Best Buy 2008

Metro 2008

Best Buy Remix

Best Buy Remix is an API [Application Programming Interface] Project based on Best Buy's product catalog data. It was founded by Kevin Matheny, Best Buy's senior eBusiness architect, in September 2008.

According to Internet Retailer, Best Buy is currently demonstrating ConsumersPrice.com - a site where consumers can request alerts of future Best Buy product pricing, and subsequently record voice reviews of products. ConsumersPrice.com is run by Ribbit, a company acquired by BT last Summer.

As Internet Retailer explains, a shopper looking for a product will be able to enter a preferred price on a specific product configuration and request an SMS or email alert whenever the product becomes available at or below the preferred price. Various social media like Twitter, Flickr and others are also available on this site.

ConsumersPrice.com is still in its beta test period.

Lexmark's ISD

Lexmark is changing the name of its Consumer Printer Division [CPD] to Imaging Solutions Division [ISD] because it is primarily targeting the SoHO and SMB segments via the retail channel. In the US, it has just announced its latest printer line-up which will be stocked at Fry's, InkStop, MicroCenter, Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples. This seems like yet another aspect of Lexmark's previously announced shift in direction for its consumer business from selling units to selling pages. Lexmark is attracted by the lower end of the business market, which behaves in a similar fashion to the consumer segment, because it prints far more pages, and hence consumes much more ink and toner per unit.

Staples 2008

Carrefour 2008

Circuit City RIP

This Sunday, Circuit City will finally shut its doors in the US. While in Canada, Circuit City's chain of more than 750 'The Source' electronics stores are being bought by Bell Canada.

The process of liquidating Circuit City's $1.7bn inventory has been undertaken by four firms in the US - Great American Group, Hudson Capital Partners, SB Capital Group and Tiger Capital Group. Firms like these have been dubbed the undertakers of the retail business by Time magazine. These four liquidators paid some $800mn for Circuit City's merchandise, less than 50% of their supposed value.

DSGi Renewal and Transformation

DSGi

Department Stores

Urbis is an Australian-based property consultancy, with a particular interest in the retail sector. Its markets are principally in the Middle East, SE Asia and Australia. Michael Baker, a consultant at Urbis, writes a bi-monthly newsletter called Retail Perspectives. He also writes occasional articles for the Sydney Morning Herald.

A few weeks ago, Baker wrote an article on the Spanish retail market, using Barcelona as his reference point. He makes good work of describing the Inditex phenomenon [this is the group that owns Zara, and several other fashion formats]. But it's his contrast with the fortunes of El Corte Ingles which makes entertaining reading.

He describes El Corte Inglés' flagship store on the east of side of the Placa de Catalunya as: "a hulking, white and almost windowless" department store, which "resembles a huge motionless iceberg, as though waiting to be towed to a warmer place so it can melt".

Baker goes on to say that "inside El Corte Inglés the scene is reminiscent of department stores the world over - a once dominant retail format that is now just going through the motions. Its customer base is ageing, along with its fit-out. Customers rummage quietly among discounted items. There are no queues at the register".

Over the years, many commentators have forecast the demise of the department store, but it's still a format that can surprise. Take one modest example - John Lewis, a department store chain that is often described as the bellwether of middle class spending in the UK. In recent years, John Lewis has significantly increased its capabilities in consumer electronics. For example, its latest weekly sales figures [they publish these numbers every week] show that its electricals and home technology buying directorate is currently being boosted by strong sales of televisions, set-top boxes, satnavs, camcorders and cameras. There won't be many stores, of any colour, saying that right now...