\”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 »
What a difference a year makes. Amazon recently eclipsed Walmart as the retailer with the highest apparel sales, and its growth doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon. According to Wells Fargo, Amazon’s apparel and footwear sales in the
Walmart and Amazon Vie for Fashion Crown Read More »
That 2015 Balenciaga teddy bear faux fur coat that I decided against haunts me to this day. While the luxury resale market is expanding along with the rest of the category, that coat in my size is still hanging in
Brands Dip into Resales Read More »
I’m not quite sure where I want to go with this. I think we may wind up with many more questions than answers. However, one thing I am sure of is that we are living in crazy times, in many
SaksWorks and SPARC: Victims of Fatal Attractions Read More »
Leading in a Time of Ambiguity Living though a pandemic is shadowed by nearly constant uncertainty. We take three steps forward, two sideways and unfortunately, then three steps backwards. Innovators have been able to pivot and transform their business models
Leadership in an Evolving Pandemic Read More »
By now you’ve heard the news that leading luxury brands are bringing in cash hand over fist. LVMH, with its Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Fendi and newly acquired Tiffany brands, reported “record first half performance” with revenues up 56 percent
Luxury May Not Be the Success Story You Think Read More »
The metaverse is ascendant. The term, generated in science fiction and frequently applied to gaming platforms is trending in the commercial marketplace. Google searches for the buzzword have increased 100 percent since March 2021. The CEOs of Microsoft and Facebook
The Metaverse Reimagines Retail Read More »
