In 2020 Americans spent money on Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, redecorating their homes and ordering take-out. And oh, we also spent a lot of our money on our dogs and cats. On the list of business sectors that were on the right side of the pandemic, the pet industry would no doubt be near the top. Stuck at home, unable to socialize or even go to work, we all got up close and personal with our furry friends, spending lavishly on food, toys and pet paraphernalia. And if we didn't have one before we got locked in and down, we went to the local …
Operations
Small Brands Give Retailers’ Assortments a Big Edge
As the Covid-19 pandemic sparked dramatic shifts in demand, it also jolted retailers into responding rapidly to what consumers want. Now retailers are rethinking what they sell – and recognizing they can’t do it all on their own. That’s why a growing number of retailers are collaborating with nimble, small suppliers to fill their assortment gaps promptly, delight consumers and stay competitive. This is a retail trend that will still stick beyond 202l. Pandemic Influences Shopping Habits and Bestsellers During lockdowns in the spring, …
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Super Bowl LV
We all know that 2020 was a difficult and historic year. When last year's Super Bowl aired on February 3, 2019 the first coronavirus death in America (February 6, 2020) was yet to be recorded. When Super Bowl LV aired on February 7, 2021 America had lost 463,000 lives to the virus. Polarization The United States has been a divided country for the last many years. Red and Blue. This year even more so. The country continues to be divided on issues like guns and reproduction, but now there is a fundamental difference in how Americans see …
Reimagining the 21st Century Mall
A brief history: In 1950, architect and developer Victor Gruen envisioned the first enclosed shopping mall in the United States, the Southdale Center in Edina Minnesota. Designed in response to the growth of the suburbs and the decline of downtowns as retail destinations, Southdale was envisioned as a new model of civic cohesion, boasting a post office, community amenities, shops and department stores. By all accounts it was a significant success, providing a comfortable indoor shopping environment. That was then. Survival of the Fittest This …
Mini Macy’s Risks Missing Its Mark
Prototype test stores are a curious phenomenon in the world of retailing. They excite investors, intrigue management and even occasionally provide some new bits and pieces that can be rolled out elsewhere in the organization. But as the best use of time, resources and brainpower, they leave much to be desired. The history of retailers opening prototype stores is littered with examples of tests that turn into dead ends and ultimately don't do much for the parent company. Now, with the opening of its second Market by Macy's small-scale store …
Supreme: Hot and Cool with VF
We didn't honor VF Corporation as a Robin Report 2020 Retail Radical of The Year for nothing. You can read all about it here. Radical is not a hyperbolic description, because what VF and their brands do in reality, with year-over-year regularity, is…well…supreme. Supreme's Next Chapter I'm not trying to be cute. I just couldn't pass the prescience of VF's supreme move of acquiring the Supreme brand, which indeed has had a supreme position since its inception in 1994 within the streetwear culture (AKA gorpcore as of a minute ago). For $2.1 …
The Second (Celebrity) Coming
For her gyration-filled performance on New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, a medley of tunes that included a decidedly off-brand riff on Aerosmith's "Dream On," Jennifer Lopez of course looked flawless, with a face full of artfully applied makeup and enough eyeshadow to fill a slew of multi-pan palettes. JLo au Naturel But it was during Lopez's #WashAway2020 virtual after-party that the true magic happened. In the opening bits of the half-hour bash, which was attended by a handful of gushing VIP fans and is available for replay on …
20 Wildcards for ‘21
The second weekend in January was "Wild Card Weekend" in the NFL, where all the teams with so-so seasons had one last chance to prove their mettle or suffer certain elimination from a chance to play in this year's Super Bowl. In most years, Wild Card teams fail to make it to the Big Game but every once in a while (6 to be exact, out of 53 Super Bowls) a Wild Card team ended up winning the whole enchilada. 20 for 2021 The retail business has its own cadre of Wild Cards - trends that may not look like much now but might just be positioned to …