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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Is BOPIS over its growing pains?
According to a test of 137 retailers on Black Friday, the average processing time for BOPIS orders was 2.5 hours and 85 percent of orders were fulfilled with no issues…
Is Wawa in hot water over its data breach?
Popular regional convenience store chain Wawa has been scaling and modernizing quickly, but a big data breach could rattle its growing, ardent fan base. Will Wawa experience a significant impact…
Giant thinks AR-games are ripe for grocery aisles
Giant Food Stores has introduced an augmented reality (AR) promotion, Snowflake Search, designed to send kids on scavenger hunts in stores while their parents shop. Will AR-driven, in-store scavenger hunts…
Amazon gets more free with free returns
Amazon is expanding its free returns policy to include electronics, pet supplies, household items, kitchen appliances and more. Previously, only apparel, footwear and bedding were eligible. Does Amazon gain much…
Are dirty sweaters treason to the reason for the season?
Ugly Christmas sweaters, by one journalist’s account, have plummeted from merely tacky to truly tasteless. A proliferation of brands are selling Christmas sweaters with ribald, if not outright obscene, designs…
Shoplifting gets wild and goes viral
Shoplifting has always been a problem for retailers, but it may be getting even further out of hand. A video clip of multiple “customers” grabbing armloads of clothes from a…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Target vs. Walmart
This week’s RetailWire Christmas Commercial pits rivals Target and Walmart against each other. What are your critiques of the Christmas spots from Target and Walmart?
Should the CMO role be retired, reinvented or reemphasized?
Two years after eliminating the role of chief marketing officer in favor of a chief growth officer, Coca-Cola is bringing back the CMO. What likely prompted Coca-Cola to bring back…
Will e-grocers learn to keep produce fresh?
Fresh fruit and vegetables are not easy to ship, posing last-mile challenges that can be pricey to address. Yet according to a new study, e-commerce customers are ordering fresh produce…
Bed Bath & Beyond’s CEO cleans house
On Tuesday, Bed Bath & Beyond announced the departure of six members of its executive team. The exits follow the hiring on Nov. 4 of Mark Tritton, Target’s former chief…
CBD madness – at a supermarket near you
Unable to deem CBD as “generally recognized as safe,” FDA basically warned that selling CBD-containing food and drink is still against the law. So how come it’s all over supermarkets…
How should grocery stores leverage unaffiliated influencers?
Good grocery store experiences can be worth telling the world about, and some fans of major grocery chains are doing just that, bringing their enthusiasm to social media — without…
The Beatles Play SoHo
Fifty-five years after their legendary performance at the Ed Sullivan Theater, The Beatles have come back to New York as a holiday pop-up. Will Sony’s Beatle’s-themed pop-up offer much appeal?
Why is Amazon banning FedEx ground delivery?
Starting Dec. 18, Amazon will begin temporarily restricting marketplace sellers from using FedEx’s ground services for Prime orders. What do you believe is the reason behind the restriction Amazon temporarily…
Lyft rides wave of social responsibility to fix food deserts
Food deserts continue to be a huge social problem that charities, government and the private sector are all working to solve. Lyft has been using the rideshare model to offer…
Andy Dunn’s departure from Walmart indicative of a broader problem
The exits of founders and key personnel from acquired tech startups is common. Reasons cited include misalignment of values and vision, personal ambition or interest in other opportunities. How important…
Will Hudson be more than just a newsstand with a new look?
Travel hub mainstay Hudson is the latest retail chain to rethink its look and feel to meet the needs of contemporary customers. A revamped store layout will feature digital displays…
Is the trade deal an early-Christmas present?
On Friday, the U.S. and China agreed on a Phase One Deal that provides some tariff relief for U.S. businesses that import from China. How much confidence should retailers…
Is there any limit to how many stores Dollar General can open?
One driving force behind the recent waves of brick-and-mortar store closures has been the need to trim unprofitable locations in an overstored retail landscape. One retailer, however, is going full…
Are customers more loyal to brands or influencers?
One of the most difficult balancing acts in all of marketing is trying to administer brand control while simultaneously giving influencers the freedom to generate authentic messaging. Do you see…
Kroger still deciding whether to extend free grocery pickup
Kroger’s test of free pickup in most markets is a hit with customers, but the grocer is still analyzing what the long-term benefits might be before making it a regular…
