Supermarket/Grocery

The crusade to win the hearts, wallets and loyalty of customers is sometimes waged based on price, store location, or superior product offerings. But often, winning the battle comes down to more emotional factors – a matter of demonstrated care and consideration for a customer’s unique shopping needs. Simply put: A truly exceptional customer experience that both surprises and delights.   

Online growth — and along with it, online market share — continues to accelerate.   The trajectory is so strong that sales are on pace to hit $440 billion in 2017, a leap from $395 billion expected in 2016, according to “U.S. Online Sales Forecast: Omni-Channel Retailing Challenged by Its Success,” a report from FTI Consulting.   

Raley’s will unveil a new natural foods grocery store concept in spring 2017.   Called Market 5-ONE-5, the new format will debut in downtown Sacramento, Calif., and is described as a farmer’s market concept, with fresh products delivered daily. It will be operated independently of Raley’s, according to The Sacramento Bee. A press release about the new store quoted Raley’s CEO Michael Teel, but identified him only as “owner.”  

Five grocery tech experts chimed in on the recent report that Amazon is planning a major move into the brick-and-mortar grocery store space, and see the potential for up to 2,000 branded grocery stores over the next 10 years.   

PREIT’s stated strategic shift to pack its portfolio with more relevant anchors is moving ahead at full steam.   At its Cumberland Mall in New Jersey this month, Dick’s Sporting Goods opened in a 50,000-sq.-ft. space vacated by J.C. Penney. In December, another former Penney’s space will debut as a Round One Entertainment location, and being readied for 2017 openings at other PREIT malls are Home Goods and Field & Stream stores, a Whole Foods Market, and a Legoland Discovery Center.  

Boxed.com, the online wholesale shopping club with no membership fees, on Thursday named former Sam's Club executive Heather Mayo the company's chief merchandising officer.     Mayo will lead the development and execution of all merchandising strategies and initiatives, and will be responsible for delivering the optimal product assortment as dictated by the brand's strategy and unique target customer profile.  

The nation’s largest online retailer has big plans for brick-and-mortar expansion.  

Town Center Plaza, an 82,000-sq.-ft. center in Palm Desert, California, near Joshua Tree National Park, has been acquired by Citivest Commercial Investments for $19.8 million.   Constructed in 1993, the center’s tenants include Trader Joe’s, Michael’s, Fisherman’s Market and Grill, and Tuesday Morning. Colliers International brokered the deal on behalf of the seller, Town Center Plaza LP.