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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Do Foodservice and Delivery Businesses Need to Ditch Tipping?
Americans are growing weary of being asked for tips at every turn. That’s the conclusion of two new and separate studies on the subject.
Did Neiman Marcus Make a Mistake Laying Off Its Service Ambassadors?
Leticia Miranda, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, doesn’t think Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) is being entirely forthcoming about why sales fell nine percent in the most recent quarter and earnings before…
Will Lower Volume Purchases Come Back to Bite Grocery Stores?
Price increases, not sales volume, are driving recent increased profit growth in grocery, according to CNN Business. In fact, the amount of groceries customers are buying in some categories has…
Should Lululemon Have Fired Employees For Confronting Thieves?
Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald is vigorously defending the firing of two employees who tried to intervene during a theft at an Atlanta store.
Will Michaels’ Arts and Crafts Camp For Kids Create Lifelong Customers?
Michaels is bringing back its Camp Creatology free kids’ summer craft classes to all of its 1,290 stores this summer.
Is There Any Winning at GameStop?
GameStop CEO Matt Furlong is out and Ryan Cohen, the retailer’s chairman, has been appointed executive chairman, effective immediately.
Has Nike Learned It Just Can’t Do It With DTC Sales Alone?
Reunited and it feels so good. Nike and Macy’s are getting back together more than a year after the athleticwear brand stopped selling its apparel to the department store chain…
Will Walgreens’ New Anti-Theft Store Stop Stealing?
Walgreens is piloting a store concept dedicated to letting customers shop while preventing criminals from stealing.
Should Pandemic-Protecting Plexiglass Be Retired?
H-E-B is removing the plexiglass protective partitions, often called “sneeze guards,” from its checkout counters installed at the height of the pandemic following their removal from many other retailers over…
Are Privacy Concerns Undermining Personalization?
CI&T’s Personalization Survey found a majority of consumers more “excited” (56 percent) than uncomfortable (44 percent) over the idea of retailers using their personal information to tailor their shopping experience…
What Can Brands Learn About Product Launches From Apple’s WWDC?
When it comes to throwing a launch party, nobody does it quite like Apple.
Is Loblaw’s Decision to Close Its Online Marketplace a Sign of Things to Come?
Loblaw, Canada’s largest grocer, is closing its third-party online marketplace, launched three-and-a-half years ago, to focus its website on grocery and pharmacy.
Should Amazon Add Mobile Phone Service as a Prime Perk?
Amazon.com is reportedly talking to wireless carriers about offering low-cost or free nationwide mobile phone service as a perk for Prime subscribers.
Has Dollar General Lost Its Recession-Resistant Tag?
Dollar General slashed its outlook for the year after first-quarter results missed plan, raising concerns over the chain’s vulnerability to an economic downturn.
Will Saks Personal Stylists Be Welcomed at Luxury Resorts?
Saks Fifth Avenue is extending its Fifth Avenue Club personal shopping and styling service to luxury resorts across the U.S.
Can Retailers Make Embarrassing Purchases Less Embarrassing?
A university study finds that when buying embarrassing products such as condoms or menstrual pads, consumers choose self-checkout or the ”most robotic” cashier to hopefully avoid interactions.
Can Anything Slow Down Five Below?
Five Below isn’t slowing down its expansion even if consumers are more discriminating about spending their money.
Was Kizik’s Digital-First Shoe Brand Made For Brick & Mortar Stores?
Kizik is a digital-first shoe startup that sells a new kind of sneaker, which lets wearers put the shoe on and take it off without unlacing it or breaking the…
Will Customers Shop Somewhere Else If Retailers Charge For Returns?
New research suggests that retailers should think twice before charging customers for returning online purchases.
Is Chewy’s Business on Autopilot–er Autoship?
Chewy is off to a positive start in 2023 and the online pet products retailer can thank its Autoship customers for that.
Are Retailers Ready For Remote Workers?
The rise of remote working presents opportunities for local retail but may require adjustments to new shopping behaviors.
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