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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Walmart Expands In-Store Media Network in a ‘Cautious Way’
Walmart is leveraging its massive audience and store footprint to bring its U.S. retail media network, Walmart Connect, to the next level. Could Walmart overstep the comfort and convenience of…
Are Too Many Places Prompting for Tips?
Customers’ patience is being tested as tipping has expanded well beyond full-service dining and bars to quick-service restaurants, retailers, grocers, and even airport self-checkouts. Have tip requests from nontraditional venues…
CVS Lays Off 5,000 Employees as Amazon Virtual Clinics Expand
CVS and Amazon are going head-to-head in the medical industry, and it might be costing thousands of jobs and more. Could the future of healthcare involve entire hospital systems owned…
Will Old Navy’s “Kid-Proof” Guarantee Boost Back-to-School Sales?
Old Navy is offering a one-year “Kid-Proof” return guarantee for uniform styles purchased during the upcoming back-to-school season that “don’t stand up to the wear and tear of a school…
Can Walmart+ Overcome Amazon Prime’s 15-Year Head Start?
Walmart+ has welcomed tens of millions of users in just a few years, but Amazon Prime remains America’s top digital membership program by usage. What else can Walmart add to…
Did Twitter Bungle Its Rebranding to X?
The controversial move to rebrand Twitter as “X” is being derided by many as a marketing blunder. Do you think Elon Musk made a mistake in changing Twitter to X?
Can Traditional Grocers Reverse Their Share Losses?
A recent Wall Street Journal article concluded that traditional supermarkets have to find a point of differentiation fast or they’ll continue to lose ground to more price-driven competitors. Where do…
Brands Are Launching Resale Marketplaces and Blurring Lines
Fashion companies are increasingly setting up resale spaces. The Business of Fashion (BOF) reports that “resale as an industry is growing — and at 5x the rate of overall commerce.”…
Does Kroger Face a Self-Checkout-Only Future?
Kroger converted a store in Tennessee to self-checkout only, following its first test of a cashierless concept in Dallas in 2021. Do you see self-checkout-only stores becoming more common over…
Dollar General Adds 100 Private Label Items in Food Accessibility Push
Dollar General is continuing its expansion into mainstream grocery through the addition of 100 more private label products to its Clover Valley line in 2023. How can the expansion of…
Can Dynamic Pricing Reduce Food Waste at Grocers?
Dynamic pricing of groceries, or reducing prices as perishable items approach their expiration date, could reduce food waste from grocery retailers by 21% or more. What do you think of…
Watermarks Are Set To Appear in All AI-Generated Content
Seven AI companies have committed to developing a system of watermarking all forms of AI-generated content, but it’s not as simple as it sounds. Will watermarking AI in general make…
Will Chick-fil-A’s New Pickup Concepts Reduce Wait Times?
Chick-fil-A plans to test two digital-first store designs — an elevated drive-thru and walk-up concept — in another effort to tackle pickup’s biggest pain point: long wait times. What aspects…
Will TikTok Evolve From Social Commerce Enabler to E-Commerce Titan?
TikTok is reportedly preparing to capitalize on its social commerce success with a marketplace that could launch as soon as early August. What are the biggest challenges TikTok needs to…
Teamsters UPS Strike Reaches Agreement & Sets a New Precedent
The Teamsters UPS strike has been averted…for now. Should Amazon be worried about the Teamsters victory with UPS?
Comic-Con International Conquers San Diego
Comic-Con International is the single largest contributor to San Diego’s economy, but this year’s event was impacted by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. How well did brands respond…
Can a Leadership Shakeup Breathe New Life Into Gap?
Gap is revamping its senior leadership with timely appointments to the president and CEO roles at both Gap and Athleta slated for August. While Dickson and Blakeslee have proven track…
Will the World Cup Further Elevate Women’s Sports Marketing?
FIFA’s Women’s World Cup recently sold out its sponsorship packages, with its partners for the event vaulting 150% from 12 in 2019 to 30 this year. Is women’s sports sponsorships…
Is Gen Z Significantly Influencing Older Generation Purchases?
Marketers target Gen Zers as a buying audience (despite their lack of wealth, at least in the U.S.), but this cohort can also have knock-on effects in influencing how others…
Are Fashion Brands’ Recycling Schemes Misleading Consumers?
Clothing waste has become an unrelenting villain in the war for sustainability. Should there be more preventative measures taken to ensure that clothing is being reused?
Will Renewed Student Loan Payments Dampen the Holiday Spirit?
October’s resumption of student loan payments suspended during COVID could weigh on holiday results as affected consumers find an average of $300 added to their monthly expenses. Does the resumption…
