Carol Spieckerman's Brain On...C-Stores' Nourishment Nonstarter

In her latest contribution as a Retail Wire panelist, Carol thinks hesitation is c-store's biggest hurdle as they seek to harness opportunities in healthy and fresh.

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Here's what she had to say...The biggest hurdle that c-stores face is that they are late to the party (a party that should have been their big bash). Walgreen, Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, and others have jumped on the small format, healthy-take-and-go bandwagon. Walgreen, Giant Eagle and Kroger are among retailers that have one-upped c-stores by layering on alternative fueling (electric) options that position them as green-friendly and alert to urban opportunities.

Forcing fruits and veggies into the mix and expecting an "immediate impact" is a me-too misfire at this stage of the game. Why the late response?

Carol Spieckerman's Brain On...Barneys' Benign Neglect

Today, Retail Wire asked whether Barneys should survive. In her latest contribution as a Retail Wire panelist, Carol wonders how they could.

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Here's what she had to say...One of Barneys' weaknesses is that it has been passed around to companies that couldn't help but treat it as an afterthought. Jones Group's history as a wholesale powerhouse made it a dubious choice for a parent back in 2004. Jones is still trying to figure out its future and was certainly not equipped to drive Barneys' upscale brand destiny at acquisition time. Dubai-based Istithmar World's diverse portfolio of holdings and inherently at-a-distance perspective isn't doing Barneys any favors either.

Barneys is a limited-location boutique concept that has been treated as a scalable commodity.

Carol Spieckerman's Brain On...Does J.C. Penney's Plan Forget the Rank and File?

In her latest contribution as a Retail Wire panelist, Carol posits that Ron Johnson may not have left people out his plan for J.C. Penney (or perhaps they will be beside the point).

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Here's what she had to say...It remains to be seen whether Mr. Johnson's strategies left out the seventh "P" (people) as the article suggests, or if the other six (Price, Promotion, Personality, Product, Presentation and Place) intentionally obviate the need for a talent topgrading plan. On the surface, Penney's new scheme would seem to simplify rather than further complicate in-store execution and customer interaction.

Nikki Baird's original article is a terrific read, by the way, and a spot-on depiction of J.C. Penney's previous pricing and promotion "strategy."

Carol Spieckerman's Brain On...Food Fight: Retailers' Quality vs. Restaurants' (Shrinking) Quantity

In her latest contribution as a Retail Wire panelist, Carol says that as restaurants pare, retailers will gain share in prepared foods.

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Here's what she had to say ... As restaurants cut back on quality and quantity in their panic to mitigate rising ingredient costs, retailers can probably sit tight and still compare favorably. Consumers who frequent particular restaurant brands are bound to notice as their favorite menu items get heavier on filler or skimpier on premium portions. Prepared food is popping up in frequently-visited formats and channels from mass to drug, and in a multitude of harder-to-track variations. Advantage, retailer!