Exclusive, niche brands loom large in beauty mix
The year 2014 will be remembered as one of discovery about the power of niche and exclusive beauty brands at retailers in the United States, and that momentum will increase well into the future.
Opinion
First-quarter results portend challenging year
The fiscal first quarter of 2015 is in the books for many of the largest retailers, and the results tend to bear out the idea that the current year will be one of struggle and uncertainty despite signs that the economy is rebounding from the recession that plagued it so sorely in recent years. The
Gourlay aims to restore Walgreens’ confidence
Most people in this country spent last Christmas Eve away from work, celebrating the holiday with family members and friends. Alex Gourlay, then Walgreens’ president of customer experience and daily living, devoted much of the day to visiting a dozen of the drug chain’s outlets in greater Chicago.
With self-care trend, it’s time to rethink OTCs, vitamins
i.e., self-care. Greater access to over-the-counter health products and vitamin,
Annual Meeting always gets people talking
When members of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores gathered at The Breakers in Palm Beach for the 2015 NACDS Annual Meeting last month, they brought with them a renewed sense of purpose and confidence in the meaningful contributions that community pharmacy is making to improve the U.S.
NACDS again shows it is without peer
Less than a month has passed since the National Association of Chain Drug Stores hosted its 2015 Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.
Walmart challenges drug stores in retail health care
it will be from Walmart. Walmart wants to become the No. 1 U.S. health care provider and is now poised to challenge the slope of drug store growth. Today, Walmart is
Best-in-class research techniques can bring data to life
While retailers’ marketing and innovation staffs and capabilities have expanded dramatically over the past 20 years, their investments haven’t always kept pace with the market research advances that fuel national brand success.
ACOs spearhead shift to value-based care
Recently, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced a lofty goal of tying 50% of all traditional Medicare payments to alternative payment models, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) or bundled payment arrangements, by the year 2018.
Population shakeup reshapes health care retailing
either how it looked (mainly Caucasian) or what it wanted (similar aspirations). However, as we look ahead, that will not be the future. Not so long ago, the United States was predominantly a
Envisioning the ‘drug store of the future’
The concept cars unveiled at major auto shows always seem a bit “out there.” But by making a practice of radically rethinking their products, global car makers have learned to unleash their creativity and position themselves for the future.
WBA management team knows what’s what
Walgreens Boots Alliance experienced a rite of passage earlier this month when for the first time it reported quarterly earnings.
Below the surface, much has happened
The NACDS Annual Meeting, unfolding at the moment in Palm Beach, Fla., unofficially marks the end of the first third of the mass retailing year.
Framework for thinking about international retail
One of the most dramatic changes in global business over the past few decades is the growth of organized retail in developing markets and the expansion of global retailers in general.
Power of scale can help unlock value
and thus more power to choose. As providers compete on this somewhat leveled playing field, they will be pressured to find new ways to
As online threats proliferate, brands must protect themselves
In 2014 there were an estimated 3 billion Internet users worldwide, up from 2.8 billion by the end of 2013. The Indexed Web contained at least 4.59 billion pages as of this writing (March 16, 2015). The Worldwide Web is here to stay, and it is clearly not shrinking anytime soon.