We live in a commercial culture increasingly transforming itself into an endless series of stories. Disneyland/World. Universal. Woof Meow. Harry Potter World. Those are the real-world entertainment stories. And then there’s the virtual: Roblox, Minecraft, Mortal Kombat. And the social: […]
The Power of Story Read More »
The Holy Grail for any brand or retailer is customer loyalty. In the Arthurian legend, search for the mythical grail promises its finder divinity – even immortality. Customer loyalty as retail grail is magic for a company. It extends the
Using Unbiased Metrics to Measure Loyalty Read More »
To the terror of millennials everywhere, Gen Z has officially canceled the skinny jean. Denim’s wider silhouette is only eclipsed by the flamboyant nature of today’s styles. The post-pandemic consumer mindset is defined by post-traumatic growth, or “the positive psychological
The Shape of Things to Come Read More »
It isn’t only Belinda, the beleaguered spa manager in HBO’s smash summer hit The White Lotus, who’s finding it exceedingly challenging to cater to the whims of stressed-out guests right now. According to findings of the 2021 ISPA U.S. Spa
A Disconnect with Americans’ Fascination with Wellbeing Read More »
The toy market is once again – sorry, folks – in play. With recent moves by Target and Macy’s ahead of the critical fourth quarter surge in holiday-driven business, the toy and playthings category is shaping up to be as
Macy’s, Target Add Yet Another Chapter to the Ongoing Toy Story Read More »
Triggered by Walmart’s recent announcement that they are launching a delivery service called Walmart GoLocal (that can be shared with any, and all other retailers, including competitors), I suddenly realized that we are witnessing a breakout moment that will forever
Two Things Changing Retail Forever Read More »
\”There are three kinds of lies,\” Mark Twain famously wrote over a century ago. \”Lies, damned lies, and statistics.\” The conventional media reporting on the U.S. Census Bureau\’s monthly retail sales reports epitomizes how misused statistics can become no better
A Retail Health Check Read More »
Recently was invited to cover a major retail industry event in São Paulo, Brazil entitled Expo Magalu – a one-day extravaganza that brought together, virtually and in-person, over 15,000 small and medium-sized independent retailers for a day of discussion about
Retail Is the Metaphor for This Moment Read More »
Is this Amazon’s breakout retail moment? After testing various retail formats, with some “keepers,” they plan to launch what “is akin” to department stores, according to a Wall Street Journal article. So, I have to ask, is this just another
Amazon’s Non-Department Store Launch Read More »
Even before the pandemic hit the U.S. market, customer service has been on a decline. Looking back over the past year and half, America’s “Great Service Decline” has continued, accelerated by a number of disruptive post-Covid issues. Check out our
America’s Great Service Crisis Read More »
