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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Can apps help reduce food waste?
Giant Food has become the latest grocer to partner with Flashfood, an app that lets customers save money and reduce food waste by purchasing items near their “best by” or…
Are the cards stacked against small and medium sized retailers?
The general assumption is that the economy’s three-pronged challenge will wind up hurting smaller retailers and vendors significantly more than larger ones. Do you agree that larger retailers and suppliers…
Will linked loyalty programs turn Dick’s and Nike into an unbeatable force?
Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nike announced yesterday that the two companies are looking to deepen their relationship that will offer customers of both companies a connection to exclusive offers and…
American Eagle Outfitters is literally serious about owning its supply chain
American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) will acquire Quiet Logistics in a $350 million cash deal, another step in a strategy to gain greater control over its supply chain. What roles do…
Will Bed Bath & Beyond ‘reach more customers than ever’ with Kroger collab?
Kroger and Bed Bath & Beyond have entered into a collaboration that will bring the home and baby products retailer’s products into some of the supermarket giant’s stores and to…
Ralph Lauren to bring on-demand color to its flagship stores
Ralph Lauren will soon have technology at its disposal that could enable a new degree of product customization, which would make the experience of shopping at its flagship stores more…
Will Aldi’s ‘Charcuterie Board’ have a big influence on its food sales?
Aldi has partnered with six food bloggers and influencers to create its first-ever “Charcuterie Board of Directors” to inspire shoppers this holiday season to develop their own meat and cheese…
Will Planning Studios elevate IKEA’s urban shopper journey?
IKEA will open two mini-Planning Studios in the Los Angeles area with a focus on “providing inspiration and smart home solutions for city living.” Is it more important now to…
Does Macy’s or Best Buy have a better approach to gift cards?
At Macy’s, the only gift cards available are those linked back to purchases at the retailer. Best Buy, in contrast, offers not only its own gift cards but those for…
Walmart’s latest acquisition to give voice to its UX aspirations
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’s really behind Facebook’s rebrand to Meta?
Facebook’s name change to Meta is designed to help the company move forward on building the next digital frontier, the metaverse. Management also hopes it will help Facebook move beyond…
Will same-day deliver holiday cheer for Abercrombie & Fitch?
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has partnered with four different companies to launch same-day delivery across its entire U.S. store fleet, including its Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister and Gilly…
Petco’s new boutique concept is a private label experience
Petco Health and Wellness Company has opened a new concept store designed to give pet parents and their dogs a chance to experience the chain’s private label in a new…
How disruptive is the rapid delivery model to grocery?
According to a recent survey, 54 percent of U.S. consumers believe grocery delivery within an hour is important to them, well above other categories. How disruptive will rapid grocery be…
Should brands and retailers stop destroying unsold merchandise?
Boston Beer recently decided to throw away “millions of cases” of Truly, instead of discounting the product, in response to a broad slowdown in the hard seltzer category over the…
Gig employers may face fines for dishonest recruiting
Some of the biggest gig economy employers in the U.S. are facing federal scrutiny for allegedly misleading potential employees about how well their gigs actually pay. Do you think companies…
Will high food costs cost restaurants business?
Grocery prices have been increasing steadily in the U.S. for a number of months, but at restaurants food is getting more expensive at an even faster rate than on grocery…
Christmas 2021 may be one for the record books
The National Retail Federation is predicting that retailers will set new sales records for the 2021 Christmas season. The trade industry group expects sales in November and December to grow between…
When should holiday marketing start?
According to an AdAge-Harris Poll, 68 percent of Americans agree holiday marketing should not begin until at least Thanksgiving. How can retailers incentivize early shopping while avoiding holiday marketing fatigue?
What should retailers do about angry reviews?
A university study finds that while the general assumption is that an abundance of helpful reviews — whether positive or negative — is ultimately more influential in driving purchases, anger…
JCPenney finds its new CEO at Levi Strauss
JCPenney has a new CEO. The department store retailer announced that Marc Rosen, a 25-year retail industry veteran who most recently served as executive vice president and president of Levi…
