DMM Retail Industry e-News Issue #181
Be Prepared: Know Your Retail Terms
Like many of you, your humble DMM e-newsletter editor has children, and as such, needs to stay current on all the various cool internet and mobile lingo (“That’s so lit!” and “OK, Boomer” are often heard in yours truly’s home; sometimes, appropriately). Perhaps more important than knowing whether I’ve just been “dissed” (is that still cool? Is “cool” still cool??) is being on top of the retail-speak. You probably know most of them, but you wouldn’t want to not know all of them, right? So, before you embarrass yourself on your next Zoom call (even worse than this guy did on national TV), you might want to brush up on this handy list from the folks at Vend.
Brits Prefer Humans to Robots for Retail Assistance
It’d be great to know if your job was future-proof, would it not? Even before the COVID-19 situation, grocery store employees had to start wondering about their future when they saw this “rolling” up and down the aisles. Since then, grocery stores have been upended while being among the few retail operations still in business full-time. But in the UK people are leaning more towards a future with more people and fewer robots. Retail & Leisure International reported on a recent survey (among humans) from jobs site RetailChoice found that 77% believe retail workers deserve more respect within society and retailers would lose most of their foot traffic if they replaced staff with technology, as 72% of Brits say they would reconsider shopping in store if there were no retail staff available. “Too much technology, which might falter or over-complicate the retail experience, is likely to frustrate workers and consumers alike. Employers need to invest in their staff as well as investing in new technology, to ensure retail workers can focus on delivering what they do best: exceptional customer service,” said Oliver Wren, Jobs Expert, RetailChoice.
Coronavirus, Shmaronavirus. Utah Theater Finds a Way
In the 1993 classic film, Jurassic Park, life found a way. Even though there were only female dinosaurs on the island, they found a way to create new life. A little creativity and a dose of inspiration, that’s the recipe for the rebirth starting to take place right now. Case in point: a movie theater in Utah that found a way to forge ahead. KUTV reported recently about how a local cinema was able to take a page out of the Transformers’ playbook and become a drive-in theater. Temporary screens were set up in a dirt lot next to the Water Gardens Cinema 6 in Pleasant Grove. “We have worked with the local government and the health department to put together a solution that will follow the health guidelines and requirements to curb the spread of COVID-19,” read their Facebook post. Movie theater found a way. Applause!
DMM Sees Movement in Retail
It’s been heartening to see some shopping centers and malls starting to re-open. The DMM research team has been full-steam ahead, tracking the industry’s changing environment. Our analysis points to a good deal of movement in the coming months as the retail industry resets and consumers adapt to and incorporate new shopping habits during these unique times. Will they continue to rely on “Instacart / curb-side pick-up / online grocery delivery” shopping? However the industry shakes out, DMM’s major shopping center and mall data, which includes vital statistics on over 8,500 major properties and their 318,000 associated tenants, is essential to your situational analysis and business opportunities. Click here to learn more.
DMM e-News - Issue #181
