Walmart is motivated to get automated. The retailing giant yesterday said that it is expanding its use of robotics to all 42 of its regional distribution centers around the U.S. What are your takeaways from Walmart’s news about its expanded use of robotics in its regional warehouses and for last-mile delivery via drone?

Walmart and Target posted their first quarter results this week and the rivals had similar stories to tell of sales going up and profit margins falling down. What do you make of the first quarter results posted by Walmart and Target?

Walmart has created a series of career path programs designed to let associates pursue advancement opportunities throughout the organization, from store-level to its headquarters in Bentonville. How do Walmart’s store and corporate recruitment and training programs stack up against other large retailers?

The Pedigree brand has launched a program designed to keep pandemic puppies and other dogs in their forever homes even at a time when many pet parents are finding it more difficult to make ends meet. Are programs designed to alleviate pet homelessness essential for retailers in the pet products business?

Some big name grocers have been closing store locations against the backdrop of record-breaking inflation. Do you think inflation has played a role in recent store closures?

Walmart and Abercombie & Fitch both recently introduced activewear collections to become the latest chains to jump on the sweaty part of the athleisure bandwagon. Is activewear a major or minor opportunity for Walmart and Abercrombie & Fitch?

Walmart seems to have improved its public image a lot over the past few years, but a new study indicates that consumers are still not huge fans of shopping in the retail giant’s stores. Why do you think customers that love Walmart’s low prices remain dissatisfied with the shopping experience?

The high cost of filling up the pump may work in Walmart’s favor as it continues on its campaign to increase its Walmart+ subscriber numbers. Do you think Walmart is effectively making the value case to attract large numbers of new members to its Walmart+ plan?

Walmart is leaning into another celebrity collaboration to help it boost sales of outdoor living products. Will Walmart’s collaboration with Dave and Jenny Marrs help make it a viable home products alternative to Target and its Hearth & Hand with Magnolia line?

Sam’s Club announced that its Member’s Mark brand will embrace a new slogan “Made with Our Member and Planet in Mind” and commit to making the environment and sustainability areas of focus.  Do you see Sam’s Club securing many benefits with Member’s Mark’s sustainability upgrades?

Target’s is selling used apparel through a new relationship with ThredUP. The retailer, as of late March, has its own page on ThredUP featuring a selection of used apparel curated by its team from the resale platform’s assortment. Do you see Target succeeding with resale through its ThredUp relationship?

Walmart announced that it is increasing pay for its fleet drivers and has launched a new program that will enable people working in its supply chain operations to become drivers themselves. Will higher pay coupled with Walmart’s Private Fleet Development Program give the retailer an edge over retail rivals in addressing trucker shortages?

Walmart has decided to ditch selling cigarettes in some of its U.S. stores and reconfigure its front end space in those locations to make room for more self-checkouts and products including candy and grab-and-go foods. Do you expect Walmart to phase out most, if not all, of its cigarette sales over the next five years?

Walmart has scored an exclusive deal on seven new flavors of ice cream from Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, including Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.  Does Walmart’s exclusive partnership with Van Leeuwen Ice Cream point to a bigger opportunity for grocers around limited-edition offerings?

Walmart is looking to add 1.6 million new members to its Walmart+ subscription plan. What do you make of Walmart’s decision to offer free Walmart+ memberships to its store, distribution and fulfillment center employees?

Walmart is looking to assure its new spring collections are the right fit for its customers. The retailing giant announced the rollout of try-on technology that it believes will lead to higher purchasing satisfaction and fewer merchandise returns. How will “Choose My Model” affect Walmart’s fashion reputation and sales?

Walmart is ready to deliver for grocers across the country. Cognetry Labs announced that it was fully integrating with Walmart GoLocal to give mid-sized and small grocers the ability to offer online delivery services on par with larger competitors. Will mid-sized and small grocers trust Walmart to deliver online orders for them?

Walmart isn’t waiting on Amazon.com. The retailer has launched a special sales event that is exclusive to Walmart+ subscribers. Will Walmart’s current Walmart+ sales event be successful in attracting large numbers of new members to the service?

Celebrities such as Michelle Obama and Lady Gaga have worn Brandon Maxwell’s designs. Now the question is whether Walmart’s customers will do the same — and maybe even some of Target’s. Will the new spring collections from Free Assembly and Scoop create buzz around Walmart as a fashion destination?

Walmart in an internal memo Friday said it has ended mask mandates and its COVID-19 sick leave policy for employees, while phasing out daily health screenings. Is it the appropriate time to end mask mandates for in-store associates and warehouse workers?

Inventory tracking robots did not work out for Walmart, but now the company is trying them out at Sam’s Club.  Why factors make you think that inventory robots may have success at Sam’s Club in light of the experience at Walmart?

Nordstrom has introduced its first podcast, hosted by Pete Nordstrom, president and chief brand officer. The Nordy Pod is described as “a new way for Nordstrom-obsessed customers to peek behind the curtain.” Do you expect more retailers to launch their own podcasts with insider POVs, such as Nordstrom’s?

Walmart customers across the country will soon be able to add a handyman to their purchases when they buy products for 150 common household projects that require product assembly and installation.  Will Walmart’s association with Angi make the retailer more competitive in key categories focused in and around its customers’ homes?

Walmart wants to keep its customers a bit longer. The retailer announced updates to its incubator store in Springdale, AR, that are focused on engaging customers throughout the shopping journey. Which element(s) of Walmart’s  redesigned incubator store will have the biggest effect on the customer experience and rings at the register?

Meijer is offering free deliveries of groceries on orders of $35 or more through Jan. 29 in an attempt to support customers who may be unable to shop at its stores or reluctant to do so as a result of the Omicron variant’s spread. Will Meijer’s free delivery gesture lead to higher net promoter scores or increased use of home delivery beyond Jan. 29?

Companies with 100 or more employees have choices to make in the wake of last week’s ruling by the Supreme Court. Some are choosing to stick with their plans to require vaccinations or testing while others are not. Should retailers require employees to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo regular testing?

Solutions that let customers shop via text message could soon be a hot trend in the U.S., and there are some big names in retail trying to make it happen. Do you see text-to-shop conversational commerce catching on in the U.S. for general retail?

Americans need some sorting out. It would be difficult to get any other message this week with announcements from both Walmart and Target about new product line launches that their respective customers can use to organize their personal and professional lives. Do you see the home organizing products category heating up in 2022?

Walmart is serious about gaining entry into your home. The retailer announced plans to expand its InHome Delivery service five-fold before 2022 is over. Does the expansion of Walmart’s InHome program demonstrate that Americans are growing increasingly comfortable with the idea of giving retailers access to their homes?

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is now, according to several accounts, the fastest spreading virus in history with over one million cases reported yesterday in the U.S.  How well do you think retailers are responding to the current operational challenges created by the spike in Omicron cases around the country?

A federal jury in Ohio has found that CVS, Walgreens and Walmart must take responsibility for the opioid epidemic that has plagued Lake and Trumbull counties in the state. Do pharmacy retailers hold responsibility for the prescriptions they fill?

Walmart is looking to spread a little livestreaming retail cheer this holiday season, with plans to run 30 individual livestreaming events, including a 30-minute variety show, featuring a variety of products and special guests. Do you agree that the future of retail lies in social commerce?

Color Walmart CEO Doug McMillon impressed with his company’s performance after reporting third quarter sales that exceeded both the retailing giant’s expectations as well as those of Wall Street. How aggressive do you expect Walmart to be and how will that affect its retailing rivals?

Williams Sonoma has launched a new paid membership program, Williams Sonoma Reserve, costing $99 annually that includes free shipping and experiential perks. Do you think Williams Sonoma’s annual subscription program will hold enough appeal for enough of its customers?

Walmart has broken ground in Texas on a 1.5-million-square-foot automated e-commerce fulfillment center and a 730,000-square-foot grocery distribution center in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Will automated warehouses enable Walmart to keep up with Kroger, Amazon and other rivals making big investments in their supply chain infrastructure?

Walmart is making daily deliveries from a dark store to a Neighborhood Market in Bentonville, AR using an autonomous vehicle that doesn’t carry a safety driver — a world first, according to the retailer and its technology partner, Gatik. Does Walmart’s test using autonomous vehicles sans a safety driver mark a significant milestone for the technology at retail?

Kroger appears ready to get on the subscription program bandwagon with the launch of a new service that offers expedited grocery delivery and fuel rewards for its customers. Will Kroger’s new subscription options prove popular with the grocer’s customers in the markets where it is being tested?

Walmart has announced a planned acquisition that the retailer believes will play an important role in its strategy to expand its “conversational” platform across voice, chat and AI-driven assistant technologies. What do you see as the potential for conversational technologies for both consumers and associate use?

Walmart wants everyone to know that, as of today, Amazon.com is adding $9.95 to grocery deliveries from its Whole Foods stores.  Do you see Amazon’s delivery fee for Whole Foods as an opportunity for Walmart to convert some Prime members to Walmart+?

Pacsun in early October became the first major teen retailer to accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, believing it is “one of the major trends” working with its young customer base. Will the appeal to Gen-Z prove to be a major driver of the adoption of cryptocurrencies as a payment mechanism for retailers?

Walmart is making three updates to its delivery options to make it even more convenient for customers to shop online during the holiday season. Do you expect most retailers to follow a similar holiday playbook to Walmart with extended sales promotions and added delivery and pickup options?

Wawa has added self-scan checkout kiosks in 61 of its locations after a successful pilot, and the kiosks are slated to appear in more stores soon. Do you see self-checkout technology being more widely used in the years to come or will retailers cut back on deployments?

Walmart has gone from aspiring to compete with Netflix in the digital video subscription market to making a deal to sell merchandise linked to its erstwhile rival’s original programming on its site.  What do you see Walmart and Netflix gaining from their online hub deal?

Home Depot is hiring Walmart to handle local deliveries for its stores.The retailers revealed today that they are teaming up to give Home Depot’s customers another way to have their online orders delivered on the same or next day.What does the Walmart/Home Depot GoLocal deal mean for each company?

Walmart is serious about raising its fashion cred. The retailer has engaged in a number of exclusive brand relationships and has sought to up its game with its private label lines. Do you think Free Assembly and other moves being made by Walmart suggest it is ready to elevate its fashion game?

Why wait? Amazon.com announced today that “Black Friday-worthy deals” are available right now on its site. How do you expect the dueling sales promotions to play out between Amazon and the largest retail chains this holiday season?

With the 2021 holiday season approaching, Walmart has announced the end of its layaway option. The program is being replaced with a buy now, pay later financing service. What do you see as the major benefits of buy now, pay later programs for retail operations?

Walmart has launched an online shopping destination called “Built for Better” to make it easier for shoppers to identify and purchase products that are better for them and the environment.  Will “Built for Better” resonate with Walmart’s existing customers and help it attract new ones?

Walmart and Ford announced yesterday that the two companies are working together to launch an autonomous vehicle delivery service in Austin, TX, Miami and Washington, D.C. Are artificial intelligence systems learning at a fast enough pace to convince you that autonomous deliveries will be viable within the next decade?

Walmart has issued a statement calling a press release sent out by Globe Newswire a fake. The false press release claimed that Walmart would begin accept litecoin cryptocurrency payments for online orders. Do you see fake news and misinformation spread through social media becoming a greater threat to retail businesses?