Why Amazon is OK and Google is Not
As I write this article, I have just finished reading a WSJ article about how Amazon is thinking about diving into the payments space, something that I can imagine retailers aren’t too thrilled about....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why Green Tea and a Bag of Chocolate Chips Should Strike Fear into the Hearts...
In order to do this article justice, I’m going to have to wander pretty far into my personal shopping habits. I don’t make the mistake of thinking that I behave like most consumers, nor that most...
View ArticleClik here to view.
No Shortage of Supply Chain Challenges
As Brian wrote about in his article last week, we’re currently examining the data from our most recent benchmark report: Supply Chain Strategy. It’s the strategy part that’s the killer, as retailers of...
View ArticleIn the Moment @ IBM Smarter Commerce
One of the more circular arguments in retail through the last 15 years or so has been about the question, “How ‘real time’ does real time data need to be in retail?” In fact, I think this goes back...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Net Neutrality Update
Back in 2005, UK-based future scenario planner and author Eamonn Kelly published Powerful Times: Rising To the Challenge Of Our Uncertain World. The author stated, “…today’s global economy depends...
View ArticleIs Alibaba the Next Amazon?
China’s Alibaba Group has been gathering attention in the US for some time. Its impending Initial Public Offering (IPO) is expected to potentially be the biggest in history. It didn’t take place on the...
View ArticleRemember the Customer: When Digital Rights Management Goes Awry
Over the last nine months or so, I’ve found myself reminding the omni-channel community that “omni-channel” didn’t start out focused on channels. It began as “customer centricity”. The idea was – and...
View ArticleKicking ‘Em While They’re Down
There’s no doubt that most retailers view Jeff Bezos and Amazon about the same way that Gandolf The Grey viewed Sauron The Evil One and the gates of Mordor. The industry definitely wasn’t ready for the...
View ArticleThe Holiday Season, Pressure And Respectful Dissent
Somehow, the year has flown by. It’s the beginning of November, and the holiday shopping season has begun. Earlier than it used to, but it’s here. We know that ever-more retailers plan to open their...
View ArticleMusical Equipment Pureplay Finds The Right Groove
Retailers’ fear of “showrooming” became widespread with the rapid consumer adoption of smart mobile technologies in the 2009-2010 timeframe. In retrospect, those fears seem a little over-stated. People...
View Article
