Kevin Graff

In many respects, returns are just the reality of retail during the holidays. Yes, as pointed out above, liberal return policies are important to drive the business, and better trained staff would help reduce some returns.

But, let's look forward. If you know a lot of customers will be...

I don't 'get' these groups either. Nothing better to do with their time? Wouldn't the time and energy be better served doing the 'good' they are so capable of?

As to the question of what I would do if my retail company was targeted by this group? Probably the...

If we have a problem with "emotionally manipulative" ads, then I guess we should pull all beer commercials, car ads and pretty much everything else too. The best marketing, advertising and selling works to create emotional links between products and ideas with the customer. What else are we to...

Recently I spent a day shopping stores in NY, and was surprised at how the volume of music was way up (not offensively so) in every store ... even a Scholar's Choice. While I'm a little old to be shopping for myself in a Top Shop, and didn't really...

Authenticity. Trust. Transparency. Credibility. These (and many other) words often describe the best performing retailers today. Rushing out Christmas displays and promos in October does nothing to build credibility or trust. It's just annoying and desperate looking.

Consumers are smarter than ever ... retailers need to keep up.

Finally, a good reason to go to the department store! They have been "out retailed" by most specialty retailers for a long time. This gives them their own 'specialty' that if positioned right and marketed well should be a winning idea. For the time-starved customer who still wants to...

While I'm not a big fan of this idea, who are we to question the Golden Arches as they've posted so many consecutive quarters of same store sales gains? I'm usually pretty quick to question most every initiative (getting cranky as I get older?), but somehow I want to...

Four great companies, all doing wonderful things ... and profiting from them. Lots to learn from each.

Who has had the most significant influence to date? In my mind, that would be Amazon. They blazed the e-retailing path that so many others have followed. They were (and still are)...

Mr Lindstrom isn't going to find much 'love' in the forum of retailers. I would echo Warren's points above. It's a ridiculous book to write, and even more ridiculous for the media to pick up on it. What's next? His expose on how car manufacturers put in big engines...

This is how you spell "LEADERSHIP".

Set the politics aside and look solely at the message that says "we're about more than just making money." As I sip my morning Grande Bold from Starbucks, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Now, let's anxiously await other retailers...