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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Hy-Vee suspends employee discounts after finding fraud and misuse
Hy-Vee has suspended its employee discount program after discovering a significant increase in the number of people using it that did not share the same household or even the same…
Is Neiman Marcus right to focus on the top two percent of its customers?
Neiman Marcus’s CEO recently made a statement about the type of customer that the luxury department store operator wants to attract. Some sales staff believe he is putting out the…
Companies seek higher productivity via hybrid schedules and fewer meetings
Shopify’s New Year commitment to cut down on the number of meetings it holds for more than two people is being touted as a successful productivity hack by the company…
Chick-fil-A is giving NYC delivery workers a ‘brake’
Third party delivery workers may not be employees of Chick-fil-A, but they are critical to the restaurant’s performance as it expands in NYC. The chicken chain has opened a storefront…
What’s holding back merchandising execution?
A lack of planogram compliance and ineffective localization continues to complicate the merchandising process. Further exacerbating these challenges is the proliferation of channels, digitally adept shoppers and rapidly changing preferences,…
Did Temu score a major win on Super Bowl Sunday?
The Temu e-commerce site has only been live in the U.S. since September, but that didn’t stop the Chinese-owned marketplace from looking to connect on a long ball during the…
Walmart gets the attention of shoppers with egg-ceptional prices
Walmart is known for its everyday low prices on products across the store, but a recent offer of a carton of 18 eggs for $2 at a store in Kentucky…
Will ChatGPT reinvent search?
Microsoft and Google both revealed plans last week to introduce their own ChatGPT-style product, joining the hype around the AI-driven chatbot technology. Do you see ChatGPT and similar AI-driven technology…
How much more automation is on the way, and how fast?
Retail has already witnessed some major forms of automation implemented at scale, and a major player in the segment recently laid out a tight timeline along which people should expect…
Women are slowly joining grocery’s leadership ranks
Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer introduced its inaugural FoRWARD Awards celebrating 28 women who have worked their way to the top of the male-dominated grocery industry. What career advice would you…
Should grocers be demanding price decreases from suppliers?
At a virtual meeting in December, Whole Foods implored suppliers to lower costs on packaged groceries as inflation moderates. Do grocers have the leverage it takes to strong-arm their suppliers…
Walmart is closing tech hubs and bringing IT workers back to the office
Walmart is closing three technology hubs and requiring workers to relocate to primary office locations in San Bruno, CA, and at the retailer’s headquarters in Bentonville, AR. Will Walmart’s decision…
Is pay transparency good or bad for retail labor?
California recently passed a law requiring employers with at least 15 workers to include pay ranges in job postings following calls for increased visibility to reduce gender and racial wage…
The best commercial of Super Bowl LVII is…
The broadcast of Super Bowl LVII featured a halftime show by Rihanna. ESPN reports she “crushed her performance.” The same may be true of some of the commercials that aired during…
Is the small neighborhood store ready to be the next big retail trend?
People enjoy working from home so much that going back to the office five days a week is no longer an option. Being home more often, consumers prefer to shop…
Will modest fashion become a mainstream retail opportunity?
American Dream, the mega entertainment and retail complex in East Rutherford, NJ, announced plans to open The Address, billed as “the world’s first modest fashion department store.” Do you see…
Which drives you crazier? ‘Tipflation’ or tip creeping?
Tipping fatigue has been trending as a topic in the media and has sparked angry debates on social media for nearly a year. The arguments now appear to center on…
Lowe’s looks for a win with its first in-store Super Bowl livestream
Lowe’s is the official home improvement retailer of the National Football League. It will also be one place where some customers can go on Sunday to listen to the Super…
Was it a mistake for Instacart to hail its workers as heroes?
Grocery delivery workers were hailed as heroes during the pandemic. However, Instacart’s experience shows how the sudden moralization of work, which is often used to control workers, can backfire, according…
What do Walmart closings say about the viability of pickup-only grocery stores?
Walmart is closing its two pickup- and deliver-only concept stores in the Chicago suburb of Lincolnwood and in Bentonville, AR. What do Walmart’s store closings and new store openings from…
Is retail losing its entrepreneurial spirit?
A new report from small-business lending platform OnDeck finds consulting, finance and technology among the top sectors for creating future business founders. Retailers, by comparison, ranked low. Have the traits…
