Tag Archives | Retail

Rethinking the Department Store

Rethinking the Department Store

Rethinking the Department Store

Has JC Penney started a new, forward-looking chapter in its history? One problem for me, though, is that the chain’s initial national TV ad campaign was way off the mark. It was discombobulated, and it didn’t connect. I wasn’t sure what customers were suppose to take away from the ads, what value they were articulating, or what action they were meant to inspire. And there’s a deeper problem to look at. Unfortunately, when you walk into the JC Penney store environment now, any interest or excitement they might have created doesn’t work. The stores are still the same old stores.

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Next: Black Weekend?

What if you took that same concept and pushed it a little further next year… by promoting Black Weekend instead of Black Friday? Judging from what we just saw, the consumer is going to be receptive to the idea of a longer, more intense push at the beginning of the shopping season. So why not open up the doors at midnight Thursday, let the crowds in, and host an in-store party all weekend long?

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Recession? I Choose not to Participate

Recession? I Choose not to Participate

Yes, there are some heavy pressures on some consumers right now.
Yes, there is a lot of uncertainty in our economy as a whole, and in the retail sector particularly.
Yes, there are far fewer discretionary dollars for consumers to spend than there were a few years ago.
But I don’t believe that any of this means that consumers are now destined to be permanently wary of anything but store brands and coupon-driven purchases.

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National Customer Service Week: Who Is Your Hero?

National Customer Service Week

October 3 marks the beginning of National Customer Service Week, an annual event sponsored, since 1991, by the Customer Service Group. This special week is designed to encourage companies in all industries to reward their very best customer service reps by launching celebrations that shine a spotlight on best practices…As we enter National Customer Service Week, I want to ask you: What company is your hero when it comes to customer service — and why?

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My Response To Target Meets Missoni: Big Mistake

Target Meets Missoni: Big Mistake

Notice that I’m not talking about the Target brand, but the Missoni fashion brand. The designer has now created two Missoni brands for its merchandise, each in deep conflict with the other: “Upscale Missoni” and “Missoni for Target.” But the same brand is supposedly driving both experiences! Something’s got to give.

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