC market and local developers see the supermarket operator opening up to 12 stores in…
A Busy Holiday Shoplifting Season Ahead
Retailers were ripped-off to the tune of $10 billion last year and many security experts are advising vigilance for the busy holiday shoplifting season ahead. Do retailers need to modify…
Is CRM DOA?
Companies made investments into CRM technologies looking for dramatic sales gains and profit line improvements. Instead, CRM appears on the verge of joining ECR, etc. in the anachronism hall of…
October Sales Spooky for Some but Not All
By most accounts, this year’s Halloween sales were no treat for retailers. October wasn’t all tricks, however, as a number of retailers reported sales increases above expectations. What is your…
Data Dumps on Decisions
According to a recent study conducted by BuzzBack, for NCR’s Teradata division, 73 percent of executives said that the number of decisions they have to make is growing while 55…
Merrill Lynch: Green Christmas Only a Dream
A column appearing on Merrill Lynch’s website, “Twelve ‘Nays’ of Christmas: Poor Retail Season Possible”, offers 12 reasons why Santa may not bring any significant sales gains this year. Do…
GNC: We Card
General Nutrition Centers (GNC) announced yesterday that it will begin requiring consumers to show ID when purchasing products containing ephedra and other health products designed for adult use. What is…
Consumers Break Budgets for Xmas
The average shopper plans to spend $863 on 2002 holiday gifts — among the results of a recent consumer survey conducted by the International Mass Retail Association (IMRA). What do…
A Designer Branded Christmas
Kmart and Target are hoping to get shoppers in the holiday buying mood with designer brand decorative holiday products, says the Detroit Free Press. Do retailers selling a proprietary lineup…
Stores within Stores within Stores within…
Stop & Shop and Marshall Field’s are the two latest retailers to announce store-within-a-store initiatives that each believes will provide them with a positive competitive point of differentiation in the…
Gotta Have Milk
Kids and teens are increasing consumption of liquid milk for the first time in decades as processors step up with new flavored beverages. Will adult consumers increase their consumption of…
How Low Can the Fed Go
It is widely expected that the Federal Reserve Board will vote to reduce interest rates in another attempt to jumpstart the economy. What will a Fed rate cut mean to…
Election Day the Pits for Pitt
The chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Harvey Pitt resigned from his post on the same night Republicans were toasting to their success at the polls. Will Harvey…
Grand Old Night for GOP
The road show put on by the Bush White House has paid off with Republican election victories giving the party majority control of the House, the Senate and the Executive…
More Evidence for Medical Marijuana Use
UK patients suffering from multiple sclerosis may be able to legally obtain a prescription for a cannabis-based medicine as early as next year. Should marijuana be legalized for medical (and…
Consumers Rate President Bush on the Economy
According to a Gallup Poll, 49 percent say they approve of the job the Mr. Bush and his administration is doing with the economy. The current approval rating is well…
Safeway May Sell Dominick’s
Safeway has threatened to sell its Dominick’s Finer Foods supermarket chain rather than agree to a labor contract the company believes will put it at a competitive disadvantage in the…
Wider Selection Strategy Meets Lower Consumer Spending Reality
A visible number of catalogers are moving into new product category offerings and, in some case, publishing new catalogs to address the current weakness in consumer spending. Are catalogers that…
Safeway Admits Messing Up Genuardi’s
Safeway has taken the highly unusual step of advertising an apology to long-time shoppers of Genuardi’s, telling consumers, “Despite our best intentions, not all of the changes we’ve made recently…
