Why is it employees often see the warning signs of a dying store before owners and managers? Because they see things through the lens of a customer and their own paychecks. What would land on your list of telltale signs that a retail business is failing?
CVS is going national with its CarePass subscription program, which offers free delivery on prescription medicines, over-the-counter remedies and other products with no minimum order, for an annual fee of $48 or $5 a month. Do you expect the results from CVS’ test of CarePass to be replicated on a national level?
The Sock Spot, an online retailer of novelty socks, is looking to broaden its business prospects by moving into physical retail via “automated retail units” (AKA vending machines). Do you see hi-tech vending units as a good way for digital brands to establish physical touchpoints?
Lowe’s is eliminating “thousands” of assembly and maintenance worker jobs and outsourcing them to third-party companies. Will outsourcing assembly and maintenance tasks enable store level associates to spend more time on the sales floor serving customers as Lowe’s has indicated?
The Container Store has opened a new store concept focusing on closet customization, called The Container Store Custom Closets. The first store took the place of an existing Container Store in Los Angeles. Does The Container Store need a separate banner to fully explore the custom closets opportunity?
In early July, Etsy introduced a new program to help sellers offer free shipping to U.S. buyers on orders of $35 or more. But many sellers are balking at the program. How open should Etsy’s sellers be to participating in the free shipping program and its tradeoffs?
For 20 years, Target has been launching limited-edition designer partnerships that have drawn throngs of shoppers to the chain’s stores and large numbers to its website. How do you think Target’s “best of” promotion will come off this time?
Back in 2015, RetailWire asked the question if Amazon.com’s Dash button product reordering system was “the future of shopping?” Our answer then and now is the same — “No.” Amazon, apparently agrees, since it is decommissioning all its Dash buttons at the end of the month. What do you think Amazon has learned from its Dash experience?
According to a new study by JWT Intelligence and Snap Inc., 51 percent of Gen Z believe their generation is more creative than previous generations. What opportunities and challenges does Gen Z’s online and offline creativity present for marketers when it comes to communication and engagement?
Thousands of retail stores have closed in recent years with the prospect of thousands more to come. What’s a mall landlord to do? For Simon Property Group, one answer may be to take a stake in struggling chains. Do you think Simon Property Group should be looking for solutions beyond rent relief to support select retail tenants?
