RetailWire

U.S. Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against CVS Pharmacy for Filling Illegal Opioid Prescriptions The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against CVS for filling illegal opioid prescriptions. How could this case influence accountability in the pharmaceutical industry? Read more and share your comments below: https://lnkd.in/gRVmQ62Y

Retail Theft Has Soared 90% vs. Pre-Pandemic: What Does the Future of Loss Prevention Look Like? Organized retail crime is exploding. What can be done to halt retail theft? Read the panel discussion and share your comments: https://lnkd.in/ecp2pu8G Mark Ryski "The “motivations” are a general decline in the economic well-being of a greater percentage of the population – the wealth gap. First, consumer shoplifting. These are not all kleptomaniacs. I suspect that much of this increase is out of desperation..." David Biernbaum "The retail crime crisis stems from one main issue: insufficient law enforcement. Many communities have reduced funding for police, and even in areas where funding remains, officers often hesitate to confront retail criminals. They fear repercussions, including job loss, if they need to use force."

FESTIVE PRICE BREAK ALERT Give yourself the gift of Shoptalk this holiday season and join us at Shoptalk Spring 2025 in Las Vegas. Ticket prices increase tonight at midnight though, so you must hurry to save $200. An early Christmas gift never hurt anyone after all. Get your tickets and keep an eye out for more show updates > https://hubs.la/Q0300Cg40 #Shoptalk #Retail

🚀 How Can Retailers Master Digital, Omnichannel, and AI While Staying Ahead in 2025? Scott Benedict accomplished retail merchant, educator, consultant, and BrainTrust member shares his thoughts.  “There are many areas in which you can leverage AI that don’t require too many guardrails or policies to be created. Among those are the generation of online content elements and optimizing online content.” - Scott Benedict.

Should Inventories Be Pulled Ahead Over Tariff Threats? Costco Wholesale is among retailers and vendors already accelerating inventory arrivals as a short-term solution to minimize exposure to President-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs. What lessons should have been learned on such a move from past trade wars? Read the discussion and share your comments below: https://lnkd.in/e4WwJtAa Shannon Flanagan "Trump has an upward battle to fulfill this campaign promise. The impact to our economy is too significant. Retailers should be surgical about what and when they choose to move forward and not have a knee jerk reaction." Gail Rodwell-Simon -- Retail • Strategy • Transformation "I think that the strategy makes sense if the retailer has the flexibility to manage their cashflow in the short term. This would also make the most sense on evergreen, non-perishable (or non-trendy), replenishment type items." •Shep Hyken "Loading up on inventory is a short term solution that is only delaying what’s coming. It may allow for a slower ramp up in price increases due to the tariffs. And, as the article points out, increasing inventory comes at a cost, which will also be passed on to consumers."

OpenAI Launches 1-800-ChatGPT To Call or Text With AI Assistant While OpenAI is consistently innovating and updating ChatGPT, it’s trying something a little old-school. To attract more users, OpenAI is testing a phone number that people can call to talk to ChatGPT. How might this reshape how people interact with AI in their daily lives? Read more and share your take: https://lnkd.in/gYFXmKyr

Starbucks Increases Parental Leave for Employees Starbucks has increased the amount of fully paid time off employees can take to care for a child. This necessary change ensures time off and pay replacement for those who welcome a new child, whether by birth, foster placement, or adoption. What challenges might other companies face in adopting similar policies? Read more and share your comments: https://lnkd.in/gFqBm2Q9

Christmas Eve 2024: Which Stores Are Open & Which Stores Are Closed? Christmas Eve is just around the corner, and people are wondering what stores will be open and what stores will be closed. Whether they need to do some last-minute shopping or just need to get an emergency gallon of milk, Americans all over the country will need to know where they can go, whether they celebrate the holiday or not. So, what’s going on? Read more and find out: https://lnkd.in/gtgTn3Yv

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Targets Credit Card Companies Over Deceptive ‘Shell Game’ Rewards Practices The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau recently issued a statement warning credit card companies that they’re under increased scrutiny concerning growing allegations of obstruction and deception. What impact could this have on customer loyalty? Read on and share your thoughts: https://lnkd.in/gQPvhN_f

US Auto Sales Expected To Have Banner Year in 2025: Will EVs Gain Ground? Auto sales across America are picking up steam. Will a Trump administration change things? Read the discussion and share your comments below: https://lnkd.in/gJsFtZZy Brian Delp "Expect the unexpected next year. With Elon Musk driving policy and looming threats of tariffs, there is likely to be disruption enough to go around, not just for the auto industry." Richard Hernandez "I do believe car sales will improve, but not because there will be more customers buying EV cars." Verlin Youd "First, just the fact that the election is over has reduced some purchase anxiety and will lead to increased demand. Second, EV sales continue to increase, and the early adopter markets seem to be showing that broader adoption is ahead."