Starbucks’ biggest expansion outside the U.S. has been in Japan, which is now home to 466 stores. But on closer examination, the Japanese momentum is showing sure signs of waning. Will Starbucks be the new McDonald’s? Will management find the fuel for a global second wind?
A new study indicates a retail community that is broadly re-energized in many areas of retail technology development. In one portion of the survey, retailers voice a newfound commitment to invest technology funds to get them closer to the customer. It sounds like these retailers are “stoked”. Are we on the verge of a golden age of retail technology?
Events developed quickly this week with DVD-by-mail operation Netflix. First came Netflix’ celebratory announcement Monday evening that they were boosting their second-quarter earnings outlook. Then, Wal-Mart released news that they would change the tiered pricing on their competitive rental plan. Is there truly hope for Netflix and other channel innovators when category-killers are just one step behind?
Wal-Mart’s U.K. Asda unit will test two standalone stores featuring the George clothing line, which was previously sold only in their standard stores. The new stores will be simply named “George”, extending the brand begun by designer George Davies, who first introduced it in Asda stores in 1990. Will Wal-Mart (aka Asda) be able to compete in this new arena with their fashion spin-off? If successful, will it portend a series of standalone challenges in the U.S. market?
Amazon will launch a wholly-owned subsidiary offering services and technology to help retailers develop their own online enterprises. Amazon’s e-commerce and distribution systems are already being put to use in co-ventures with Target, Toys R Us, Borders Books, cd.now and others. Will the availability of Amazon technology make it senseless for retailers to develop their own proprietary systems?
Manufacturers need to consider two customers when developing new products: the consumer, of course, but perhaps more importantly, the retailer. As presented by ACNielsen – BASES president John Willke in his FMI Close Up session “New Product Success and Failure: Myths and Realities,” the current system by which new products are introduced and marketed is “broken”.
Phil Lempert, “Supermarket Guru” and CEO of Consumer Insight, built a convincing case for the importance of un-defining the boomer generation, now entering their 50s, at FMI’s annual conference. Does the difference between a consumer’s chronological age and the age they feel impact retail sales? How can retailers respond more effectively?
With perishables now representing fifty percent of grocery store sales, and growing, its not hard to convince most operators that a barcode standard covering produce, deli, fish and other variable measure products is overdue. Will retailers using UCC’s Reduced Space Symbology (RSS) have a significant advantage over those that do not? Does it make sense for smaller independents as well as 100+ store chains?
In a Monday morning FMI Super Session, Jim Donald, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Pathmark made use of his own turn-around story to illustrate his chosen techniques for “putting the wind back in your sales” during a flat economy. What are your recommendations for businesses trying to turn it around?
© 2023 RetailWire · Privacy Policy · Community Guidelines · Sitemap