Content about Retail Insights

May 6, 2013
J.C. Penney and Mr. Ullman’s ‘Next’ 100 Days

Most incoming CEO’s put together a ‘100-day plan’ as they embark on the new role. In the case of Mr. Ullman, it is his second 100-day plan at J.C. Penney.

May 1, 2013
Main Street Fairness Act

Probably the most important bit of news for bricks-and-mortar retailers that broke over the past week is that the Senate voted to move forward with the Marketplace Fairness Act.

April 23, 2013
J.C. Penney Lesson No. 1: Know Your Customer

By Leslie Hand, research director, IDC Retail Insights

Ron Johnson's highly publicized short tenure at J.C. Penney, or JCP, as it was rebranded, will certainly make it into the textbooks and graduate theses on what to do and what not to do when undertaking a significant retail business transformation. The primary failure was not putting customer needs first in what promised to be an excellent long term strategy. Oops — forget the customer in an omni-channel customer strategy?

What a colossal mistake!

April 11, 2013
The J.C. Penney Debacle: Five Lessons Learned

Here are the five lessons I learned from the J.C. Penney debacle — unfortunately we knew all of this before Ron took his ideas to market.

April 9, 2013
Ron Johnson Ousted as J.C. Penney CEO

In 2000, the average tenure of a CEO was 10 years. In 2008, it was down to eight and half, signaling a slightly higher degree of corporate and brand accountability by boards and shareholders.

April 2, 2013
The Power of the Pop-Up: Is It Here to Stay?

Here’s an interesting take on pop-up stores by Felicity Pogson, associate design director, interiors, Dalziel & Pow, London:

March 12, 2013
Planet Retail on Costco’s Q2 Results

Costco Wholesale Corp.’s winning streak continues as the chain reported a better-than-expected 39% increase in profits for its fiscal second quarter.

March 5, 2013
Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Retail

Some are familiar; others not so. Fast Company’s annual list of “The World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Retail” covers a lot of ground in its diversity. Here’s a recap:

February 27, 2013
On Target: Planet Retail’s Take on Target’s Q4 and full-year results

By Sandy Skrovan, U.S. research director, Planet Retail

October 23, 2012
Nominations open for Chain Store Age's Rising Stars awards

Chain Store Age is accepting nominations for its Rising Stars: 20 under 40 awards, which will recognize retailers who are making their marks in their companies and in the retail industry.

August 21, 2012
Retail Q&A

As a prelude to the upcoming World Retail Congress in London (September 19- 21), five retail leaders who will be speaking at the event participated in the following Q&A:

August 13, 2012
HD: Shop-in-shops: One of the decade's big ideas

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has taken issue with an opinion piece that appears in the August 1, 2012, issue of the Wall Street Journal.

August 1, 2012
RILA Debunks Op-Ed Piece on Marketplace Fairness Act

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has taken issue with an opinion piece that appears in the August 1, 2012, issue of the Wall Street Journal.

July 19, 2012
Moody’s on Credit Card Interchange Fee Settlement

The July 13 settlement of a lawsuit over allegedly fixed credit card interchange fees is a credit positive for the two largest industry players Visa and Mastercard, but will have a smaller impact on merchant acquirers, retailers and banks, said Moody’s Investors Service in a new special comment "Credit Card Interchange Fee Settlement is Credit Positive For Visa, MasterCard."

July 2, 2012
Two Great Retail Lessons: One Positive, The Other Not So Good

By Robert Gordman, president, The Gordman Group

May 2, 2012
Microsoft/Barnes & Noble Joint Venture: Winning proposition for both companies

On Monday, Barnes & Noble Inc. and Microsoft announced a strategic partnership in a new unnamed Barnes & Noble subsidiary that, for the time being, is being identified as Newco. Here some comments from retail consultant Maggie Gilliam (Gilliam Insights) on the new venture:

April 20, 2012
Winners in the Toshiba/IBM POS Deal

IBM’s decision to sell its Retail Store Solutions (RSS) business to Toshiba TEC was the most significant announcement in the retail point-of-sale industry in the last 10 years, according to industry analyst Greg Buzek, president, IHL Group, Franklin, Tenn.

March 2, 2011
Target had advantage in Kantar Retail’s pricing survey

While Walmart and Target continue to closely contend on price, Target’s basket price came in less expensive in the latest semi-annual pricing study by Kantar Retail.

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