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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Wireless Registers Pose Security Vulnerability
Best Buy Co. deactivated its wireless temporary cash registers that transmit information via LAN connections this week after being alerted to a potential security problem via an anonymous posting on…
Down Home Doughnuts Win Hearts
Krispy Kreme opened its first outlet in Minneapolis last week. Strong media
support helped lure some 600 devotees, who waited in line for hours, many overnight. How has…
New Loblaw Stores, Cost Cuts Boost Earnings
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. says that first-quarter earnings rose 36 percent as it opened 14 new supermarkets and cut costs. What makes Loblaw’s successful?
Schnuck Markets Purchases a Dozen Seessel’s Stores
Schnuck Markets announces its agreement to acquire 10 Seessel’s stores in Shelby County, Tenn. and two in Desoto County, Miss., from Albertson’s, Inc. Will Schnuck Markets succeed with the…
Generics Forecast Beefs up for Medicare Patients
The cost of prescriptions for the Medicare population could be reduced by as much as $14 billion next year through the greater use of generic drugs. Should pharmacy retailers support…
Operational Issues, Politics Spill Body Shop Profits
The Body Shop reports a drop in full year pretax profit and trouble implementing new strategies, leading some analysts to downgrade forecasts. What lessons can drug, grocery and mass retailers…
Grocer Implements Payment by Fingerprint
Yesterday, the West Seattle Thriftway became the first in the country to unveil a system by Indivos Corp. that allows customers to pay by finger touch to an electronic sensor,…
Supervalu Expands Target Supply Agreement
Supervalu Inc. says that it has expanded an agreement with Target Corp. to supply groceries by the end of this summer to 74 SuperTarget stores in 15 states as well…
Report Reviews Marketing Efforts Aimed at Kids
The U.S. Kids Market, a new report from Packaged Facts available at MarketResearch.com, outlines the demographic trends within the country’s population of children and reviews successful marketing efforts aimed at…
Age, Gender Impact Maturing Adults’ Food-itudes
A survey released today shows that America’s “maturing adults” aged 55 to 74 are best targeted by age and gender, as opposed to income and education. How will the growing…
Academy Disseminates Childhood Nutritional Findings
The Academy of Pediatric Nutrition, a global group of nutritional experts, gathered at the third annual meeting in London to discuss the impact of vitamin and mineral deficiencies in infants…
Wal-Mart Participates in Women’s Health Care Month
Wal-Mart will recognize Women’s Health Care Month on May 4 with free educational handouts on osteoporosis, heat therapy demonstrations and information disseminated by its pharmacists. What are the keys for…
New Products Get a Running Start at Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is highly cost-efficient venue for marketers to test drive new products. Companies are drawn to its marketer-friendly centralized buying system and its lack of new-product shelving or slotting fees…
Microsoft Edits Witness List
Attorneys for Microsoft told U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly that eight of the 17 witnesses remaining on its list would not take the stand, including four Microsoft executives. What should…
Private Label Household and Personal Care Sales Surge
Private-label sales surged up to 35 percent in categories such as diapers and batteries, and showed strong double-digit growth across more than a dozen other household and personal care products…
Food Marketers Focus on Teens and Tweens
Creating a brand attitude has proven effective in winning the kid dollar. Should food retailers leave marketing to teens and tweens solely to the brand manufacturers or create their own…
Nestle Serves up Coffee in Self-Heating Cans
Thermotic Developments Ltd. of Britain has developed what it considers the safest and most reliable self-heating can ever produced for Nescafe Hot When You Want coffee. Is there a market…
Wal-Mart to Plant Supercenter Front on Dallas Street
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has chosen an in-town Dallas location for the first of a new generation of “urban” discount stores. How active a role should retailers encourage communities to…
Chipmaker Weaves Technology into Clothing
Infineon Technologies unveiled prototype wearable chips that it says can be sewn directly into clothing and other textiles. What do you think are the retail and consumer applications for…
Studying Spending Changes May Prevent Customer Loss
According to an article in The McKinsey Quarterly, “better appreciation of the underlying forces that influence customer loyalty, particularly attitudes and changing needs, can help companies develop targeted efforts to…
Winn-Dixie Quarterly Profits Quadruple
Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. says fiscal third-quarter earnings rose fourfold from a year ago, when it was burdened with the cost of remodeling stores. The supermarket chain has shed unprofitable food…
