In the spirit of giving thanks The Food Industry Association (FMI) proclaims Feb. 22 Supermarket Employee Day. It’s a day to recognize and appreciate the vital contributions of supermarket employees who keep our communities fed and running smoothly. These dedicated individuals work tirelessly to stock…

Leap Day, Feb. 29, throws off the normal calendar rhythm for all of us. For retailers, while an extra day of sales is never a bad thing, it does throw up a few unique challenges. Here’s what retailers need to plan for: Inventory and Logistics:…

This blog was written by Dave Hamilton with contributions from Kim Hill, Bill Bozeman, Josh Buck, and Steve Kish Managing labor today is difficult. Companies are asked to balance the needs of customers, high operational costs, and diverse employee preferences in a labor market restrained…

If you are a retailer and have never attended a Cathy Hotka & Associates’ Store Operations Council meeting, you are missing out! Julie Hunt (VP of Sales) and I had the recent privilege of attending this year’s version in Washington, D.C., in October. This is…

Having started my retail career at the age of 17, I speak from experience when I say…retail is a hard business! In my 30+ years working in retail I often said, “Retail, you’ve got to love it…especially if you are going to make a career…

The physical retail store is dead…long live the reimagined phygital retail store! Branding, technology advancements that deliver efficient operations, delighting the customer, and investing in the employees were the key themes as some of the largest retailers and those up-and-comers met in Seattle for three…

As I have been reviewing many retail predictions for this year, one prediction I keep hearing is that 2023 would be the year of the retail frontline employee. Several reasons were shared on the “why,” including the labor shortages, increasing wage rates, tough to hire,…