Making A Big Retail Decision
In this era of industry mergers, many retailers are acquiring other retailers. In a number of cases that leads to decisions on whether to keep multiple store banners in the same market, or to retire one or more of them.
I was recently quoted in a Washington state news article on this topic. Albertsons’ acquisition of Safeway in 2015 has produced the need for ongoing decisions about store banners in various markets, including in Washington.
The Yakima Herald published a story on the decision to convert a local Albertsons store into a Safeway. I was asked to explain the considerations that go into a decision like this.
You can read the full article here.
Among the points I made:
Focusing on one retail brand in a market can save on advertising and other costs.
Sometimes it’s better to decide on conversions over time rather than all at once.
Companies often benefit by adding popular, signature items from the eliminated store banner to the one that remains.
I would urge companies to keep customers in the loop all along this process. Shoppers will be more likely to embrace the changes if you provide communications that tell the full story and meet their needs.
