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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Will more Americans make e-grocery delivery a weekly habit?
Online grocery shopping is a weekly habit of a segment of the population, according to a new study. What do the weekly use statistics for delivery and pickup mean for…
Amazon goes after thousands of fake review groups on Facebook
Amazon.com yesterday filed lawsuits against the administrators of more than 10,000 Facebook groups that it says recruited people to post fake reviews on its site in exchange for money or…
Have performance marketing costs made DTC too pricey for brands to pursue?
Changing customer acquisition strategies was a big area of discussion last week at The Lead Innovation Summit in Brooklyn, NY, particularly as it relates to direct-to-consumer (DTC) performance marketing. Have…
Is luxury retail’s sweet spot?
The latest “Saks Luxury Pulse” survey finds higher-income consumers continuing to spend on luxury despite record inflation and a plunging stock market. What do you think is driving the apparent…
Will Toys“R”Us kids help Macy’s have a very merry Christmas?
Every Macy’s will soon have a Toys“R”Us shop inside. The two retailers yesterday said that the toy shops will begin opening later this month, locating one in every Macy’s department store…
President Biden’s executive order aims to keep the freight trains running on time
President Joseph Biden last Friday stepped in with an executive order designed to keep freight rail workers from striking over the next 60 days. What would be the consequences of…
Should Amazon ax its private labels to appease regulators?
Amazon.com has considered exiting its private label business altogether in order to alleviate regulatory pressures, according to multiple reports. Is Amazon’s use of national brand data to inform its private…
Is closing stores the best solution to Starbucks’ safety concerns?
Starbucks, citing safety concerns, said it will permanently close 16 locations nationwide before the end of July while instituting new procedures to ensure the wellbeing of employees. Do you see…
Hasbro wants to put all our faces on action figures
Hasbro has announced a new personalization platform, Hasbro Selfie Series, that employs 3D-printing to let consumers create a collector-grade six-inch action figure in their likeness for $60. Will Hasbro’s ability…
Inflation didn’t slow Amazon’s Prime Day roll – or its rivals’ either
Amazon.com is officially calling this week’s Prime Day sales event a success. The retail and technology giant said that shoppers purchased more items in what it has labeled as the…
Can the metaverse count on Gen-Z gamers?
Gen-Z is expected to lead the creation of the metaverse, drawn by the allure of gaming, but some surveys indicate that even digital natives need to be convinced of the…
Are grocers giving frontline heroes their due?
On July 19, Canada will celebrate its third annual Grocery Heroes Day, an industry-backed holiday meant to honor frontline grocery workers. Should the U.S. grocery industry adopt its own version…
When did Walgreens’ associates become the contraceptive police?
Walgreens associates have made the news in recent weeks for refusing to sell over-the-counter and prescription contraceptives to customers based on their religious objections. Should Walgreens and other retailers screen…
Rite Aid’s new HQ is all about ‘a new way of working’
Rite Aid yesterday officially opened its new “remote” headquarters building (AKA collaboration center) in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard district. What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of a remote-first corporate…
Are bike lanes good for retail?
Retailers in Miami, San Diego and Cambridge, MA, have joined those in other cities in recent years complaining about the addition of protected bike lanes, although studies show they eventually…
Will Yeezy find it easy to operate stores?
YZYSPLY, the sneaker and apparel company of sometimes-controversial rapper, producer and fashion entrepreneur Kanye West, has filed a trademark hinting that a physical storefront for the brand could be on…
The numbers say it is still a workers’ job market
Workers still have the upper hand, generally speaking, in the current job market despite speculation that the economy may slow to a point where employers need fewer workers or begin…
What are retailers finding so tough about customer acquisition?
Retailers are not faring as well in their acquisition marketing efforts this year as they have in recent years, according to a new study. What’s the best path for digital…
Amazon says it has built a better smart shopping cart
Amazon has introduced the newest version of its Dash Cart, a smart shopping cart that enables customers to skip a store’s physical checkouts and go right out the door. What…
Where does Gap go next as CEO Sonia Syngal departs?
Sonia Syngal is out as CEO of Gap Inc. Ms. Syngal, who stepped down from her position and from the board, effective immediately, will leave the company after a brief transition. …
How can grocers reawaken the home cooking bug?
An FMI study finds that, while Americans are still cooking at home more than ever before, enthusiasm for doing so has waned to pre-pandemic levels. What are the most effective…
