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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
2023 could be the year of the recession that never happened
The economic recession of 2023 will not be televised. That’s because it appears unlikely to happen, despite predictions of its inevitability from economists, bankers, analysts and others. What factors do you…
Will Wegmans customers check out smart carts in a big way?
Wegmans last September reluctantly discontinued use of its popular SCAN self-checkout app because thieves were exploiting the technology. The family-owned chain is now testing smart cart technology that they hope…
Stale Amazon grocery stores need a fresh approach
An Amazon Fresh is not coming to a neighborhood near you just yet. The company will delay opening new Fresh stores until it figures out how to differentiate the locations…
Is it time for retailers to pay their managers OT?
A university study concludes businesses, including many retailers, are increasingly giving workers promotions with “fabricated” managerial titles but no wage upgrade to avoid paying them overtime wages. Is there some truth…
Should SMBs trust Gap to handle their logistics?
Gap has formed a partnership with Ware2Go, a UPS-owned digital platform that matches merchants with on-demand available warehouse space and fulfillment services. Do you see more benefits than risks for…
Ahold Delhaize USA’s Retail Business Services CIO talks IT’s place at the table and the need to work differently
Ahold-Delhaize USA, the company behind Food Lion, Fresh Direct, Giant, The Giant Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop, is among those that has structured its business to make sure that…
Are grocers becoming conflicted over love and football?
For the second year in a row, the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day are within days of each other, posing challenges for grocers’ marketing teams. How should grocers thread the…
Will Kohl’s new CEO prove to be a good shepherd or a wolf in sheep’s clothing?
Tom Kingsbury is no longer the interim CEO of Kohl’s. The company yesterday confirmed earlier reports by formally announcing that Mr. Kingsbury has been named to the position on a…
Do stores have a place as vocational tools inside high schools?
New Orleans-based PJ’s Coffee is offering franchise opportunities to open up coffee shops inside high schools with the foremost purpose of providing vocational skills to students. What do you think of…
Impossible Foods says there’s nothing faddish about plant-based meat
On January 19, Bloomberg published an article entitled, “Fake Meat Was Supposed to Save the World. It Became Just Another Fad.” On January 22, Impossible Foods took out a full-page…
How do consumer brands really feel about buying ads from retailers?
Consumer brands often feel as if they have little choice when it comes to purchasing ads from retail media networks, according to a new survey of its members by the…
Is technology the answer to better customer experiences in grocery stores?
Ron Margulis thinks that if a technology company could capture the essence of a merchant in every sense of the word, they would have something truly unique to offer food…
Should retail seek a middle path between being pro- or anti-union?
In an open letter last week, McDonald’s USA president Joe Erlinger blasted proposed California legislation related to conditions for fast food workers as stemming “almost entirely at the behest of…
Pacsun to stick with its co-CEO model as one leader prepares to depart
Pacsun last week announced that Brie Olson, president and a member of the retailer’s board of directors, will be appointed co-CEO, effective March 9, replacing Alfred Chang, who is stepping…
What does Amazon know about delivering groceries that others don’t get?
Amazon Prime members who have gotten their groceries delivered for free with a minimum purchase of $35 will now have to spend at least $150 if they want to avoid…
Do retailers need to start paying serious attention to Generation Alpha?
Generation Alpha may be about to take over as the biggest disruptor of retail as members of the youngest generation enter their teenage years. What advice would you have for…
Hy-Vee uses tech and people to deliver a sense of awe in its stores
Ron Margulis with Randy Edeker, executive chairman, and CEO Jeremy Gosch of Hy-Vee, at the recent FMI Midwinter conference in Orlando. Rather than ask about operations, competition or financials, he focused…
How much say should retailers have over an associate’s appearance?
Sheetz is reviewing its “smile policy” that forbids associates from having “missing, broken, or badly discolored teeth (unrelated to a disability)” following an exposé by Business Insider. Do you see…
What will David’s Bridal gain from its wedding vendor marketplace?
David’s Bridal has introduced a wedding planning platform and vendor marketplace as it looks to leverage its position as the largest seller of wedding dresses in the U.S. What do…
Sam’s is back in the business of opening warehouse clubs
Sam’s Club plans to open a new warehouse club next year in Florida. It will be the first new club the chain has opened since 2017. Is Sam’s Club on…
Is it time for retailers to radically rethink their business models?
The business models of many retail businesses have been unsustainable for years and all it took was the pandemic to make that undeniably clear. Is there strategic value in retailers…
