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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Will homey habits from the pandemic fuel Williams-Sonoma future growth?
Williams-Sonoma Inc., the parent of Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and West Elm, reported that same-store sales grew 25.7 percent in the fourth quarter and 17.0 percent in 2020 with the help…
How are 2020’s wacky comparisons affecting retailers now?
The mantra is to beat last year’s numbers, but the pandemic has distorted sales comparisons. Now a few retailers on fourth-quarter investor calls are encouraging analysts to compare 2021’s figures…
Are retailers prepared to respond to increasing supply chain complexity?
Since the start of the pandemic, retailers have needed to update their channels and delivery methods and take steps to future-proof their business, making the supply chain more complex. What…
Starbucks melds tech and people to assist the blind
Starbucks is using technology to make trips to get coffee more customer friendly for those who are blind or have otherwise compromised vision. Should solutions like the one Starbucks is…
Amazon is America’s biggest clothing retailer and there’s no close second
Amazon.com is the number one seller of clothing in the U.S., having surpassed Walmart in 2020 to earn that distinction. What do you see as the biggest factors supporting Amazon’s…
What makes some ads more shareable than others?
A new study from Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger and Daniel McDuff of Microsoft Research finds that positive emotions result in more sharing, but so do feelings of disgust. What’s the mystery behind why…
Should the Feds move in to help indie grocers?
The National Grocers Association says that outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic only widened disparities in how its members are treated compared to large regional and national chains. Do you…
Why is gaining meaningful insights from data still so hard?
Half of the marketing, information and marketing tech professionals surveyed in the UK and U.S. state that their organization’s data is not organized for easy consumption, making it the most…
Schnucks’ new concept store is a fresh take on the grocer’s business
Though the pandemic caused an uptick in center store and frozen, customers are still interested in fresh options — assuming they can buy them safely. Do you see opportunities for…
Will Dick’s repeat its big win in 2020 this year?
Dick’s Sporting Goods had a record-setting year in 2020 and its stats were impressive. Where do you see opportunities for Dick’s Sporting Goods to build on its momentum from 2020…
Will hiring a celebrity designer turn Walmart into a fashion destination, à la Target?
Walmart thinks that collaborating with a big name American fashion designer, whose clients include Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama among others, will help give the chain the fashion cred it’s…
Which retailers are the most innovative in the business?
All the companies on Fast Company’s list of the 10 most innovative retailers of 2021 all found success during the pandemic helping deliver the “immersive, seamless experiences” increasingly demanded by…
Amazon is not playing games (oh, yes it is) with warehouse worker performance
Amazon has sought to continue to meet its productivity goals while introducing an element of fun into getting the job done with a gamification system that translates common job tasks…
How much HQ space will disappear as hybrid work becomes a retailing thing?
Target last week announced plans to significantly downsize its corporate offices, joining a number of other retailers embracing a flexible, hybrid work model that enables some employees to continue working…
The next evolution of the supply chain will be all about visibility
PVH Corp., the parent of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, is more highly prioritizing real-time inventory visibility to better adjust to potential disruptions coming out of the pandemic. How important…
How did COVID-19 change the rules on food innovation?
In normal times, sales data from the past year would identify new opportunities for innovation. What happens when almost every supermarket product saw record growth simply for being in stock? …
The importance of strategic and tactical balance in uncertain times
Last year, many companies struggled to implement tactics to build resilience into their organizations to survive short-term perils, without losing sight of long-term strategies for an unknown future state. What…
Can Amazon avoid being dragged into the political cancel culture fray?
Amazon recently came under scrutiny by Republican members of the U.S. Senate when it decided to remove a book, When Harry Became Sally by Ryan Anderson, from its website and…
Will CEO transition look good on Ulta Beauty?
Ulta Beauty is getting ready to give its c-suite a new management look. The nation’s largest beauty retailer announced yesterday that CEO Mary Dillon will be stepping down from that…
Do Kroger’s chains have more to gain or lose from closing stores over ‘hero’ pay increases?
It’s safe to say that no retailer feeling forced to pay its workers $4 or $5 an hour more as a result of a local ordinance is happy with the…
Can a celeb endorsement fuel a Payless reboot?
After declaring bankruptcy and closing its operations, Payless is returning to the world of brick-and-mortar retail and may be leveraging a celebrity endorsement as it tries to get the business…
