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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Store employees of the future will be affiliates, not associates
Retailers are creating affiliate-like programs to enable associates to create digital profiles, drive online engagement with shoppers, and potentially earn themselves fat commissions. But such programs require adjustments. What do…
How can retailers get customers to complete feedback surveys?
Some 44 percent of consumers across the U.S., U.K. and Australia say they’ve abandoned a customer feedback survey without completing it, according to a recent study. Are traditional forms of collecting…
Are retailers better off going cashless?
The foodservice and retail industries appear headed to a cashless future. While proponents suggest it cut cash handling costs and reduce losses, it may also leave groups of consumers without…
Can customer lifetime value scores work against retailers?
A recent Wall Street Journal article pointed to some of the benefits and downsides that consumers may receive from the use of customer lifetime value scoring by retailers. Do you…
RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Target vs. Walmart
Target and Walmart play to their unified commerce advantage in spots produced for the Christmas selling season. Which retailer does a better job of connecting with its core customers while…
Are Millennials taking advantage of retailers’ goodwill?
Twenty-four percent of Millennials have falsely reported an unpleasant experience to a customer service department with the expectation of a receiving a discount or coupon, according to a survey. Do…
Does Amazon’s record performance point to the growing importance of Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday records are made to be broken and that’s what happened yesterday. Has Cyber Monday become more important to the overall top and bottom line results for retailers during…
Can online unboxing videos turn Walmart into ‘America’s Best Toy Shop?’
Walmart has introduced an online shop that invites kids to become a “Walmart toy tester” and play with 20 top trending toys from their computer or tablet. Do interactive video…
Enjoy Life connects with consumers ‘one-to-one’
Enjoy Life, a Mondelēz-owned brand, has moved toward one-to-one marketing, led by insights obtained from analysis of consumer data. What advice would have for brands shifting focus from traditional advertising…
Are Black Friday results a sign of Christmas 2018 things to come?
While the shift to online selling continued, a number of other factors may have provided a boost to sales over Black Friday weekend. What’s your take on the 2018 Black…
Millennial brand loyalty comes into question
In 2015, Inc. Magazine called Millennials “the most brand-loyal generation.” Public perception of the generation has changed, however. In your experience are Millennials a particularly brand-loyal generation?
Will a radical transformation lift or sink IKEA?
IKEA has announced a major reset that includes the international furniture retail giant making significant commitments to urban stores, online sales and delivery. Do you see IKEA’s shift to smaller,…
Waitrose disses John Lewis’ Elton John Christmas commercial
John Lewis and Waitrose are sister companies, but that isn’t keeping the latter from apparently dissing the former in its Christmas commercial. Do you think the way Waitrose tied into…
Will loyalty programs drive market share gains for Lyft or Uber?
Both Uber and Lyft have programs in place to vie for their drivers’ loyalty. Now both ride-sharing companies have announced customer loyalty programs. What impact will rewards programs offered by…
Candytopia’s pop-up museum puts AR on display
Already built with interactivity and Instagrammability in mind, pop-up candy museum Candytopia has added an augmented reality (AR) element. Does AR tech have the potential to meaningfully enhance the experience…
The RetailWire Christmas Commercial Challenge: Big Lots vs. Dick’s Sporting Goods
Can a commercial with just over 100 views on YouTube beat another that pulls at the heart strings and has been played over three million times on the social media…
Will 2018 be the last holiday season for long checkout lines?
Black Friday and holiday shopping media coverage is typically all about lines “out the door” and “around the block.” How long do you think it will be before news…
Is Hasbro trolling Millennials with its new Monopoly game sold by Walmart?
Hasbro has come out with a Millennial-themed Monopoly set. The game has faced a backlash on social media. Did Hasbro strike the right tone with Monopoly for Millennials or is…
Can Walmart turn its haters into lovers?
People who love Walmart, really do love Walmart. That loyalty is built around one theme: price. The bad news is that the people who don’t like Walmart, really don’t like…
FAO Schwarz makes an iconic comeback in the Big Apple
FAO Schwarz, the toy retailer that closed its famous Fifth Avenue flagship three years ago, has just as suddenly returned to the Big Apple. Do you approve of the strategy…
Why is Bloomingdale’s selling major appliances?
In a partnership with LG Electronics, Bloomingdale’s plans to sell major appliances and TVs for the first time. Will Bloomingdale’s find success with its test of the LG Signature store-within-a-store…
