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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Governor Wants Violent Video Games Made Illegal
Illinois’ governor Rod Blagojevich called for the state legislature to make it illegal for retailers to sell or rent games such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and JFK Reloaded…
Who Holds The Purse?
British retailer, Marks & Spencer, has created a play area in six of its stores in the U.K. for boys of the adult variety. The “Men’s Creche” as it is…
The Many Returns of the Season
What’s your return policy? This and similar questions have been asked by holiday shoppers for years as gift givers face the reality that the absolutely adorable sweater or other wonderful…
Source: Wal-Mart Execs Fired Over Integrity Breach
For years, Sam Walton and the company he and others built were hailed as a shining example of American ingenuity and the desire to excel. Today, the company finds…
Analyst: Potential Bidders Might Jettison Softer Side
Craig R. Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, told the Chicago Sun-Times he doesn’t think the Sears/Kmart is a match made in heaven. He also doesn’t think that the proposed…
Blockbuster CEO Tired of Being Butt of Jokes
Blockbuster’s chairman and chief executive John Antioco didn’t think it was funny that the company’s policy of charging fees for the late return of movies and games was becoming fodder…
What Race Are Hispanics?
Writer Richard Rodriguez calls Richard M. Nixon the inventor of Hispanics. His logic? In 1972, Nixon signed a federal mandate called Statistical Directive 15, establishing the current system of classifying…
UFCW Shouldn’t Repeat SoCal Mistake
Bill Dombrowski, president of the California Retailers Association, writes in the San Jose Mercury News that the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), currently in labor negotiations in Northern…
Consumers Want Healthy Choices and Lower Prices
The results of a new survey conducted for Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Retailer says consumers are looking for answers when it comes to making healthy food choices and the opportunity…
Retailers Holding Line on Margins
For every hot toy or electronics gadget that gets discounted in the run-up to Christmas, there are other products that stores are marking up as retailers try to come out…
Does a Living Wage Mean Business Dies?
Depending on who is speaking, laws guaranteeing a living wage either mean the beginning of a new more humane workplace and society or the end of business development along with…
If You Want Loyalty, Be Convenient
According to a survey by Brand Keys, “Convenience” now contributes 18% to product and service adoption, loyalty and profitability. What are some conveniences retailers and marketers are delivering to shoppers…
Location, Eminent Domain, Location
Location may not be everything in retailing but, if you want to be successful with a store, it sure is near the top of the list. Unfortunately, retailers’ (especially big…
Airport Friendly Duds Becoming Popular
One of the grim realities of post 9/11 America is that law-abiding citizens are increasingly inconvenienced, some would say harassed, in the name of security. This is especially true in…
Does Right to Bear Arms Include Work?
According to USA Today, a former Pizza Hut delivery person found himself confronted by a man with a gun one evening while making deliveries. He did what he thought was…
When God Goes to Work
God, believers say, is everywhere, including the workplace. According to a report in The Trenton Times, there are “thousands of workplace ministries – officially sanctioned employee religious groups – across…
Group Discounts Target Shoppers
Today, if you’re a member of any large group such as the military, union, auto club, credit card, etc., chances are some business has a special deal for you. Have…
The Marriage of Convenience with Culture
A new market report, “The U.S. Market for Hispanic Foods and Beverages” by Packaged Facts, powerfully demonstrates the convergence between two parallel trends going on right now in the food…
Facing a Fork on the Information Super Highway
Last week, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell faced an opportunity to demonstrate a vision for the future when he was presented a bill that would restrict cities’ ability to provide free…
Retailer Starts Bad-Gift Boycott Campaign
The music and video retail chain, Sam Goody, wants to stamp out bad gifts once and for all. Last year, Goody ran a Bad-Gift Boycott the day after Christmas asking…
Starbucks’ Latest Genius Move
When Ray Charles’ recorded his last album before he died, “Genius Loves Company,” do you think he knew the songs would speak so directly to the retailers selling his collection…
