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Can IKEA drive a used furniture movement?
IKEA is testing its first second-hand store in Sweden as part of its goal to become a fully circular business by 2030. Do you see a hot resale market for…
C-stores focused on being even more convenient during the pandemic
With commuting and general travel down since the coronavirus landed in the U.S., c-stores have struggled to drive traffic and are losing share to bulk-buying at larger formats. How may…
Could Authentic Brands be the lynchpin in J.C. Penney’s turnaround?
Now that Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners own J.C. Penney, the two mall operators are in talks with Authentic Brands Group to join them in parenting the department…
Retailer saves itself at the buzzer with TikTok
Early in the pandemic, retailers needed to pivot to survive in a socially-distanced landscape. San Diego-based Candy Me Up’s pivot was the app, TikTok. Do you think Candy Me Up’s…
Will the election sidetrack holiday shoppers?
The presidential election typically causes distractions to holiday selling every four years and this year’s disruption might eclipse all others. How do you think the upcoming elections will impact the…
Will locals choose Brooklyn over Bezos?
With a tagline “Shop Brooklyn, Not Bezos,” Cinch Market is a newer online marketplace aggregating the inventory of local Brooklyn businesses to support same-day delivery. What do you see as…
Lululemon is ready to tackle holiday crowd control
Lululemon plans to use a mix of pop-ups, queuing technology and online assistance to manage Christmas holiday crowds. What steps being employed by Lululemon to prepare for holiday crowds will…
How can grocers help ease home cooking fatigue?
Forty percent of consumers consider “planning different meals every day” among the biggest challenges they face when meal planning, according to a new study. What steps can grocers take to…
How big is the staycationer opportunity?
Staycations — basically, vacations nearby where you live — have become a global trend in 2020 due to social distancing concerns and travel bans in response to the coronavirus pandemic. …
Will Big Lots continue to stand out after the pandemic?
Big Lots has experienced a stock surge of 60 percent this year and seen record sales growth in its most recent quarter, according to CNN. Is Big Lots’ success merely…
Target touts diversity gains, pledges to hire more Black employees
2020 has been great for Target from a sales standpoint. It has not, however, been a banner year for the retailer’s Minneapolis hometown. What will Target’s commitment to the hiring,…
J.C. Penney rescued. Will it now find success and save the mall, too?
J.C. Penney announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with two of its landlords on a near eleventh-hour deal. Do you think J.C. Penney will be in a…
Walmart pilots its way into the drone delivery race
Walmart has launched a drone pilot program to test on-demand delivery in North Carolina, the state where the Wright brothers first took flight with their powered aircraft in 1903. …
How can indie retailers build lasting brand equity?
One of the best ways to describe a brand was coined by Adrienne Weiss, CEO of Adrienne Weiss Corp: “A brand is a country, complete with its own language, rituals,…
Which COVID-19 consumer habits will stick?
Some consumers don’t expect many of the new habits they’ve picked up while adjusting to COVID-19 to continue after the crisis has eased, according to new data. How should retailers…
Is it okay for retailers to ease up on cleaning their stores?
Retailers have worked hard to institute cleaning procedures to make shoppers feel safe during the pandemic, yet It’s clear that many retailers have cut back on the number of hours…
Grocer creates a store-within-a-store for CBD products
Cannabis has experienced medical and/or recreational legalization at the state level throughout much of the U.S., the non- or minimally-psychoactive cannabis-derived compound CBD has had a related boom. Does giving…
Has COVID-19 revealed pickup’s pain points?
Asked about their experiences with curbside pickup since COVID-19, 55 percent of consumers chose the description “fast & easy” in a survey, 35 percent said “a little rocky” and 10…
Will Santa be bringing as many toys this holiday?
Walmart introduced an online focus group of kids to rate toys, rolled out an interactive tool that lets kids and parents try out toys virtually and came up with a…
Learn about AI success from execs who are getting it right
A characteristic of companies achieving the most value from investments in artificial intelligence are executives able to articulate the role of AI in their business. How would you prioritize developing…
Will cities, and the retailers in them, bounce back?
Fleeing residents, empty offices and tourists made scarce by the pandemic are causing wide ranging debates on how steep a recovery cities are facing. How serious a threat is COVID-19…
