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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Are store associates the key to bridging retail’s physical/digital divide?
Patricia Waldron recently had the opportunity to discuss what it takes to deliver superior omnichannel experiences for consumers in the current retailing environment with execs from Showfields. Are sensory-driven brands…
Can retailers wean consumers off discounts this holiday season?
Retailers are expected to reduce the number of items they put on sale this holiday season, and the discounts that are offered will probably be much closer to everyday prices…
Kroger’s Home Chef meal kit biz joins the billion dollar sales club
The Kroger Co. and its Home Chef subsidiary announced yesterday that the meal kit service has reached $1 billion in annual sales. What do you see as the current opportunities…
Should PayPal still buy Pinterest?
Multiple outlets last week posted stories indicating PayPal was in advanced talks to acquire Pinterest to transform itself into a social commerce powerhouse. On Monday morning, however, PayPal issued a…
Walmart says Amazon’s grocery delivery fee will put a ‘Whole’ in customers’ wallets
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…
Target doubles down on Apple shop-in-shop ‘experiences’
Target plans to more than double the number of Apple at Target shop-in-shop “experiences” from 17 stores to 36 in time for holiday selling. Is the Apple at Target partnership…
Is it time for retailers to hop on the cryptocurrencies trend?
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…
Amazon rolls out in-store pickup and local delivery for marketplace sellers
Amazon.com is rolling out in-store pickup as part of a host of services that will enable third-party sellers on its platform to offer convenient, fast fulfillment to shoppers who live…
Are Macy’s plans sustainable?
Macy’s is the latest apparel retailer to boost its focus on sustainability as customers continue to expect a greater environmental commitment from the fashion industry. Will sustainability be a positive…
Could Crocs’ supply chain mitigation steps work for others?
Crocs, facing both factory shutdowns overseas and port congestion in the U.S., on Thursday unveiled a multi-step plan to circumvent supply chain challenges and drive another year of strong growth…
Is retail in danger of getting burned out?
Improving compensation may seem like the obvious place for retailers to start when they are attempting to retain employees. For the majority of workers who were on the way out…
Walmart is ready to deliver ‘Black Friday Deals for Days’
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…
What does Gen Z want?
Tech savvy Gen-Z has unprecedented power to influence not only its peers but prior generations. But it’s important not to label them, according to an IRI white paper. What suggestions…
Will physical and digital retail operations perform better on their own?
The lure of high valuation, standalone digital businesses is leading some retailers in a new strategic direction. Are retailers’ sales and profit objectives more likely to be achieved by separating…
Instacart aims to transform in-store shopping with smart cart/checkout acquisition
Instacart has acquired Caper AI, a smart shopping cart and checkout technology startup. Caper AI uses computer vision, weight sensors and other technologies in its Caper Cart and Caper Counter…
Is it time for retailers to retire ‘offensive’ Halloween costumes?
A recent survey of parents of young kids identified a top-ten list of “offensive” Halloween costumes they believe should be banned from stores. Have merchants gone too far or not…
Get ready for the ‘IOU Christmas’
This is what happens when the shipping container crisis meets Shipageddon. We are all experiencing the supply chain crisis together — delays at ports, skyrocketing container costs and supplier delays…
Did Amazon execs mislead Congress about how it uses third-party sellers’ data?
Members of Congress are wondering whether testimony given by Amazon executives about the company’s use of sales data from third-party sellers may have been misleading or a direct attempt to…
Is the privacy paradox being resolved?
A new survey finds 83 percent of U.S. consumers between the ages of 18 to 49 willing to license their social and digital platform data for rewards and benefits of…
Is Amazon 4-Star a winner?
A year after the first Amazon 4-Star opened in fall 2018, a Financial Times review predicted the concept “could be the future of bricks-and-mortar retail.” Is Amazon 4-Star a proven…
Can 24/7 supply chain operations save Christmas?
President Joe Biden last week said the government is partnering with major ports, retailers and carriers to ramp up efforts to relieve some of the port congestion threatening holiday sales…
