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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Kmart Becomes Synonymous With Irrational Exuberance
As Yogi Berra said, “This is like déjà vu all over again.” In the nineties, Alan Greespan issued his famous warning about “irrational exuberance” in the marketplace and those following…
Gap’s New Concept-To-Be For Women 35+
Gary Muto has a new challenge. The until recently president of the U.S. division of The Gap, Mr. Muto has been given the task of developing a new apparel chain…
Wal-Mart Pulls Back On Neighborhood Market Plans
Wal-Mart has decided to put off building more Neighborhood Markets in Colorado until it has gained greater penetration with its Supercenter concept, reports the Denver Post. What is your read…
Why Would Someone Want To Work For You?
Mary Herrmann, an executive coach in Chicago, says all managers need to ask themselves one question: “Why would people want to work for me?” What does it take to be…
NY’s AG Takes Retailer’s Money to the Bank
Jos. A. Bank Clothiers has agreed to pay $425,000 in civil fines and $50,000 in costs as part of legal settlement with New York state over the clothing chain’s advertising…
Ralphs Still Looking For SoCal Rebound
The grocery workers’ strike/lockout in Southern California has been over for months but Ralphs is still finding it tough getting back to where it was before pickets appeared outside the…
Can Grocery Retailers Successfully Target the Asian American Market?
For retailers and marketers, targeting Asian American consumers has always represented a certain conundrum. Although Asian Americans — a diverse segment comprised of Chinese, Koreans, and Asian Indians and other…
Armed Services Teach Customer Service Lesson
While the recent violence brought the tally of American military personnel killed in Iraq to over 1,000 since U.S. and British forces first invaded that country, less media coverage has…
Study Suggests Suggestive Selling
Clothing retailers are losing the opportunity to increase rings every day because sales people frequently fail to recommend and show customers items they might find of interest. Are retailers teaching…
Macy’s To Go Hyphen-less
Say goodbye to Bon-Macy’s, Burdines-Macy’s, Goldsmith’s-Macy’s, Lazarus-Macy’s and Rich’s-Macy’s and hello to just plain Macy’s. Federated Department Stores announced it was doing away with its hyphenated regional department store banners…
Indy Hardware Stores Find Service Aces Big Box Test
The operators of independently owned Ace Hardware stores have discovered that, every time a new Home Depot or Lowe’s opens up in their market, it means lost business — for…
Shoppers Appreciate Extra Attention
Marianne Wilson writes in Chain Store Age about two retailers who are getting their messages through the clutter. Both Boscov’s department stores and Easy Spirit shoe stores reinforce direct mail…
Sears Doesn’t Repeat Lands’ End Mistakes Online
As Sandra Guy’s report in the Chicago Sun-Times so aptly puts it, “Sears Roebuck and Co. goofed its rollout of Lands’ End apparel in Sears stores.” It doesn’t, however, plan…
Real Claims Market Share But Not Profits
RealNetworks says its loss-leader strategy helped it double its market share in the downloadable music category. The company sold singles at 49 cents a piece during a three-week sale, which…
Online Research Drives In-Store Sales
Barnes & Noble chief executive, Steve Riggio, is a big believer in multichannel retailing for no other reason than it drives sales in his company’s bookstores. Mr. Riggio told analysts…
Albertsons’ Rx Marketing Called Deceptive
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC), a San Diego-based consumer advocacy group, has filed a lawsuit against Albertsons accusing the company of “violating the privacy rights of thousands of its customers by…
Home Depot Takes Manhattan
A piece in The New York Times says you can, “Call it the kinder, gentler Home Depot. But it’s still a hardware store on steroids.” What it is, New Yorkers…
Wal-Mart’s Scott Cites Challenges
Wal-Mart’s chief executive, Lee Scott, said the company is facing a challenging business environment as rising fuel costs and politics are weighing heavily on the minds and pocketbooks of the…
Safeway’s Burd Looks To Differentiate
Safeway’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, Steve Burd told analysts at Prudential’s Back-to-School Consumer Conference yesterday that to be successful the grocer would need to find a way to…
Seniors Offer Marketing Opportunities and Challenges
Americans, as a whole, are getting older and so, it turns out, are our counterparts in Europe. And as here, European marketers are beginning to test various types of advertising…
Rite Aid’s Business Not Made To Mail-Order
Rite Aid’s feel-good turnaround story took a pause yesterday when the chain announced it expected to miss its full-year revenue and profit expectations. The chain said performance was off due…
