What shopping habits do you expect teens to take with them into adulthood and which ones will be left behind? What do retailers/brands such as Amazon, Sephora and Nike have in common that appeal to Gen Z teens? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: Shopping habits may remain the same, as in Gen Z will … Continue reading No site comes close to Amazon for Gen Z
What will Nordstrom need to do to be successful with its full-line men’s store in Manhattan? How likely is the store to be successful? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: I walked by yesterday and it did not look like it was open yet but I thought it looked pretty impressive. It’s in an area … Continue reading Can Nordstrom’s full-line men’s store make it in Manhattan?
Do you think Walmart has a coherent digital strategy in place or is it more a set of disconnected measures designed to counter Amazon.com? Will its new and acquired digital brands succeed at attracting and keeping upscale Millennials? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: It is not a coherent strategy yet, but I have no … Continue reading Walmart is focused on expanding its digital brand portfolio
Do you think the purchasing behaviors of men and women have become more similar or dissimilar in recent years? Do you feel retailers need to do a better job segmenting by gender? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: A survey of 1,000 people does not give me a great level of confidence but, that said, … Continue reading Do men and women still shop differently?
Is an increase in micro visits for customers using Amazon lockers a phenomenon that Amazon/Whole Foods will benefit from? Should other companies consider Amazon locker partnerships to encourage similar visits? Is Amazon overdoing the encouragement of non-grocery-related services at Whole Foods? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: It comes down to the size of the … Continue reading Are Amazon lockers turning Whole Foods into a quick shop destination?
How should stores balance technology investments that enable associates versus those that enable shoppers? Do you expect the associate’s role to diminish as shoppers increasingly become channel agnostic, self-reliant and oriented to technology? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: Technology is there to be used, but how many times have you been disappointed because you … Continue reading Customers want to be left alone while shopping
Is the Facebook business model in danger of breaking down? Do you see the data challenges facing Facebook as a bigger issue facing the internet’s free-services for personal data model? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: The challenge is how to balance the use of data so that it makes sense for advertisers while protecting … Continue reading Has Facebook become toxic for advertisers?
What benefits do you see from Home Depot’s $50 million commitment to create trade jobs? Is this type of training aimed at potential customers applicable to other sectors of retailing? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: I don’t see any downside to this. Great PR move, but more importantly, it will actually help to facilitate … Continue reading Home Depot commits $50M to create trade jobs and secure its future
Do you see tariffs on steel and aluminum having a negative effect on the retail industry? What sectors of retail, if any, do you think would be most affected? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: While I agree with the comment from Kai that retailers have bigger fish to fry than this, it will indeed … Continue reading Will steel and aluminum tariffs hurt American retailers?
Do you agree that retail rents are due for a “permanent” drop in the near future? What do you think retailers are most likely to do with the newfound money that will come with lower rents — remodel stores, open new locations, drop it to the bottom line, etc.? Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments: … Continue reading Starbucks is everywhere – or soon will be
