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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Can Barnes & Noble’s in-store experts beat algorithms?
Supported by a new ad campaign, Barnes & Noble is using its associate expertise as a prime selling point for the holidays. Will the message of in-store experts resonate with…
Will 7-Eleven’s cashier-less store take hold?
What would it mean for cashiers around the world if the largest global convenience store chain went fully-automated with cashier-less technology? With 7-Eleven in Japan now exploring such a move,…
Mall of America’s hologram concierge offers gift suggestions
For the holiday season, the Mall of America introduced what it claims is the “first-ever Shopping Hologram Concierge.” Do you see interactive holographic sales assistants largely serving as attractions for…
Who will win the battle for holiday gift procrastinators?
On Monday, Target became the latest retailer to plug its wide range of in-store, online and hybrid options for last-minute holiday shoppers. Which last-minute holiday options resonate most with holiday…
Yoox looks seeks AI’s help for design inspiration
Designers of Yoox’s latest apparel line are getting a little inspirational help; the line is based on information collected, aggregated and “powered by artificial intelligence.” Does it make sense for…
When are outside Amazon experts better than inside ones?
Today, with a wide range of complexities, Amazon experts come in all shapes and sizes. What advice would you have for brands on handling advertising and other aspects of their…
Will porch pirates ruin Christmas?
Many municipal police departments have reported a continued rise in the theft of packages from doorsteps and apartment building lobbies over the last few years as online selling expands. Which…
Are retailers getting over their SKU management hurdles?
Determining which products deserve a spot on shelves — and which no longer do — used to be straight-forward. Is using sales-based hurdle rates still the best way to determine…
RH’s new location is a ‘luxury compound’
RH (formerly Restoration Hardware), in its pursuit of the luxury customer, has built an experiential one-off location in Napa Valley that’s so big they’re calling it not a flagship, but…
Does Starbucks have a big delivery opportunity?
At its investor day on Thursday, Starbucks said that, in a partnership with Uber Eats, the chain will roll out home delivery to nearly one-quarter of company-owned stores in the…
Does fear motivate workers or make things worse?
Research shows that, as tools for motivating workers, fear and intimidation come with a lot of risk and have been largely discredited for some time. And yet the use of…
H-E-B puts mobile scan and go tech in customers’ hands
Regional grocery powerhouse H-E-B is the latest to try to tackle the challenge of long lines at the checkout by putting a tech solution in the hands of its customers…
Retailing success doesn’t depend on silver bullets
Anyone who’s spent considerable time in physical retail has heard the silver bullets as they’ve been loaded into the figurative magazine. If it were easy, wouldn’t everyone have figured it…
Will the maker movement inspire a new creative direction for malls?
The commercial real estate management firm, JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle), has opened its first permanent store, Rose & Loon, with a focus on homemade merchandise from local artists at a…
Are holiday shoppers getting more ‘appy’?
The bulk of holiday shoppers during the first part of this holiday season were not Millennials or Gen Zers, but they still used their smartphones to shop. Does research showing…
Where will Amazon go with its cashier-free concept?
Reuters reports that Amazon opened a scaled-down version of Go inside one of the company’s offices in Seattle. What do you think of the upside potential for Amazon to open…
Is Kroger following the Sears playbook for self-destruction?
Last week, Kroger reported its third quarter earnings, and one industry expert has questioned whether the grocery giant is on the right path or if it is making the same…
Kraft Heinz ‘embraced failure’ in digital transformation
To drive its digital transformation and fully explore new solutions, Kraft Heinz had to create a “culture that really embraced failure.” What advice would have for larger CPG vendors around…
Should Amazon buy Target?
A lot can change in 12 months, but for one analyst a conjecture made around the start of the year still stands as we get ready to ring in 2019…
Will ‘Practice’ make for perfectly loyal customers at Lululemon?
Lululemon is testing its first-ever membership program. While including elements similar to other loyalty programs, the yoga-themed apparel chain sees it as an empowerment initiative. Has Lululemon designed a winning…
RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Chewy.com vs. Petco
The first four weeks of RetailWire’s Christmas Commercial Challenge has advanced TJX Companies, Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Target into the finals. This week, we line up pet category…
