RPW 10-7-08

Retail Paradox Weekly

Retail News Analysis by RSR Research

October 7, 2008

An Early Peek at Supply Chain Collaboration: Beyond Coercion

By Brian Kilcourse, Managing Partner
10/7/2008

Back in January, we commented on the state of collaboration in the retail ecosystem:

“Many retailers still tend to think of their manufacturing partners as 'suppliers' while manufacturers tend to think of retailers as part of the distribution network for their branded products.” (A Retail Paradox: Cooperation vs. Coercion, 1/15/08 )

There have been a lot of technology-driven efforts made over the past... More

Retailing Past, Present, and Future: IBM's Research Center in LaGaude

By Paula Rosenblum, Managing Partner
10/7/2008

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak at IBM’s European Multi-channel Summit at its Innovation Center in La Gaude, France. For those who are unfamiliar, La Gaude is located about ½ hour from Nice, in the foothills of the Alps. My accommodations abuted both Nice’s old city and the highest of high-end retail shops, so I really did get a chance to see retail’s past, its present, and in all likelihood, pieces of its future.

Nice is beautiful and a fascinating juxtaposition of images... More

Island Pacific 2008: Not Your Typical User Conference

By Steve Rowen, Managing Partner
10/7/2008

Here in Newport Beach, California, Island Pacific’s 2008 User Conference has been impressive. While all user groups have some portion of sessions dedicated to getting honest (if not brutally honest) client feedback, analysts are normally not invited into those rooms. Here, an open door policy has been thoroughly baked in.

Right off the jump, CEO Davy Rosen kicked off the week’s events with an opening presentation outlining exactly... More