Dan Berthiaume

Amazon will likely come to dominate the e-commerce side of the high fashion category. However, brick-and-mortar retailers have several advantages. Buyers of this type of clothing expect a perfect fit and are more inclined to want to try them on. In addition, high-end stores are often destinations in themselves,...

I think the more interesting question is what does this mean for Apple's branding? The Apple stores are geared toward young, hip urbanites, and the Apple brand in general has a tech geek edge that doesn't quite fit in with Walmart's or Target's image. Looks like Apple is trying...

This is an excellent way to bring Facebook into the "real world." Customers are already converging the social networking and physical worlds through mobile devices and features such as check-in, retailers need to find ways to capitalize on this trend, and mobile hangers are a creative means of doing...

There is a legitimate "new normal" of consumer behavior where even wealthy consumers actively seek bargains, and saving money has become a status activity. Especially where consumers cannot use hand-me-down groceries or buy them used, they expect competitive pricing. MarketTools research confirms the need for grocery retailers, even those...

This type of ban seems extreme, and in a city the size of LA, unworkable. The toll is mostly on consumers who have to purchase reuable bags, and for consumers with large families or otherwise have to buy a lot of groceries, they will have to purchase many reusable...

The "Third Wave" is already here in its early form, evidenced by activities such as consumers performing in-store mobile price comparisons and receiving targeted in-store mobile promotions, as well as the increasing convergence of full e-commerce capabilities with social media sites. Instead of "Third Wave," retailers should be looking...

Employee buy-in is critical to any organizational change, and employees who fear for their jobs and don't think management is loyal to them tend not to buy in. JCPenney needs to be frank with employees about why layoffs were necessary and also if more may be on the way....

The current compensation model in retail assumes most store employees are high schoolers, retirees, recent immigrants, or others who are not in a position to demand high-wage jobs and will probably not stick around long-term. For retailers whose value proposition is strictly low price and do not create expectations...

I don't think "new generation" is a good slogan for instant oatmeal. I understand they want to get away from the traditional stodgy advertising used for oatmeal (think Wilford Brimley), but it is hard to make mushed-up, heated oats a "sexy" product.

Sears made some extensive social media technology investments a few years ago that did not pan out, so it is wise for them bring in an IT expert to try to right the ship. Mobile check-in and associate notification is a great idea, although for Sears it will probably...