A SAMPLING of my recent commentary on RetailWire:

• What will it take to make department stores relevant again?

  

  Department stores face a stark choice -- adopt a wholly new paradigm or fade away. The vast real estate holdings that once constituted the basis of their power have evolved into another kind of "anchor stores" -- the kind that puts a drag on maneuverability. Excess square footage is ...

• Tide to roll out laundry cleaning service nationwide

  

  Wish this service was available when I was a college dorm resident, back in the previous millennium. Now that it's app-enabled, I can imagine students signing up in droves. P&G has been experimenting patiently with this franchised retail concept for years. It hits the mark as a brand e...

• What’s holding back end-to-end inventory visibility?

  

  The key terms missing from this discussion are "store-level" and "real-time." Warehouse inventory visibility is meaningless to the shopper who encounters a void at the shelf. It does next to nothing for the online or mobile shopper who has no reliable way of knowing that a des...

• What will it take to transform BOPIS ops from just okay to great?

  

  I would have liked this comment twice if I could, Dave. Store-level, real-time inventory visibility is the number one issue for click & carry retailing. Connectivity to the digital store is essential. Otherwise BOPIS is essentially "click & hope." In FMCG I have heard...

• Will Amazon’s decision to bail cause a New York backlash?

  

  Amazon isn't leaving New York by any stretch. It already has 5,000 employees in the five boroughs and those numbers are likely to grow. The controversy over its proposed mega-development in Long Island City will fade, and other tech businesses will certainly invest in the market as the mayor pred...

• Is there really wisdom in the crowd?

  

  Great observations here. Even the clever question, "What would others say?" may be subject to the echo-chamber confound. The "surprisingly popular" crowd response reminds me a bit of Fred Reichheld's "likelihood to recommend" question. While crowd wisdom may be c...

• Are apps and voice assistants the keys to e-grocery adoption?

  

  Crucial points about "near real-time inventory visibility across the store" and "shelf replenishment," Mohamed. Voice interaction cannot reach mainstream acceptance in the absence of such data accuracy. Otherwise, at best we have a shopping list app, not an ordering solution....