As part of my job as a retail strategy consultant, I travel the country and the world preaching the need for innovation in an industry that is being overrun by the growth of e-commerce on the one hand and the generally poor experience at brick…
Jet announced the return of JetCash two weeks ago, and the normal noise that accompanies a Wal-Mart / Amazon announcement was… muted. It shouldn’t be. Amazon has proven that a company can create a shopping holiday. Prime Day generated nearly $1 Billion dollars in…
Amazon’s newest brick and mortar location in Chicago opened this week – a Campus Pick-Up point in the heart of the DePaul-Lincoln Park neighborhood. In a neighborhood with several Amazon Lockers nearby, and a Whole Foods just up the street and Prime Now same day…
According to German trade press, Lidl announced a management change that will lead to new supervision in Germany of the U.S. market. Though local U.S. management disputes aspects of the store which pointed to “frighteningly weak” performance at some of the current 37 stores, it…
The meal kit market is going through a rapid and fascinating period of growth, retrenchment and repositioning. The latest development: Albertsons is buying Plated for an undisclosed price, marking the first purchase of a prepared meals company by a supermarket chain. As the lukewarm reception of Blue Apron…
Premium kitchen and bath retailer Pirch is retrenching, with plans to close stores in Chicago, Austin (already closed), Paramus and Atlanta by the end of September. This would leave the company with its four California stores, which they state are growing and profitable as well…
Today, Nordstrom announced the Nordstrom Local concept and an opening of a 3,000 square foot location in West Hollywood. This is a big deal. Real Estate and Inventory have always been potential albatrosses in shoe & apparel retail. But with Local, Nordstrom can eliminate inventory…
Whole Foods dropped prices in their stores on the first day of Amazon’s official ownership. It is the first of what I suspect will be many new actions as of a result of this marriage and it certainly was one of the easier ones to…
In December of last year, Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Go, a revolutionary concept that used Just Walk Out technology that would replace the need for checkouts forever. Or so it seemed. Complete with a beta store in downtown Seattle and a promise of…
I’ve been to the Meow Mix Café pop up (a chance to dine with your cats?) so there is not much that can shock me anymore. So, the news of The Spotted Cheetah, devoted to Cheetos-inspired dishes, which will open in New York City’s Tribeca…
