Archive for August, 2010
Costco moving to the mall?
Published August 25, 2010 Off-price retailers , Retailing , Strategy Leave a CommentTags: Costco, Dick Seesel, Retailing In Focus, RetailWire, Westfield
The future of textbook retailing: Time for a new model?
Published August 25, 2010 Digital Media , Retailing , Specialty retailers , Strategy Leave a CommentTags: Amazon, Dick Seesel, Retailing In Focus, RetailWire, Textbook retailing
As the parent of two college students and a recent grad, I can certainly see the merits of innovative business models designed to drive down the exorbitant cost of new textbooks. And as a college-level instructor, I also encourage my students to find cost-effective ways to study the textbook that I use. (Not reading it isn’t an option.) Textbook rentals are just one option, along with several online retailers (Amazon and others) who sell new and used texts at a discount. Perhaps the biggest trend to watch for is the growing popularity of e-versions, which offer not only significant savings but also the portability of a laptop, iPad or e-reader. The “cash cow” of traditional (and overpriced) textbooks is a threatened business model, and none too soon.
In praise of Trader Joe’s
Published August 25, 2010 Corporate culture , Exclusive brands , food retailing , Retailing , Strategy , Supply chain management Leave a CommentTags: Dick Seesel, Retailing In Focus, RetailWire, Trader Joe's
A new retail “golden age”? Not yet…
Published August 25, 2010 Consumer behavior , Corporate culture , Digital Media , Retailing , Strategy Leave a CommentTags: Dick Seesel, Retailing In Focus, RetailWire
At this point the “golden age” still looks like it’s beyond the horizon; in fact, e-commerce may be closer to the goal than most brick-and-mortar retailers. Long-term aspirations to greatness may require less short-term focus on costs and margins.
Liz Claiborne: Right track or wrong track?
Published August 25, 2010 Apparel retailing , Department store retailing , Exclusive brands , Investor Relations , Strategy Leave a CommentTags: Dick Seesel, JCPenney, Liz Claiborne, Retailing In Focus, RetailWire
Piperlime Pop-up
Published August 25, 2010 E-commerce , Promotional strategies , Retailing , Specialty retailers , Strategy Leave a CommentTags: Dick Seesel, DSW, Piperlime, Pop-up stores, Retailing In Focus, RetailWire, Target
From a recent RetailWire discussion about Piperlime and its upcoming pop-up store in Manhattan:
Pop-up stores have become a great tool for creating brand awareness and for driving traffic to retailers’ websites. And, most noticeably in the case of Target, Manhattan-based pop-up stores become precursors to successful brick-and-mortar locations. So it’s possible that Piperlime has an agenda other than simply driving website traffic and awareness: To experiment with concepts that would work in a physical store. Piperlime’s primary focus on branded shoes makes it a much different kind of business than other Gap divisions, but also provides potential future competition for DSW nationwide.
JCPenney’s “fast fashion” alliance with Mango: A cure-all?
Published August 25, 2010 Apparel retailing , Department store retailing , Exclusive brands , Retailing , Strategy Leave a CommentTags: Dick Seesel, Fast fashion, JCPenney, Liz Claiborne, Mango, Retailing In Focus, RetailWire
JCPenney has found the twentysomething customer elusive in its stores, and perhaps the alliance with Mango will fill the gap. The underlying problem, as I see it, is the relentless private brand proliferation at JCP where nothing stands out. JCP introduced two new junior/kids brands for BTS…what did they eliminate? And when they become the exclusive provider of Liz Claiborne-branded apparel this fall, what will they edit out of their assortments in order to make Liz look more important? JCP will continue to pose the question, “Who knew?” in its TV ads as long as it hides its most important brands in the middle of a bunch of “stuff.”