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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
How has the CIO role evolved?
Digital transformations, cloud migration and the movement to remote and hybrid workforces have not only elevated but broadened the CIO’s responsibilities to more of an advisory role. Do you see…
Target is serious about cutting employee turnover
Target cut its employee turnover rate between 2019 and 2021 to a five-year low, but clearly the chain’s leaders think it can do better. Is Target succeeding in being perceived…
What’s the path to building customer centric supply chains?
According to a Gartner survey of supply chain leaders, 62 percent are investing in capabilities to capture customer satisfaction data instead of focusing on cost-cutting innovations. What are the obvious and less…
Can shoppers save money while reducing food waste?
A smartphone app meant to tackle the problem of food waste and help customers keep their grocery bill down in the process is hoping to make a name for itself…
Walmart wants to make deliveries for independent grocers
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…
Will Foot Locker be better off long-term with fewer Nike shoes on its shelves?
Shares of Foot Locker crashed 30 percent on Friday after the sneaker chain said sharply-reduced allocations from Nike would lead to a same-store decline of between eight and 10 percent…
Is it the right time for Etsy to raise seller fees?
Following a record-breaking fourth quarter, Etsy announced that it is raising seller transaction fees to 6.5 percent from five percent. Is Etsy in a good competitive position to be raising…
Will emotional storytelling work for The Container Store?
The Container Store introduced on Tuesday a new logo, tagline — “Welcome to The Organization” — and brand campaign. The new logo is the brand’s first overhaul in its 44-year history…
Walmart+ sales event to build revenues and subscriber numbers
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…
Is Allbirds doing something wrong or something right?
Allbirds was able to report substantial sales growth, but that was not enough to earn the admiration of Wall Street for the fourth quarter of 2021. Where do you see…
Does any retailer do curbside service better than Target?
Target has been clear that it wants to be known as the easiest place to shop in retail. Its Drive Up service has been a big part of that, and…
Will shoppers engage with bitcoin loyalty rewards?
Landry’s Inc., the parent of Morton’s steakhouse, Bubba Gump Shrimp and a number of other restaurants, recently introduced the first bitcoin loyalty program in the hospitality space. Is cryptocurrency likely…
Frito-Lay stops deliveries to Loblaw in price dispute
Inflation has been putting strain not just on customer wallets, but on relationships between suppliers and retailers as evident in a dispute between Frito-Lay Canada and the Canadian grocer, Loblaw…
Has Macy’s become a different and better retailer?
Macy’s had a good year in 2021 and perhaps will silence, at least temporarily, those who say that department stores are going the way of the dodo bird. Is Macy’s…
Should dogs be allowed in stores?
Wilko, the U.K.-based houseware’s chain, has received a largely positive response — but also a few complaints — to its decision to make two-thirds of its stores pet-friendly. Are you…
Walmart puts its fashion storytelling skills to the test
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…
Are stores the answer to last-mile delivery?
A recent McKinsey study detailed a wide range of inefficiencies from using stores for online fulfillment as well as the risks the method presents to the in-store experience. How confident…
Retailers have good reason to support customers working from home
To meet the shift toward remote working coming out of the pandemic, Staples launched the Work From Home Style Squad, a group of experts sharing design advice, product picks and…
Should Amazon be broken up?
A billionaire activist investor shared with investors his belief that the market is not recognizing the respective full value of Amazon’s e-commerce and Amazon Web Services businesses. Do you see a benefit…
What happens to pharmacies when the COVID-19 vaccine demand wanes?
The need for vaccination against COVID-19 has driven a huge influx of foot traffic to retail pharmacies, but with demand for vaccines and pandemic-related services waning, retail pharmacies are anticipating…
Yeti is leaving Lowe’s to focus on DTC and key wholesale accounts
Yeti has decided to end sales to Lowe’s after two years. The premium cooler and tumblers maker cited supply chain disruptions and a heightened focus on core wholesale and direct-to-consumer…
