May/June 2017

In Focus: BJ's Wholesale Club

BJ's Wholesale Club has always defied neat classification. Even with the words "wholesale" and "club" in its name, it has never fit the mold of Costco or Sam's Club.

Surviving Trump

At the turn of the century, delivering milk to customer doorsteps was the norm. Then, as grocery stores and modern appliances took off, milk was mostly purchased at retailers.

Increased pay is only part of the equation for retailers to minimize turnover, increase productivity and improve customer service now that unemployment is back to pre-recession levels. Kroger, which hired more than 12,000 new store associates in 2016, recently announced about 1,300 non-store wor

Fast, Fresh, Easy

Slow and steady does win the race, or so it seems with FreshDirect.

Accelerating CPG Demand

Al Carey's 40-year CPG career began in the mid-'70s at Procter & Gamble followed by 35 years with PepsiCo. Such tenure gives Carey a unique perspective on how the industry has evolved to deal with emerging threats and capitalize on new opportunities.

The New Trade Marketing Model

As dramatic shopper-driven changes unfold throughout the retail industry, traditional approaches to trade marketing are being turned on their head.

Formula for Dollar General Growth

Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos leads an army of more than 120,000 employees tasked with executing the company's strategy of serving others at a network of stores that will surpass 14,000 locations in 2017. It's not easy being Dollar General.

Disruptive Innovation 2.0

The retail industry has been getting one stark message for years now: "Innovate or die." And in fact, the age of digital disruption has left innovation laggards at risk of extinction.

Dollar General's X-Factor

Retailers of all types are eyeing urban markets for growth and Dollar General is no exception. The company operates nearly 14,000 stores that are easy to spot throughout nearly all of America thanks to distinctive yellow and black signs.

We Are What We Eat

Susan Viamari,

The Digital First Future

The accelerating pace of technology driven change continues to heighten consumer expectations. In our on-demand economy, services like UberX, Amazon Prime and Starbucks Order Ahead, have redefined what "convenience" means to shoppers.

IBM's answer man

The retail industry is awash with tech industry buzzwords that no one wants to admit they don't understand. That's okay, IBM's Darin Archer is here to help.