How Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods will disrupt the retail landscape

Sethuraman Janardhanan, practice head and client partner, big data analytics, at Happiest Minds Technologies, explores the multiple synergies that have made…

Kagan: How Amazon is transforming retail

by Jeff KAGAN — Wireless Analyst, Telecom Industry Analyst

As long as Amazon lets users continue to shop as they are used to, and adds a new way of thinking to the mix, Jeff Kagan believes the Whole Foods experiment…

Amazon's Whole Foods deal proves the 'retail mullet' is the future of grocery

ForeSee's Eric Feinberg provides his take on Amazon's multi-billion dollar acquisition of Whole Foods. As he writes, surprisingly not much has been said about…

Amazon's Whole Foods Market acquisition points to a changing role for physical stores; millennials hold the key

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods Market is yet another sign – the biggest to date – that retail is being redefined by multiple shopping channels.

From stock options to oranges: Whole Foods Rewards is a natural for growth

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Whole Foods is enjoying the fruits of its marketing labor these days, but its long-term success may rely more on its affinity for workers than affinity with…

Three micro-trends of the retail customer experience

by Jeannie Walters — Chief Customer Experience Investigator, 360Connext

There are several ways the retail customer experience is actually becoming smaller, and it seems to be a good thing for sales and customers.

Whole Foods’ paycheck may hinge on prices

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

People buy at Whole Foods because it stands for more than food, so simply dropping prices doesn’t solve its perception issue.

Maximizing the value of a retail loyalty program

by Fred Thompson

The grocery industry seemingly changes daily, with new products and initiatives to meet rapidly shifting consumer preferences as well as new technology that…

Egging for the bigger basket

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

The saying goes that you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelet, but this year coloring a dozen eggs may crack your budget.

Independent grocers: Three ways to gain a trade promotions edge

by James Tenser — Principal, VSN Strategies

When it comes to capturing their fair share of impact from trade deals, independent grocers have long struggled to match their crosstown, big-chain rivals.

NRF bulletin: Personalization done right

by James Tenser — Principal, VSN Strategies

I've been on record many times as a hater of shopper loyalty, but an advocate of intelligent personalization.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain

by Jeff Weidauer — Vice President, Marketing & Strategy, Vestcom International, Inc.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has a new website called The Facts About GMOs. I’ve spent time reading through the various articles and op-eds…

Walmart rebranding?

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

Are Walmart's steak ads early signs of a rebranding? I've been a long-time critic of Walmart's low-price strategy so it's only fair that I recognize them for…

Kroger proposal seeks to pull human trafficking from supply chain

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

A pile of honeycrisp apples in the grocery aisle isn't likely to get shoppers thinking about human trafficking, but some shareholders of Kroger Co. want it to.

Giving shoppers what they don't know they want

by Jeff Weidauer — Vice President, Marketing & Strategy, Vestcom International, Inc.

The National Grocers Association and Supermarket Guru released some teaser facts from their Consumer Panel Survey that will be released at the annual…

The Walmart whale is making waves in South Africa retail

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

It is one thing to read about international retailing, but quite another to experience it firsthand. I've visited South Africa several times on safaris, but…

Why Costco discounts postage stamps ... and why it matters

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

A good equation for value is as follows: Value = Personal Benefit minus Cost and Inconvenience. But the "personal benefit" variable can easily override the…

How to save the center of the store

by Jeff Weidauer — Vice President, Marketing & Strategy, Vestcom International, Inc.

The New York Times recently ran a piece exploring the shift in traffic from center store to perimeter in a typical supermarket. While the article was…

Kroger's prescription for phone relief

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Anyone who regularly goes to the pharmacy knows that the sound of a ringing phone is as prevalent as the rattle of bottled pills. Now Kroger Co. is testing a…

Kroger's loyalty plan is fuel for thought

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

The Kroger Co., the largest traditional supermarket chain in the country, is preparing to release its fourth-quarter and annual earnings March 1, and the…