Category Archives: Retailers

When I was in elementary school I had to do a project on my family’s history. I asked my father if any of our ancestors had been war heroes.  He went on to tell the following story: In the 1700’s a great grandfather many generations back had been an Admiral in the Royal Navy.  One Continue Reading...

In the spirit of full disclosure I am not, nor have I ever been, the CEO of a major retailer. That said, if I was, and my Chief Merchandising Officer told me that his/her strategy to improve profits was “to buy into inventory, and sell it for whatever we can get” I would at the Continue Reading...

Price matching is a known margin killer. Yet, the fear of losing in-store sales to on-line competitors has retailers aggressively implementing discretionary price-matching policies. In the past, all sellers had very similar cost structures. Store hours and location convenience played a significant role in consumer behavior. In order to utilize price-matching, a consumer had to: Continue Reading...

UPS and Fedex have both announced rate increases for the coming year, but this year’s increases come with a little twist. Both carriers have announced that they will start using a “dimensional weight” freight rating system (a system that considers package density as well as weight). This new pricing structure is a game changer.  The Continue Reading...

I have been a player, captain, coach, referee, and spectator of team sports for the better part of three decades. I have always been amazed at the parallels between business and sports. When reflecting on the day’s events, be it a game or a business challenge, I often find myself concluding “it all comes down Continue Reading...

As the summer winds down, the all-important fall buying season for retailers is heating up. While the role of the retail buyer has never been easy, the advances in technology, savvy online retailers, as well as increased use of mobile devices, the job is now infinitely more challenging. Historically, retail buyers have managed a series Continue Reading...

About a year ago I blogged that “Showrooming is no longer a sideshow, but now the main event”. (Showrooming is the practice of evaluating an item at a retail outlet, and subsequently purchasing the item online for a much lower price.) In this blog I went to great pains to show that showrooming risk impacts Continue Reading...

According to a recent IBM report, retailers should no longer feel threatened by the practice of retail showrooming. Time to pop the champagne, right? Retail showrooming is a known margin killer and according to the IBM report, it now occurs at so such low levels, as to not constitute a measurable threat. So rest easy, Continue Reading...

There is no better place to witness the fall color season than Michigan. In my back yard I am extremely fortunate to have a number of large maples of different varieties that change into a cornucopia of colors during a six week period. The view is simply spectacular. That said, I am also very unfortunate Continue Reading...

Showrooming is no longer a sideshow. For C-Level executives it has become the main event. The extensive press coverage of the demise of Best Buy was a wake-up call for both brands and retailers. Showrooming is not just simply a nuisance, it can actually bring down a major retailer. The fact that both Target and Continue Reading...