At age 16 my first step towards independence was a driver’s license. I failed the first test and was mortified – parallel parking in a manual shift Dodge Dart wasn’t easy. Most of us boomers have similar stories of lusting for that license and the freedom we imagined came with it. How times have changed. Neither of my 20-something stepdaughters has any interest in driving. Part of the reason is ecological concerns, but more importantly their familiarity with Uber. Coming of Age in a Digital Age The first step towards independence for my …
High Times for Cannabis in the Retail Industry
Cannabis has come of age and on the “high” heels of 4/20, the cannabis insiders’ unofficial/official holiday, fashion retailers should take note. The 2022 Cannabis Festival takes place in Washington DC the weekend of April 24. We’re in a weed wave and retailers are in love with the concept of Maryjane. Nary a day goes by when I’m not sent a pitch for some type of new cannabis product or accessory. What a different world it is from less than a decade ago, when cannabis was still illegal for recreational use across the U.S. Cannabis consumption …
The “Re” in Retailing Now Stands for Repurposing
Retailers have been remerchandising their stores almost since the invention of the SKU. But reinvention to take them beyond just places where shoppers buy things and into homes, workspaces and even advertising mediums is a whole new strategy for some of the world’s leading retailing corporations. And this recent development comes on top of a decades-long process of repurposing former retail space into all kinds of other uses, from libraries to schools. Coming out of the massive overbuilding of retail that occurred in the last decade of the …
Innovative Brands Are Stepping Up Their Sustainability Game
As consumers become more aware of sustainability, some fashion brands are making concerted efforts to not just be seen as an eco-conscious brand, but to change their practices and supply chains to reach legitimate sustainability goals. Mavi’s Multi-Faceted Sustainability Approach Mavi, a global jeans and apparel brand, is taking a multi-faceted approach to reaching its targets. Fibers used in its All Blue collection include organic, recycled, or Better Cotton, as well as upcycled materials. The sales of the sustainable All Blue products …
Innovative Brands Are Stepping Up Their Sustainability GameRead More
Macy’s Solid Plan…on Agile Footing
At last week’s JP Morgan Chase Annual Retail Roundup, Macy’s CFO Adrian Mitchell laid out a very clear-eyed path forward, recognizing the obstacles and issues. He also identified numerous opportunities Macy’s is preparing to capitalize on, expressing the need for agility in uncertain times. I heard personalization, localization, off-mall smaller formats, (including Market by Macy’s, Bloomie’s and Backstage), reimagining real estate assets, an expanded and curated digital third-party marketplace, decentralized decision making, inventory …
Discounting, Sustainability, and the Grey Economy: A Reconciliation
How do we reconcile consumers’ sustainability obsession with booming off-price sales? Recent data from Meta show that consumers are 1.3 times more likely to purchase sustainable product since the onset of the pandemic. However, much of what we’re hearing about where consumers are shopping seems counter to the idea of sustainability as a purchasing priority. Here’s a fact: Not only is the Dollar General opening more stores than any other retailer this year, it’s also opening more stores than every other retailer combined. Like most discount …
Discounting, Sustainability, and the Grey Economy: A ReconciliationRead More
Is Free Shipping Dead?
Everyone knows shipping is costly. Return shipping can be even costlier. In an effort to give consumers what they want, when they want it (aka good consumer service), retailers are running up costs for labor and packaging by shipping one item at a time. This practice may be great optics for the consumer, but it is inefficient, and the excess packaging and energy required for delivery harm the environment and retailers’ bottom lines. This puts retailers between a rock-and-a-hard-place with no clear solution … yet. Consumer expectations and …
Old Anti-Union Tactics Will Not Work with Today’s Workforce
Amazon workers’ recent warehouse unionization win Is one small step for workers and one giant leap for labor unions. Christian Smalls, a former Amazon employee who started the Amazon Labor Union, has become a hero for many workers around the country. While the feat of winning a unionization vote for the JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island that employs 8,300 workers might be a small one in comparison to the 165 million workers across the U.S., it marks a pivotal moment in the history of unionization in the retail industry. The second-largest …
Old Anti-Union Tactics Will Not Work with Today’s WorkforceRead More