Retail insights at the intersection of now and next. Unfiltered. Unbiased
Why do results worth admiring almost never look like wins when the bet is placed? What happened along the way that transformed a perceived loss into a victory? And why does the boldness behind that bet get mistaken, in hindsight by others, for a playbook anyone could have run?
For many retailers, removing fitting rooms would risk customer frustration and dissatisfaction. However, Brandy Melville has never operated like most retailers. Detached and apathetic customer service is intrinsic to the brand. Oddly, its success suggests that shoppers are willing to tolerate inconveniences and blatant disregard as a trade-off to be part of an inner circle. Abusing customers to earn loyalty is a unique approach.
Another grocery chain, another acquisition. Now that Kroger has bought Giant Eagle, is it a smart consolidation, or a company desperately spending money it doesn’t have?
Creating calm: How can retailers produce better retail spaces and experiences with a sound mind?
We like many of the things the new CEO over there at Target, Michael Fiddelke, is doing to try to wake up this sleepy retailer from the self-imposed stupor it’s been in for the past few years. But the company veered backwards this week when it announced a new system of what are essentially a dozen demerits for employees who show up late—or not at all—that leads to getting fired for the worst offenders.
Join Shelley and David Katz, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Randa Apparel and Accessories, as they challenge why reading the headlines is not the same as understanding what those headlines mean and why they matter. David’s gray swan model reveals how key trends are bellwethers for significant shifts.
Vacancy rates in shopping malls could rise to nearly 10 percent over the remainder of the year as Russia’s ill-conceived war continues to hit the home front. The market has given way to a long-term malaise that puts Russian consumers in a bind, although many international geopolitical critics will shed no tears.
The State of Luxury Report has just been released! This comprehensive research report reveals that luxury is not retreating, it is recalibrating. The industry has entered a new phase defined by discernment, selectivity, and strategic discipline. Although growth has slowed in luxury goods, experiential luxury continues to outperform.
Store managers need to do the right things more consistently. Excellence requires discipline, resisting the urge to react, instead to proactively lead. Great stores are built from the inside out—through strong leadership, consistent execution, and teams that know exactly how to win.
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