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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
What’s Wrong With This TJX Picture?
In the April 12 entry on the fine StorefrontBacktalk blog, Evan Schuman points out that, while many consumers may say they have concerns about identity theft, their actions suggest an…
Montgomery (Kohl’s CEO) in the Middle
Larry Montgomery, chairman and chief executive officer of Kohl’s, has his company positioned squarely in the middle between discounters on one end and upscale department stores on the other, and…
Harmon Discount Health & Beauty to be Renamed
Harmon Discount Health & Beauty, the New Jersey-based division of Bed, Bath & Beyond, recently opened a new format store in Clifton, N.J. under the banner Harmon Face Values. Since…
Credit Card Cos. and Banks Take Heat for Fees
Last week, the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) issued a report that said credit card fees paid by convenience stores exceeded the industry’s total profits. Total credit card fees…
Federated Execs Get Double Discounts
The execs and board at Federated Department Stores are also using the discount perk as a means to motivate themselves to buy at the company’s stores and websites. According to…
Clueless Companies Don’t Get Customers
It’s no secret many companies in retailing and elsewhere have a perception of performance that bears little resemblance to the views of consumers. Research conducted by Forrester’s CMO Group found…
Clinically Speaking, Wal-Mart Sees Healthy Opportunity
Wal-Mart has tested 75 in-store clinics in 12 states and it has all the information it needs to make an informed decision on what it will do next, according to…
Rite Aid Ready to Run with Deal Approval
Rite Aid announced yesterday that it expects to close the deal to acquire the Brooks and Eckerd chains by the end of next month, pending final approval from the Federal…
BrainTrust Query: Why don’t car dealers just give people the price?
BrainTrust panelist Mark Lilien recently employed a systematic approach in buying a new car. Using two manufacturer websites, he faxed detailed pricing requests to 19 Suzuki and 30 Subaru dealers…
Sales Way Up, Profits Way Down for C-Stores
The good news, according to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), is convenience store sales increased 15 percent last year. The bad news is profits tumbled 23.5 percent at…
Publix BOGO Involves National and Own Brand
As Supermarket News reported yesterday, Publix is running a promotion over the next five weeks that will pair a well-known national brand and its store brand equivalent. If a shopper…
CPGmatters: Eye-Catching Shelves
More CPG manufacturers nowadays are evaluating the category structures in place. Are they getting to consumers’ sweet spots? The way they position needs to align with how consumers approach the…
Dogs to Get Place at Outdoor Café Tables
If a bill introduced by State Rep. John Fritchey becomes law then people and their pooches will be dining together outdoors at foodservice establishments all over Illinois. Do you expect…
BI-LO to Hang Out ‘For Sale’ Sign
Last month, Lone Star Funds announced that BI-LO would no longer own Bruno’s Supermarkets and the latter would move its headquarters back to its original home of Birmingham, Alabama. …
Supply Chain Digest: EPC/RFID Success Requirements Revisited
Supply Chain Digest took a fresh look at the list we compiled in 2005 of What is Necessary for ECP/RFID to Thrive in the retail supply chain. That list, with…
BrainTrust Query: How will consumers respond to BP’s Gutsy New Marketing Campaign?
Last week, BP unveiled a $36 million marketing campaign dubbed “Helios Power” focused on going back to its roots and making drivers’ gas station experience ‘a little better.” It’s a…
Taking Aging Personally
Blame it on the media. Of all the images non-Americans have of the U.S., one becoming more prevalent is that of Baby Boomers in hot pursuit of the fountain of…
Marketers Hunt Alpha Moms
Marketers are learning that Alpha Moms are having a tremendous impact within their substantial sphere of influence in the consumer marketplace. Companies including Kimberly-Clark, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Nintendo…
Kroger CEO Says No to LBO
Last Friday, The Wall Street Journal ran a report that a number of private equity firms were considering the possibility of pursuing a leveraged buyout at Kroger. In quick order,…
DIY Retailer Sells Flooring and Food
Home Depot has experimented with grocery item sales with its test of convenience stores in its parking lots. Now, Menards is taking the grocery angle one step further with in-store…
Chain Store Age: Digital Signage – Blazing a New Trail
Looking to engage the consumer during each shopping trip, Roots Canada hopes to leverage its existing digital-signage network to create a more interactive, customized and unique store-level experience. What do…
