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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Retailers Enlist CPG Manufacturers in Loyalty Effort
Some retailers are beginning to take a different approach with their loyalty card programs. Instead of simply serving as a means for consumers to receive a promotional discount and drive…
‘Tis the Season to be Frustrated
It isn’t a secret list that only Santa knows, but a new study does spell out what shoppers would like to avoid when doing their holiday shopping this season. …
Remaining Close to your Customers
Marc Ecko, the former graffiti artist and seller of hand painted T-shirts started a clothing line 11 years ago. Despite growing his company to a billion in sales, he knows…
Et tu Steven Roth?
The thinking, when Steven Roth’s Vornado Realty Trust took a 4.3 percent stake in Sears last month (remember that the Kmart-Sears merger had not yet been announced) was that Messrs…
Store Brand Investment Climbs
What’s the appeal of private label/store brands for grocery wholesalers and retailers? Sure, there are usually higher profit margins associated with the sale of a store’s own brand, but…
The “Asda Way” Becomes Wal-Mart’s Way
Wal-Mart’s Asda division is growing and the chain’s people director knows why. “We know that making our business the best place to work will also make it the best place…
Thompson: Food Supply Easy to Attack
The outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson says there is reason for alarm. The nation’s food supply is far from safe. Last week, in remarks made after announcing…
Lands’ End: Online Pioneer
The decision by Lands’ End to start selling its products online had nothing to do with some grand vision of how the Internet was going to change the world of…
Wal-Mart Pushes Panic Button
Wal-Mart admits that it lost the price perception battle to kickoff the holiday selling season but the chain intends to remedy the situation as it launches a new advertising campaign…
Vornado Bidding for Toys ‘R’ Us
Vornado Realty Trust, which recently made news when it took a stake in Sears shortly before the merger with Kmart was announced, is reported to be a top candidate to…
Retailers Sue to Keep Market Open for Chinese Imports
The U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel, a group representing 200 domestic retailers, has filed a lawsuit seeking to ensure that imports from China will not be excluded…
One No Longer The Loneliest Number
New research from the U.S. Census Bureau paints a mighty different picture of the average American family than the Mom, Dad and two or three kids typically idealized in television…
Kiosk-Based Consumer Reports Ratings to Aid Consumers In-Store
Consumer Reports and Active Decisions are now making Internet product research available right in-store for Target and A&B Sound customers. At kiosks located in the aisles, consumers will have the…
Does Food Have a Place in Kmart-Sears?
An editorial written by Supermarket News’ David Merrefield asks what role food will play as Kmart and Sears merge their businesses. Mr. Merrefield correctly points out that Kmart has gone…
Are Retailers Properly Targeting English-Dominant Hispanics?
According to a recent survey conducted by Hispanic Business magazine, the top 25 Hispanic-advertising agencies spend approximately 90 percent of their total billings on Spanish-language advertisements. There are a number…
GHQ Cover Story 12/04: The Pursuit of Relevance
Supermarkets today find themselves in a situation akin to candidates running for elected office. Every day is a new campaign to convince voters (shoppers in this case) that 1) they…
Giant Food Has a Morale Problem
The chief executive of Stop & Shop and Giant Food told analysts that the company has a morale problem at Giant. According to him, combining the two companies’ operations and…
Group Calls For Boycott of Target
The conservative Christian organization, The American Family Association, is calling on its members to boycott Target because of the retail chain’s decision to not allow the Salvation Army to collect…
Is RFID the Answer for Return Scams?
The founder and chief executive of Bar Code Security Systems says “it’s just too easy” to purchase items at a discount in a retail store and then return them elsewhere…
Christmas Bonus Can Increase/Decrease Turnover
Business owners have a means to retain key employees that may be being overlooked — the Christmas bonus. According to business owners and managers who spoke to the Associated Press,…
Staples Simplifies Rebates for Loyalty
Staples Inc. has launched a new paperless online rebate program according to a report on thewisemarketer.com. The Staples Easy Rebate program is intended to make retail shopping easier in time…
