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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Smart home spending to take a temporary hit before surging
A new study from ABI Research predicts that the pandemic will significantly slow consumer smart home purchases in 2020 and accelerate growth in the years ahead. Will COVID-19 speed up…
Is Sur La Table too late for the home cooking craze?
Sur La Table found a buyer at a bankruptcy court auction and so will get a chance to take advantage of the resurgence in home cooking amid the pandemic. Is…
Build vs. buy: Is that still a question in retail IT?
A lot of old-school thinking still pervades retail management when it comes to IT as the “build versus buy” argument continues inside many retail HQs. Where do you land on…
Home Depot and Lowe’s are in a race against time and each other
Rivals Home Depot and Lowe’s have each announced this month that they are taking steps to outpace the other when it comes to the delivery and pickup of online orders…
Can airport retailers weather the turbulence?
With travel at historical lows due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, airport retailers that were thriving just a few months ago are now having trouble getting people in the door…
REI is going remote and selling its corporate headquarters
REI Co-op has announced plans to sell its newly completed corporate campus in Bellevue, WA, and “lean into remote working as an engrained, supported and normalized model.” What steps will…
Should retailers push Congress for a more robust stimulus plan?
As Congress struggles to find common ground on a second round of fiscal stimulus, it’s time to review the impact of the CARES Act legislation. How effective do you think…
Will CVS build on its COVID-19 test momentum?
While the novel coronavirus pandemic has been rough on retail as a whole, retailers in specific segments have found opportunities. One of those retailers is CVS. How can CVS hang…
Is the Walmart/Instacart pilot a sign of big delivery news to come?
The biggest retailer and the largest online grocery delivery service in the U.S. are teaming up in a pilot program that, if expanded nationwide, could have major ramifications for the…
Should marketers keep masks out of commercials?
Face coverings may be part of the new normal, but not many commercials are showing people wearing masks. One reason may be wanting to keep the messaging focused on more…
Kroger’s marketplace sets out to ‘deliver anything, anytime, anywhere’
Kroger has announced that it will add an online marketplace in the fall designed to allow third-parties to sell products via its website. How will adding third-party sellers in complementary…
Simon sees a big and profitable upside in acquiring retail tenants
Simon Property Group is looking for opportunities to acquire once-successful retailers on the cheap as the effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic continue to force a record number of chains…
What does the pandemic mean for mobile pay?
While there’s no evidence COVID-19 can be transmitted by cash or credit cards, the use of mobile payments and contactless cards has taken off in recent months over concerns about…
Will anything slow Aldi and Dollar General’s roll if COVID-19 didn’t?
The pandemic isn’t slowing down Aldi’s or Dollar General’s ambitions in the grocery space. How would you assess the unique threats from Aldi and Dollar General to traditional grocers and…
Will Amazon install distribution hubs in malls across America?
Simon Property Group is in talks with Amazon to turn some anchor locations in its malls, which currently are home to or formerly housed a J.C. Penney or Sears store,…
Will COVID-19 give facial recognition a second look?
Retail has found new purpose in facial recognition during the coronavirus crisis for its potential to support contact-free payments, temperature checks, mask-detection and surveillance. Do you see facial-recognition technology offering…
Macy’s opens online ambassador program to anyone
Macy’s has expanded its online Style Crew ambassador program from employee-only to include everyone from influencers to ordinary shoppers. Do you see more benefits than risks in Macy’s move to…
Has there ever been a better time to build or kill customer loyalty?
A new study by the Wharton School’s Baker Retailing Center and WisePlum found consumers questioning their loyalty to retailers following disappointing omnichannel interactions in recent months. Do you think retailers…
Is targeting offers based on online browsing creepy?
Offering product suggestions based on a shopper’s browsing history is a common online tactic, but a new university study finds consumers being observed may be more inclined not to make…
DoorDash delivers a virtual convenience store
DoorDash is launching DashMart, a new service offering 2,000 grocery products and essentials, as well as convenience and restaurant branded items delivered within 30 minutes. Will DashMart’s new offering be…
Is it time for Walmart to drop its COVID-19 return policy?
Because of the pandemic, some retailers with liberal return policies were forced to make all or most sales final. At Walmart, in-store returns remain unavailable, and some customers have gotten…
