5 Ways Grocers are Protecting Their Store Teams Through the Pandemic
Regardless of whether the stores in your chain are 16,000 or 135,000 square feet, keeping daily operations running smoothly is a big challenge under normal circumstances. That challenge is now Mount-Everest-sized due to a pandemic that no one at any level in your organization has experienced or trained for. Necessity is the mother of invention […]
3 Reasons Why Dollar Stores Are On The Rise
When it comes to the rise of dollar stores, the numbers are somewhat staggering. Three-fourths of Americans live within five minutes of a Dollar General store, currently the largest US retail chain by store count. And while retailers around the country are closing at a record pace, Dollar General is adding almost 2,000 stores over a […]
3 Things Traditional Retailers Can Do To Capture Sneakerheads Like Me
When someone says they’re a sneakerhead, what they’re really saying is, ‘If I buy another pair of shoes, I’m going to have to find a bigger apartment.’ It’s no joke to say that sneakerheads spend a lot of money on sneakers, often as many as they can possibly fit into their closet, and then some. […]
Conscious Capitalism: Retailers Reaping the Benefits?
The concept of conscious capitalism was born in retail—co-created by John Mackey, one of the founders of Whole Foods. Arriving on the scene in 2013, the central tenet of conscious capitalism is that businesses should benefit the world around them, not just its traditional stakeholders (i.e. stockholders, board members, lenders, etc.). Businesses committed to conscious […]
5 Strategies for Victoria’s Secret in 2020
Victoria’s Secret has been in a downward spiral for a hot retail minute now. The brand has faced not one but several PR crises of late and is failing to resonate with consumers amidst the emergence of new competitors better aligned with consumers’ shifting values. According to Seeking Alpha, the brand’s “protracted slump” is responsible for […]
3 Most Common Ways Stores Frustrate Mission-Driven Shoppers
It’s not easy to increase store conversion with certain shoppers. The browsers. The showroomers. The price averse. They don’t walk in intending to buy, so there’s not much that you as a merchant can do to prevent them from leaving empty-handed. But how can you increase store conversion for mission-driven shoppers—i.e. those who walk in […]
Expert Spotlight: 6 Big Ideas from my Interview with Neil Saunders
If you follow retail, you’ve followed the work of Neil Saunders. He’s the media’s go-to expert for all things retail, and his insights have been published in the likes of Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and on CNN, NBC News, and more. No wonder Neil Saunders is widely considered one of retail’s most influential […]
Year in Review: Most Epic Retail Collaborations of 2019
As brands vie for relevance in this rapidly-changing retail climate, they are discovering a key to success: forming collaborations to stay competitive. The best brand partnerships allow businesses to leverage each other’s strengths to reach more consumers and drive sales. Furthermore, such alliances help each retailer reap more insight into new markets and demographics. According […]
C-Store Rebranding in 2019: Chains Weigh Opportunities and Risks
The signs, they are a changin’. So are the coffees, the burritos and the fuel brands. Convenience stores are in the midst of an overhaul as chains absorb brands large and small. The end result: a cohesive national strategy. The opportunities for synergy certainly are there—but so are the risks of removing loyalty from the […]
Thoughts on GameStop by Someone Who Loved GameStop
I’m 33 and I play videogames. That shouldn’t be a surprise, as the average age of video game players in the United States continues to rise (38% of players are now over 36 years old). What was once looked down on as a dorky pastime has become a nationally-televised sport, sponsored by brands like Coca-Cola, […]
