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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Political Business
How far should chief executives of large companies go to support political candidates? Wal-Mart’s Lee Scott, Home Depot’s Robert Nardelli and eBay’s chief Meg Whitman all say they’re voting…
WSJ: Dockers Sale Done, Levi To Focus On Jeans
A report in the Wall Street Journal says Levi Strauss has agreed to sell its Dockers clothing brand to the Vestar Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and an apparel…
Department Stores Look For Growth Outside The Mall
After having watched for years as competitors from Kohl’s to Wal-Mart siphoned off previously mall-bound customers, the department store chains have embarked on expansion programs focused on standalone locations and…
Mining Gift Cards for Customer Insights
Eric Dash reports in Inc. magazine on several small and mid-sized retailers who have transformed gift card programs into loyalty programs. These new “stored-value” programs have several benefits. What is…
Wal-Mart Tries To “Set The Record Straight”
If Lee Scott were a singer in a rock and roll band, one of the songs on the set list would have to be The Animal’s hit, “Don’t Let Me…
Retailer Casts Vote for the Environment
Patagonia is a retailer that is passionate about the great outdoors. A report by Wired News says its “corporate mission is to protect planet Earth.” With so much riding on…
“Nordstrom Sells Service”
Robert Spector, author of The Nordstrom Way: The Inside Story of America’s #1 Customer Service Company, says the company isn’t in the retailing business. It’s in the customer service business…
H-E-B Realigns Workforce
H. E. Butt Grocery announced yesterday it was realigning its organization to add 300 customer service positions in stores while cutting about 100 administrative positions, primarily from its headquarters. What…
Field’s and May On Different Online Page
Marshall Field’s is going through transition pains as it moves its computer system from Target to its new parent, May Department Stores. The Chicago Sun-Times reports consumers are longer able…
Music Download Store to Open on eBay
PassAlong Networks, a music download service that includes the complete catalogs of Warner Music, BMG and Universal Music Group, plans to set up a storefront on eBay to gain exposure…
NRF Predicts Seasonal Cheer For Retailers
The National Retail Federation (NRF) said retailers shouldn’t spend time lamenting disappointing sales from the third quarter because they’re going to be plenty busy during the upcoming holidays. What do…
Albertsons Buys Into New Niche
Albertsons is going upscale. Yesterday, the company announced it purchased Bristol Farms, the 11-store gourmet grocery chain in Southern California. What do you expect Albertsons to do with Bristol…
The Marketing of “La Presidencia”
Joe L. Whitley is credited with the statement, “If you think advertising doesn’t work, consider the millions of Americans that now think yogurt tastes good.” In this year’s presidential election,…
Product Targets Consumers Concerned With Waste
Laurie Brown, founder and CEO of Minneapolis-based Restore Products Co., is counting on consumers concerned with the environment to make her new product a success. The Restore Refill Station is…
Almost Everyone Shops at Wal-Mart
According to the latest numbers from Retail Forward’s Wal-Mart Shopper Update, half of the primary shoppers in U.S. households go shopping at a Wal-Mart store on a monthly basis. One-fourth…
Marketing That Gets Inside Your Brain
In the not too distant future, marketers may find hitting on the right marketing message is only a brain scan away. Today, researchers are studying how consumers’ brain activity…
No Way To Curb This Enthusiasm
Fast casual dining establishments, including Applebee’s, Ruby Tuesday and Outback Steakhouse, are driving as much as 10 percent in incremental sales without ever having customers come through the door. Curbside…
Retailers’ Customer Service Passes the Hurricane Test
Under normal circumstances, you would be hard-pressed to find many consumers who rave about the customer service they’ve received at a retail outlet. That’s what makes it all the more…
Shoppers Appreciate Intelligent Targeting
According to a survey by the Poneman Institute, as reported by Direct magazine, a majority of people would view banner ads as less intrusive if they were more relevant to…
McD’s Olsen Twins Promo Faux Pas
Here’s one to be entered under the “What the heck were they thinking?” category. McDonald’s in France is running a Happy Meals promotion featuring the Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley…
Will The Poor Have Enough To Even Shop Wal-Mart?
A report by TheStreet.com says, “Wall Street is keeping one eye on the spending power of low-income Americans, whose endurance appears to be waning as their federal tax refunds run…
