Inside This Issue - Opinion

A spirited debate about retail

Last summer a small group of retailers and suppliers invited by Emerson Group president Scott Emerson gathered in New York City to address the issues surrounding branding and the attributes that make a particular brand “nontransferable,” not easily replaced by a similar brand or removed entirely from the merchandise mix.

Needs of core customers guide Walmart evolution

After a period of experimentation at Walmart that saw the nation’s top discounter recast its business in a questionable attempt to make itself more like the No. 2 player, the company has renewed its commitment to the principles that made it great.