Is Wal-Mart Weakening?
This article raises the question. And, in the eyes of investors, it's probably true. But, it's simply because Wal-Mart is struggling to grow at the amazing rate in which they did in the past. They're also experiencing some bumps because their customers are the most price sensitive, so they're most impacted by high gas prices.
With this all said, they'll be as strong as ever for those businesses competing against them. And, they'll surely look for ways to expand and increase their growth rate. Wal-Mart has a mediocre history in diversifying outside of the Wal-Mart brand--even Sam's Club isn't a home run--so it'll be interesting to see what their next move is.
Source: brettdalybusiness.blogspot.com
Media clampdown in Iran sees journalists forced to leave
Scoop Jun 21 2009 8:43PM GMT
Source: c.moreover.com
Beating the Big Boxes: Cases
CNN published two cases of independent retailers surviving and thriving despite hefty big box competition. Their methods are pretty intuitive though: beat them on selection and service. One case involves a wine store while the other involves an electronics store.
Source: brettdalybusiness.blogspot.com
Meal Time Tips Posted By : Ruth Edensor
For anyone who would like to improve mealtimes with their family for whatever reason these guidelines will hopefully give you some ideas on how to go about it. It would be impossible to cover all possible scenarios and a one size fits all approach in a tip sheet so I am going to look at a basic outline of meal times.
Source: www.articlesphere.com
Changes in the Retail Scene
Wal-Mart has reduced its capital expenditures in the United States which indicates a reduction in new store additions/expansions. This seems to indicate that Wal-Mart is conceding that they are approaching a saturation point in the United States. For Wal-Mart, this likely signals a greater focus on improving current store results while looking for international opportunities. With that said, Wal-Mart has had modest success at best abroad.
Wal-Mart's competitors, including Target and Costco, enjoyed Wall Street gains due to this news. It may also result in a little bit of relief for smaller players as they may not get squeezed too much more by new Wal-Marts appearing on every corner. Of course, a slow in capital expenditures means they are only adding 600 stores in the next year, with the focus on Supercenters. So, grocery particularly, can't get too comfortable.
Looking at the upcoming holiday season, Wal-Mart seems to be the main significant retail player that is "struggling"--relatively speaking of course. I suspect this is because their core customer base is most impacted by the energy prices that are still far from modest. It seems like the mid-market players are better protected given that their customers have a little more disposable income. We'll see who the winners and losers are come January.
Source: brettdalybusiness.blogspot.com
Is Procreation Inherently Immoral? Posted By : Philip Yaffe
The urge to procreate, i.e. having children, is so strong in all societies that it is difficult to imagine anyone questioning its morality. It is usually the other way around; not having children is considered suspect and even immoral. Where does the truth lie?
Source: www.articlesphere.com
E-mail Marketing: When to E-mail?
EROI came out with a report on the topic of when to send e-mail blasts. As it turns out, for business-to-business companies, around noon early in the week garners the best response. The weekend or near the end of the week is optimal for those on the business-to-consumer side of things, presumably because consumers plan their weekend shopping around that time.
Source: brettdalybusiness.blogspot.com
Can Sears Rebound?
Sears has seen its same store sales and overall profit decrease recently. Since Edwart Lampert has taken over as chairman, some have wondered whether his emphasis on margins over store investment would ultimately hurt the chain. While the picture isn't nearly as bleak as it is for his other chain KMart, where the store experience is just terrible due to virtually no store investment and a lack of employees, improving the customer experience at Sears is critical.
I still wonder if his ultimate plan is to maximize upon the real estate value he holds through the two chains. For example, here in the Rochester area, Eastview Mall is a popular high-end mall. So I could see a new-to-the-area chain looking to buy out the Sears space, and then Sears would move across the street to the KMart space, as KMart isn't a good match for the market. If that were the case, it still makes investing in Sears stores very important.
On the bright side, I'm impressed with their holiday Wish Book campaign. The ads focus on the emotional side over just products by telling stories, and they seem to be using direct mail and newspapers to send out numerous "Wish Books" that reinforce the message and provide product information. It's the best campaign I've seen from Sears in years, and from visiting two stores recently, they seem to be trying to fulfill the promise. So, maybe they're starting to get it again.
Source: brettdalybusiness.blogspot.com
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