It Takes Two to Retail
By George Anderson
Wanted: A retailer with unique brand identity to team up with another retailer
to produce greater overall sales and profits.
According to a report in USA Today, retailers such as KB Toys, Sears, Office
Depot, Amazon.com, Target, Home Depot and others are looking to utilize the
strengths of other retail brands to grow sales while keeping overhead expenses
low.
Amazon is probably most the retailer most identifiable with this strategy having
developed online partnerships with Target, Circuit City and Office Depot.
In the Office Depot deal, Amazon handles the online sale and the office products
retailer manages inventory and fulfills orders. Products can either be shipped
to the consumer or picked up at an Office Depot location.
Cynthia Cohen, president, Strategic Mindshare said, “This is a lesson in maximizing
the things you’re really good at and looking to other companies to provide services
that are not your main line of business.”
Moderator’s Comment: Which currently known partnership
between retailers do you expect to reap the biggest dividends for both? [George
Anderson – Moderator]