ALDI opening its first in-mall location

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 15, 2010

The Westfield Chicago Ridge shopping center, an 800,000 sq. ft. mall located outside of Chicago, announced today it will add a 20,000 sq. ft. ALDI grocery…

Update: Plastic bag ban fails in California

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 1, 2010

The Associated Press reports that California lawmakers have rejected Senate bill AB 1998, which would have banned the use of plastic shopping bags in retail…

Big Y Foods implements deli-ordering kiosks

September 1, 2010

NCR Corp. announced that Big Y Foods Inc. has completed its initial deployment of automated deli ordering kiosks powered by NCR’s self-service technology. Now…

Is that a banana in your couch, or are you just happy I am shopping?

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Supermarkets are wizards at getting us to buy more than we intend. They’ve figured out how to successfully sell diapers to beer customers and pine nuts to…

Hannaford supermarkets unveil new online experience

August 30, 2010

E-commerce solutions provider Fry, Inc. has announced the launch of a newly designed website for Hannaford Bros. Co., a Scarborough, Maine, supermarket chain.

California set to vote on plastic bag ban

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Proponents of the bill point to environmental benefits, while detractors decry possible loss of jobs.

Poll: Consumers divided on plastic bag ban

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 29, 2010

With the California Senate getting ready for a vote on AB 1998, which would outlaw the use of plastic bags in retail stores, we surveyed our consumer advisory…

Grocery theatricals put under the spotlight

Some in-store bakeries are used "merely to warm up bread made in industrial units hundreds of miles away."

Pan-Oston, NGA tour America to support independent grocers

The National Grocers Association and Pan-Oston have developed two state-of-the-art mobile Innovation Centers showcasing the latest in front-end technology. The…

Retail Roundtable: Sam's Club offering SBA loans

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Is this a natural extension of the brand, or is the company overextending itself and getting away from its retail roots?

Sam's Club now offering small business loans

July 5, 2010

Existing small business owners and entrepreneurs with hopes of starting up continue to seek access to capital in the form of bank loans, yet are still…

Pennsylvania's new wine kiosks get panned

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

A massive new kiosk that dispenses wine by the bottle is being met with ridicule in oenophile circles.

BI-LO launches customer health and wellness initiative

June 22, 2010

South Carolina-based supermarket chain BI-LO has launched a new health and wellness initiative called BI-LO thrive!, which includes a full-time registered…

Hannaford's new website offers shopping list, product recall info

June 10, 2010

Hannaford Supermarkets, which operates more than 170 stores in the northeast, has rolled out a new website that not only includes an interactive shopping list…

Unified Grocers selects Agilence’s POS video auditing solution

June 9, 2010

Unified Grocers, the largest retailer-owned grocery cooperative in the western United States, now recommends its retail customers consider Agilence’s POS video…

Study: Grocery shoppers highly susceptible to in-store marketing

Two-thirds of consumers buy 'off list,' and 90 percent will pick up impulse items perceived to be a bargain.

Study: 60 percent of customers look for coupons before shopping

Coupons are still an important preplanning mechanism, especially within the grocery channel.

Five tips for winning shoppers in new categories

How retailers can use data and an understanding of the customer to increase shopping trips, basket size.

Let's Call Customer Service Counters What They Are: Damage Control

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

Customer service to me happens prior to the sale. Damage control is what happens after. Frequently it is run by people dis-empowered to do anything but cut…

Food Lion kiosks create coupons based on shopper habits

April 28, 2010

According to Colloquy.com, Food Lion is deploying kiosks that will generate and print coupons for customers based on their shopping habits. The kiosks were…