• The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that arguments have begun in Washington State in a case where Costco is challenging the state government’s regulations for distributing beer and wine.
Costco maintains that state regulations essentially restrain trade by preventing retailers from negotiating directly with out-of-0state wineries, instead requiring them to deal with in-state distributors.
• The US Department of the Treasury said that it will begin distribution of a newly designed $10 bill – more colorful (with red, yellow and orange highlights), and with security features that prevent counterfeiting – next March 2.
• French retailer Carrefour announced that it will expand its private label offerings, bringing out 2,000 new own-label SKUs during the next 24 months. Not a bad move, considering that the company says that 90 percent of its customers buy private label items, and that own-label accounts for 25 percent of total sales.
• The Wall Street Journal reported the other day about the newest innovation in in-store kiosks – GE’s consumer finance division is putting them in IKEA stores, allowing people to apply for and get credit cards in just a few minutes. Shoppers get credit certificates on the spot, and then an IKEA-branded credit card a few days later in the mail. The system is similar to one being tested by Wal-Mart.
• Aeon, the Japanese retailer, is testing the use of a four-foot-high robot made by Fujitsu to escort customers to specific locations or carry their grocery bags, according to a report by PlanetRetail.net. The robot gets its instructions via a voice recognition system, though consumer also can use a touch panel.
The company will reportedly test the robot for three weeks before deciding whether to roll it out to other stores.
Costco maintains that state regulations essentially restrain trade by preventing retailers from negotiating directly with out-of-0state wineries, instead requiring them to deal with in-state distributors.
• The US Department of the Treasury said that it will begin distribution of a newly designed $10 bill – more colorful (with red, yellow and orange highlights), and with security features that prevent counterfeiting – next March 2.
• French retailer Carrefour announced that it will expand its private label offerings, bringing out 2,000 new own-label SKUs during the next 24 months. Not a bad move, considering that the company says that 90 percent of its customers buy private label items, and that own-label accounts for 25 percent of total sales.
• The Wall Street Journal reported the other day about the newest innovation in in-store kiosks – GE’s consumer finance division is putting them in IKEA stores, allowing people to apply for and get credit cards in just a few minutes. Shoppers get credit certificates on the spot, and then an IKEA-branded credit card a few days later in the mail. The system is similar to one being tested by Wal-Mart.
• Aeon, the Japanese retailer, is testing the use of a four-foot-high robot made by Fujitsu to escort customers to specific locations or carry their grocery bags, according to a report by PlanetRetail.net. The robot gets its instructions via a voice recognition system, though consumer also can use a touch panel.
The company will reportedly test the robot for three weeks before deciding whether to roll it out to other stores.
- KC's View:
- No name for the robot has been identified in the press. Though we vote for “Data.”
