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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Premium McCoffee Roll Out Plan
It’s not Harry Met Sally, but McDonald’s wants what Dunkin’ Donuts, 7-Eleven and Starbucks are having — success with premium coffee sales. A report by USA Today says McDonald’s plans…
Retailers Come to Tsunami Victims’ Aid
The world has responded to the images of devastation and stories of personal loss from the tsunami in Asia that was felt as far away as Africa. Retailers in the…
Fat In The City
For the fourth year out of five, the home of the Astros, Rockets and Texans has garnered the ignominious honor of being named America’s fattest city by Men’s Health magazine…
What If There Were No Discounts?
Report after report following the Christmas holiday suggest retailers (excluding those who specialize in luxury goods) that came out with sales at or above plan did so because of deep…
Obesity Legislation More Dangerous Than Lawsuits
Forget tort reform. If a new report from Levick Strategic Communications is right, food manufacturers, retailers and restaurants, particularly those in Europe, needn’t worry so much about obesity-related lawsuits. What…
Are Big Retailers Being Smart About How They Expand Their Hispanic Marketing Strategies?
A recent article on AdAge.com highlights steps that large retailers like IKEA, Circuit City, Target, Home Depot and JC Penney are taking to adjust their Hispanic marketing programs, as well…
Patent Law Affects You…Really
The patent system in the United States has become a government-sanctioned source of legalized monopoly for the companies with the resources to exploit it. In their recent book Innovation and…
Grocers Just Want Shoppers to Have Fun
Kate Lowery, a spokesperson for Whole Foods, said her company wants to make shopping for groceries more enjoyable for customers. “Americans love to eat and they love to shop, so…
Former Federated CEO Indicted For Perjury
The Financial Times reports a grand jury in New York has accused James Zimmerman, the former chief executive of Federated Department Stores, of lying under oath for denying he tried…
Staples Pulls Ads From Sinclair Stations
The Sinclair Broadcast Group came under scrutiny during the recent presidential election when it announced plans to air a news program before the vote that many saw as a thinly…
Markdowns Increase Traffic, Reduce Margins
Many retail industry analysts believe higher sales reported for the holiday season may have come at a price — lower profits for stores. Will the 2004 holiday season have an…
Biker Loyalty
Ducati is working to make their brand one that customers keep for life. Ducati’s objective is to not just sell another motorcycle, but initiate a new member into the tribe…
Familiar Story: Sales Down, Profits Up at Kmart
The final two months of 2004 produced financial results for Kmart that followed a familiar pattern since the chain emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Same-store sales were down and…
Second Cow Tests Positive for BSE in Canada
Just days after the United States announced plans to reopen its market to Canadian beef, a cow from a herd in Alberta tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or…
Office Depot Plans To Take Care of Business Customers
Office Depot stakeholders can’t be happy with the office supply retailer’s performance in 2004 that saw sales grow two percent in the first nine months of the year and only…
2005: The Year Consumers Spend Less
Higher prices for goods, rising interest rates and personal debt are going to cause consumers to reign in their spending in 2005, according to Standard & Poor’s. What economic and…
U.S. To Let Canadian Cattle Back In
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is partially lifting a ban on importing live cattle from Canada that was imposed when a case of mad cow disease was discovered in an…
Adults Playing Hooky
According to a Harris Interactive survey, one in five adults in the U.S. have called in sick to work when they weren’t. Some say that the definition of a sick…
Burger Bellies to Get Bally Treatment
Yum Brands has a couple of wishes to start the New Year. It wants more people to eat at its restaurants, and wants those same consumers to go to the…
Manufacturer, Wholesaler, Retailers Sued in Motrin Case
The parents of a seven-year-old girl filed a suit against the maker of the pain reliever Motrin, McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals, as well the drug wholesalers, McKesson Corp. and…
McD’s Considering Putting Chickens to Sleep
The animal rights group PETA said it is encouraged by McDonald’s decision to investigate switching to suppliers who use a more humane approach to slaughtering chickens. Are restaurants and others…
