Target was expected to be one of the winners of the 2018 holiday season, and the retailer not only lived up to expectations, it surpassed them. Where do you think Target has made its biggest gains in the past couple of years?
Victoria’s Secret, wrapping up another tough year, last week reported a seven percent drop in same-store sales in the fourth quarter and announced plans to close 53 stores. Are Victoria’s Secret’s challenges related more to product or marketing issues?
With Gap and Old Navy splitting off into two companies, the once-popular mall retailer won’t have the fast-fashion brand’s success to prop it up. Given Gap’s announced plans to split off from Old Navy, does the Janie and Jack acquisition — and a corresponding focus on kid’s brands — offer a promising way forward for Gap?
According to a survey from Uberall, 80 percent of consumers who have interacted with an AI chatbot say the experience was generally positive. How would you rate the benefits and drawbacks of using chatbots for consumers at this point?
Amazon plans to open “dozens” of grocery stores in a new lower-priced concept distinct from its upscale Whole Foods format, according to The Wall Street Journal. What would Amazon’s launch of a conventional grocery concept mean for the company and the grocery industry?
DSW Inc., the off-price footwear chain, is expanding its test of manicure and pedicure services to three additional markets. Do you see more upsides than downsides to installing nail salons inside DSW?
Independent supermarket retailers were once again charged to take on the “The Big Guys” at the National Grocers Association Annual Convention in San Diego last week. If they don’t, they might not be around for next year’s event. How can independent supermarket operators best use technology to compete in today’s crowded grocery marketplace?
Gap and Old Navy are splitting up. Yesterday, parent company Gap Inc. announced plans to create two separate publicly traded companies. Will operating as a standalone company help or hurt Old Navy moving forward?
There’s a sea change underway in how retailers are thinking about technology solutions. Many executives are no longer interested in major system replacements. Instead, they’re looking at smaller point solutions to drive change. How can retailers develop technology strategies that keep pace with the rapid rate of industry change?
A university study finds using dynamic pricing online tends to make shoppers more savvy and potentially more bargain obsessed. Does dynamic pricing only train online shoppers to wait for promotions or seek them out elsewhere?
