Research Topic

Target Corp. has kicked off a partnership with BCG Digital Ventures to conduct a 14-week “innovation sprint.” For the project, BCG's experts (including designers, engineers and investors) are working side-by-side with five Target associates to develop new growth concepts and ideas. (The associates are middle managers from across Target's various divisions, reported the Star Tribune.)  

Discount stores and traditional supermarkets are U.S. shoppers' most popular choices when it comes to buying food. At least for the time being.   Nearly all — 99% — of adults buy some or all of their groceries in-person, according to a survey by the International Council of Shopping Centers. The immediate access to products (71%) and the ability to select fresh meat, dairy and produce (70%) were the top reasons driving in-store shopping, along with the ability to see all other items in person (69%).   

Generation Y may be tech-savvy, but for many, store employees still play a pivotal role in their overall shopping experience.   In fact, 63% of shoppers aged 18-35 see store associates as extremely important to their retail experience, according to the “Store Associates Report,” from ChargeItSpot. The study is based on responses from more than 600 shoppers at malls across the country.  

Mobile e-commerce sales will account for nearly half of all online commerce in just a couple of years.    This was according to “A Mobile Mindset,” the second volume in the five-part series, “The 2017 UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper.” The report, from UPS, is based on input of over 5,189 comScore panelists who made at least two online purchases in a typical three-month period.  

Three-quarters of gross leasable area in American malls are inhabited by stores representing the slowest-growing retail categories.   That’s the basis of a report from CBRE advising mall owners to seriously consider diversifying their tenant mixes. Department stores sales are declining by around 4%, yet they take up 49% of mall space. Apparel stores that form 30% of mall makeup are growing at a 12%, but that’s well below restaurants at 32% and furniture, personal care, and health care stores at above 20%.  

One of the first holiday quarter sales forecasts is out of the gate.   Global retail consulting firm Kantar Retail predicts that U.S. retail sales will grow 3.7% in the fourth quarter of this year. The forecast represents an improvement relative to weak growth of only 2.9% in the year ago period. But it is underwhelming compared to average growth prior to the recession of 5.0%, according to Kantar.   

It didn't take long for cities across North America to throw their hat in the ring when Amazon announced it had initiated a search for a city in which to build a second headquarters.    In seeking proposals, Amazon laid out some very definite criteria, including population requirements (one million or more). CNBC examined the criteria and suggested that five cities are worthy of a close look by Amazon: New York, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco and Boston.