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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Amazon has won. Now what?
Amazon.com’s growth story — unprecedented, immense, rocket-like (choose your superlative) — does not come with a happy ending for most retailers. In summary, Amazon has won. The bigger problem is,…
Will parachutes provide drones with a soft landing for home deliveries?
A new technological development aims to make delivery drones less likely to plummet and therefore more palatable to the general public. Will parachutes on drones created and managed by delivery…
Will cloud-based services elevate Starbucks beyond coffee retailing?
Starbucks is planning a launch of a cloud-based platform providing end-to-end solutions focused on improving the customer experience in restaurants. Will cloud-based platform elevate Starbucks beyond being just a coffee…
How long is the customer journey?
In a survey of 158 business professionals by Arm Treasure Data, 71 percent say they believe the time between first customer engagement and purchase is a month or longer. Have…
Will Google’s new shopping platform steal product searches away from Amazon?
Originally announced in May, Google Shopping includes a personalized home page for Google members that provides access to millions of products via tabs distinguished by category. What do you see…
ThirdLove brings digital bra-fitting to physical retail with its first store
“Nobody wants to go bra shopping,” Heidi Zak, co-founder and co-CEO of online lingerie seller ThirdLove told Business Insider in September 2018. “I started the company so a woman wouldn’t…
Walmart shakes things up, further integrating online and physical store teams
In a move to better integrate its physical stores with its online enterprise, Walmart is combining both its supply chain and finance teams that work with its e-commerce site and…
Is Amazon’s deal with indie brands a Faustian bargain?
Amazon is offering a program to help upstart brands gain more support and visibility on its platform. The cost: Amazon gets the right to purchase the brand at any time…
Should retailers hire more ex-cons?
With unemployment rates at or near historic lows, retailers sometimes look in different places to find good workers. According to a recent piece from Bloomberg, some restaurant operators are hiring…
Is Toys ‘R’ Us just playing around or will Americans buy its new concept store?
Yesterday, TRU Kids Brands, the parent company of Toys “R” Us, announced plans to open two new stores in time for the 2019 Christmas shopping season. What do you think…
What does it take to develop top retail store managers?
Just because someone knows how to sell your merchandise doesn’t mean they know how to motivate a crew and manage your store. What advice would you add to those in…
New concept turns retail store into a theatrical experience
NYC retailer Showfields, a brick-and-mortar showcase for mostly online brands, is getting in on the experiential act with a theatrical guided tour called House of Showfields. Do you think customers…
Amazon and rivals report record Prime Day results
While Amazon’s 48-hour Prime Day event didn’t go off entirely without service interruptions or complaints, the e-tail giant claims more items were purchased over the two-day event than Black Friday…
What’s the recipe for de-stressing entrepreneurs?
Entrepreneurs are praised as the lifeblood of innovation, but the stress and anxiety makes them prone to mental health conditions, according to numerous studies. What health advice would you give…
Will Gap’s new loyalty program bring meaningful rewards?
Gap Inc.’s pilot of its Bright Rewards program has shown strong results, enough so it is being rolled out across Gap banners nationally. How likely are the results from Gap’s…
Alexa – Are Americans ready to shop by voice?
Based on the increased adoption of the devices, eMarketer has raised its forecast for shopping activity on smart speakers. Have you become more or less confident that smart speakers will…
Has Prime Day become America’s cue to shop for back-to-school?
Many consumers go looking for back-to-school deals on Amazon.com for Prime Day. Many others click to rival sites for the same purpose. Has Prime Day become America’s cue to shop…
‘World’s Smallest Restaurant’ opens to promote single-person meals
Irma, the largest supermarket chain in Denmark, recently opened a restaurant pop-up that serves only one person at a time. What’s preventing grocers from fully addressing the demand for single-person…
CEO says Walmart’s stores are the answer to Amazon – at least for groceries
When it comes to fulfillment centers to handle online orders, Walmart with 20 warehouses is well behind Amazon’s 100. Walmart, however, has thousands of stores. Is grocery the key to…
Who owns customer service in an age of co-branding?
New initiatives — call them co-opetition, frenemy agreements or partnerships — are bringing together retailers, brands and online marketplaces. With so many companies partnering up, how can one ensure seamless…
Can GameStop become the go-to place for the gaming lifestyle?
GameStop is piloting a store redesign to make the in-store experience as much about the gaming lifestyle as the games themselves. Will a rethinking of its brick-and-mortar stores allow…
