As many expected, Walmart reported strong fourth quarter results as it continued to strategically use its e-commerce business to drive top line sales online and in stores during the holidays. What do you see as current areas of strength for Walmart and those in need of improvement?
NRF reported that, with the numbers for December in, total holiday sales increased only 2.9 percent overall, well below the association’s forecast of a sales gain between 4.3 percent and 4.8 percent. What do you make of the revised sales numbers for the 2018 holiday season?
Payless ShoeSource on Saturday confirmed that it plans to close all 2,100 of its locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico in coming months after failing to find a buyer. Were the challenges at Payless ShoeSource’s business model due more to external or internal factors?
The use of social media influencers is expected to take another leap in 2019, but finding a return on investment remains a challenge. What would be your formula for measuring the ROI of influencer marketing campaigns?
Amazon announced that it is abandoning plans to build part of its HQ2 campus in Long Island City, NY. What is your general opinion of the bidding process for Amazon HQ2 and the e-tailer’s decision to pull out of plans to build in Long Island City?
EBay continues to expand its “Retail Revival” program that helps small businesses expand online, particularly on its platform. What kind of benefits does eBay gain from its Retail Revival program?
Google’s latest patent indicates that the tech giant may once again be playing with technology that would reshape how we buy, use and think of smartphones. Will modular smartphones be the next evolution of the smartphone, and how would retailers like Apple and others have to adapt?
Voice shopping will hit $40 billion by 2022, according to OC&C Strategy Consultants’ data cited by Mastercard. Do you see sonic branding growing in importance over the next several years?
It’s not a new story. Retail sales are up, but operators continue to shutter large numbers of stores. Are there too many store locations in the U.S., or are retailers dealing with a more nuanced problem?
CVS is looking to further ingrain their healthcare provider perception with consumers in the Houston area with the test launch of the chain’s first three HealthHUB concept stores. What do you see as the challenges and opportunities for CVS in operating its HealthHUB concept stores?
