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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Shoppers Get Software-To-Go At CompUSA
Twenty-five CompUSA stores in the Dallas, San Francisco and Seattle markets will soon have a system in place that allows them to display a virtually limitless library of software titles…
Study: Consumers Less Brand Conscious
A new survey by America’s Research Group says only 32 percent of consumers think the brand of a product is “extremely important” in choosing a gift for the holidays. Only…
Giant Cuts Back Associates’ Hours
The company says employees are overreacting. Still, store managers and associates are scratching their heads over a decision by Giant Food to cut employee hours during the busiest time of…
Kroger and UFCW Reach Agreement
Kroger and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract for 3,300 store employees in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky…
A&F Quarterly No More
Abercrombie & Fitch has decided to get out of the kitchen. The fashion retailer, which has taken a lot of heat over its A&F Quarterly magazine, has decided to cease…
Consumers Changing Shopping Patterns
It’s been documented that many consumers research a purchase online before going to buy it in a store. Now, new research indicates a growing number of shoppers are doing their…
The King of Pop and Music
Coca-Cola announced yesterday it is going to take on the likes of Apple, Microsoft, Virgin and Wal-Mart in launching an online music store in the United Kingdom. What are your…
Is Boston Market’s Chicken Cooked?
Is Boston Market’s chicken cooked? Will McDonald’s cut off dough to Donato’s Pizzeria? Does it make sense for the hamburger chain to say “adios” to its Chipotle Mexican Grill business?…
What’s Going On Inside J.C. Penney?
J.C. Penney has confirmed plans to close 12 of its U.S. department stores by the end of the year. This move follows last week’s announced closing of Penney’s sale of…
Customs Joins Food Protection Efforts
In case you missed it, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) last week paving the way for…
Kmart Caters to Disabled
A Kmart located in Southwest Florida in Lee County opened early for business yesterday for a select group of customers who find it especially difficult to shop during the holiday…
Pure-Plays Are Profitable
A Wall Street Journal piece says something unusual has happened on the heels of the dot-com bust. A number of pure-play specialty retailers are not only making money, they are…
Levi’s Straussing Out
Levi Strauss used to be the name brand jean everybody was wearing. That time seems far off as the company continues to struggle in its efforts to reclaim the brand…
The Retail Middle Shrinks
Based on the latest reports, retailers at the luxury end of the spectrum (Saks, Nordstrom) and discounters (Wal-Mart, Target) turned in strong year-over-year sales numbers while those looking to fill…
Wal-Mart Wants Meat in 48-Hours
Wal-Mart wants to cut the time it takes for it to get case-ready meat after placing an order from 96 to 48-hours, reports Reuters. Would achieving a 48-hour turnaround give…
Bar Code Scammers Arrested
Federal authorities arrested three people in the Atlanta area yesterday who allegedly used a bar code scam to steal $150,000 and perhaps more from Home Depot and Lowe’s. The three…
ABC News Places Blame For Obesity Epidemic
Grocery manufacturers, retailers and others involved in the food industry — get ready to deal with the brouhaha that comes out of next Monday’s ABC News broadcast: “Peter Jennings Reporting…
SoCal Lockout/Strike: Day 53
Reports we’re getting from Southern California offer a mixed story on the impact the Teamsters’ walkout is having on product stock levels at the 800 plus stores owned by Albertsons,…
Survey: 88% Want Mandatory GMO Labeling
A study released by the Consumers’ Association of Canada yesterday says 88 percent of Canadian consumers believe there should be mandatory labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in all food…
Japanese Two-Dollar Store Format Debuts
The Vancouver Sun reports Daiso-Sangyo Co. of Japan is opening its first store in North America next week at the Aberdeen Centre mall. What are your thoughts about Daiso-Sangyo expanding…
The Army To March On Its RFID in 2005
Suppliers to the U.S. Department of Defense are expected to have radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on their product shipments ready for tracking by January 2005, said a DOD official…
