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 on tech and the customer experience. What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing Hy-Vee and other regional supermarket chains?
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 some rationalization for Sheetz’s smile policy?
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 you think of David’s Bridal’s opportunity in the wedding planning and marketplace space?
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 the right track with its plans to open new clubs and fulfillment and distribution centers?
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 and restaurants reassessing their business models on an ongoing basis?
It’s good to be Tractor Supply. The retailer is on a multiyear winning streak, posting record sales and profits and grabbing market share from a long list of competitors. How long can Tractor Supply keep its winning streak going?
A new study from Bain & Co. concludes that, while luxury spending‘s growth is expected to slow in 2023 following two gangbuster recovery years, the sector has become “more resilient to recession.” Do you agree that the luxury goods sector has become less susceptible to the impact of downturns?
Despite a few limitations, ChatGPT may massively impact how people search for, evaluate and purchase products in the future. Here are a few thoughts on how OpenAI’s new chatbot could be used in retail. What do you think of the potential for ChatGPT to elevate product search and chatbot conversations?
Retail C-suites have seen a lot of turnover the last few years, and at least one recent case shows that the CEO role is harder to fill than it once was. Do you see a broader problem of getting qualified people to take on retail CEO roles or is this limited to specific companies?
Dollar General is testing mobile health clinics outside three stores in Middle Tennessee as the chain pursues its goal of becoming a major player in the retail healthcare sector. Do you expect medical clinics will be significant to Dollar General’s strategy to become a health and wellbeing destination point for its customers?
