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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Kroger’s Food 4 Less Gets More Stores in Vegas
Kroger has announced an agreement to purchase 18 Raley’s in Las Vegas. The deal is expected to be finalized within 30 days and the former Raley’s will be converted to…
Consumer Group to Protest at 300 Starbucks
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) has announced that it will distribute leaflets and protest at a Starbucks intending to “call attention to Starbucks’ use of GE ingredients in their food…
What’s for Dinner? Cloned Meat
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recently issued a report that supported using cloned adult animals as a regular element of the nation’s agricultural production process. Will consumers accept milk…
Are Retail Sales Up or Down?
The U.S. Commerce Department reported on Friday that retail sales increased 0.8 percent last month after consecutive month decreases in June and July. Many of the major retail chains,…
Will the ‘Morning-After’ Pill Make the Rx to OTC Switch?
An article in The New England Journal of Medicine is calling for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve the so-called ‘Morning-After’ pill for over-the-counter distribution. Would the…
A-B Goes National with Low-Carb Brew
Anheuser-Busch plans a national rollout of Michelob Ultra, “the first major beer to claim that it is low in carbohydrates,” supported by consumer print, radio and outdoor ads. How…
Research Shows There’s No Loyalty for Loyalty Programs
According to a new research study done in the UK, loyalty cards do not loyal customers make. Do loyalty cards help retailers acquire and keep customers?
Ahold Acquires Another Foodservice Distributor
U.S. Foodservice, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ahold, announced that is is acquiring Lady Baltimore Foods, a foodservice distributor based in Kansas City, KS. What are the pros and cons of…
A Manual for Getting Things Done
Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan is “a hard-nosed, hard-edged and hard-boiled guide to the practicalities of leadership in a global competitive economy.”…
Fed Member Thinks CEOs Are Overpaid
William McDonough, president, New York Federal Reserve, has called on corporate executives to take voluntary cuts in pay to benefit shareholders and strengthen the United States’ economy. Is top…
Consumers Still Spending, Only Differently
A recently published Information Resources, Inc. study found that purchasing of consumer goods remains relatively strong, although shopping behavior is being influenced by economic and national security concerns. Will…
September 11th Changes CEO’s Personal and Professional Lives
Top executives of American companies say that the terrorist attacks of last September 11th have affected their views on business and life. How have our personal lives and work been…
HQ Executives Work in Stores
Tesco, the British retailing giant, has sent hundreds of managers from its headquarters to work in company stores in an effort to become more familiar with their own business. Do…
Poll: Opinions Vary on Doing Business on September 11th
Fifty-one percent said retailers should conduct business as usual tomorrow on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to a chainstoreage.com poll. How should we conduct business (or…
Cookie-Making for the Baking Challenged
For consumers secure enough in their own culinary ignorance to admit it, there is now Homemade Cookies for Dummies which includes Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a 14.5oz. bag and…
Can Biz-Schools Teach Ethics to the Unethical?
Columnist John Malmo, takes exception with graduate business schools claiming that their programs can teach ethics to current and future managers. Is there value in adult students taking business ethics…
GMDC Releases New OTC/Rx-To-OTC Merchandising Study
A newly released GMDC study “demonstrates that OTC and Rx-to-OTC switch products are integral to Whole Health and represent an important opportunity for retailers and wholesalers to satisfy customer needs…
Consumers Opt for Cheap Sneakers
According to a piece in The Los Angeles Times, ” sales of athletic shoes costing $150 or more plunged almost 41% in the first six months of 2002.” Is the…
Consumers Shop Back to Front
Findings reported by Sorenson Associates show that consumers do not shop every aisle, they speed up decision-making as the shopping tip progresses, and that placement is usually more important than…
Retail Security is Sick
Retail has been the industry hardest hit by incoming email viruses, according to a report from MessageLabs, an email security firm. What is the state of security in the U.S…
Behavior Consumers Hate
Employees that carry on a conversation while ringing up a consumer at the checkout – ranked as the number one behavior that consumers hate. Does customer service really make…
