Retail

Mary Altaffer / AP

No, the Lululemon CEO Didn’t Get Fired for See-Through Yoga Pants

Earlier this year, yoga-wear company Lululemon had to initiate a massive recall of its popular luon yoga pants, which failed …

One Way Tebow Will Definitely Help the Patriots

By Brad TuttleJune 13, 20130

A third-string quarterback with zero Pro Bowl appearances and highly criticized throwing mechanics—who was recently dumped by his team from last year, and who many football analysts predicted wouldn’t be in the NFL this year—will have one of the league’s hottest-selling jerseys.

Why Dads Get Short Shrift on Father’s Day — and Dads Are O.K. With It

By Kit YarrowJune 12, 20130

When it comes to their respective days of honor, why do dads get funny ties and moms get diamond-heart necklaces? Why do we spend 40% more on Mother’s Day than Father’s Day? Some seemingly ungrateful children (and a few dads) …

Amazon’s New Grocery Service: For $299, You Never Have to Leave the House Again

By Brad TuttleJune 12, 20130

Would you pay $299 annually if it meant never having to go to the supermarket? Amazon.com is testing a service with that idea in mind. And that’s on top of Amazon’s other services that already eliminate the need to go to the mall.

Jos. A. Bank and JC Penney: When Retailers Try to ‘Retrain the Customer’

By Brad TuttleJune 11, 20130

Retailers love the idea that consumers can be trained to view certain price points and markdowns as terrific deals. Just tweak the prices and wait for shoppers to bite. And when consumers get to the point that they can see through the manipulative promotions? Then it’s time to retrain them.

The Rise of the Swanky No-Name Brand

By Brad TuttleJune 11, 20130

The generic “store brand” label has been losing its stigma for years. Now, Target is attempting to further dispel the notion that an in-house brand equates to low quality with the launch of an organic, upscale food line.

The Straight Poop on Dollar Shave Club’s Wet Wipes For Guys

By Martha C. WhiteJune 06, 20130

The Dollar Shave Club guys are back, and this time they’re knocking on the back door. “I’m talking about poop,” CEO Michael Dubin announces in another self-consciously edgy (not to say “cheeky”) YouTube video shilling his company’s newest product: wet wipes for grown men.

In the blogosphere, the question of whether or not adults …

Good For You, Better For Them: The Truth About Retailer Guarantees

By Martha C. WhiteJune 06, 20130

Wal-Mart’s new money-back guarantee, like most retailer promises, look terrific on first glance. But the reality is that these guarantees are mainly empty marketing tactics, the commercial equivalent of a date pulling out his wallet with no intention of paying.

Buying Lottery Tickets Just Keeps Getting Easier

By Brad TuttleJune 04, 20130

It’s not like buying lottery tickets is particularly difficult. But because states continually want to increase revenues via rising lottery sales, they’re constantly looking for “innovations” that make lottery tickets easier to buy and available at every turn—like at the gas pump, the ATM, or just the computer screen.