John Boccuzzi, Jr.

Target and Wal-Mart Give Individual Attention to Customers

August 31, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Target and Wal-Mart Stores may be the biggest mass merchandisers in the country, but both believe business results can be improved by tailoring what they do to individual shoppers. Do you think Target and Wal-Mart are capable of achieving a "neighborhood store" feel?      [more...]

Data continues to help improve the way retailers do business. RetailLink and dunnhumby are two great examples. I would suggest, however, that not only data being collected at store level be used to make assortment decisions, but also feedback from store managers. Giving a Store Manager a more active role on what is carried could be very helpful. They should have the best handle on their market, consumer behavior and overall economic conditions.

Hy-Vee does an impressive job of letting their store managers run each store as a profit center. Larger retailers could do the same with some up-front work.