![]() ![]() And, the potential synergies to be achieved here suggest a strategy that is bigger and more powerful than originally thought, a true gamechanger, deserving serious, long term strategic planning, as opposed to just tactically seizing opportunities as they arise. Lampert retail or “cash” strategy.) Through all this, the “Godfather strategy” begins to make sense. ![]() In other recent moves: Target (TGT) has inked a leasing arrangement with RadioShack (RSH) to staff and operate RadioShack phone kiosks within Target stores Sunglass Hut, Lush toiletries and Destination Maternity (DEST) in Macy’s (M) Sephora cosmetics and Aldo shoes in JC Penney Apple (AAPL) boutiques within Best Buy (BBY) and, not to be outdone, Sears has opened Edwin Watts Golf Shops, Work ‘N Gear uniform apparel shops and Whole Foods stores within their walls (I must check if this is a Mr. In the apparel sector, in the forty years since their inception, branded retail specialty apparel chains have literally stolen the number one share spot from department stores. Lately, every Tom, Dick and Harry journalist has been randomly and anecdotally referring to “stores within stores.” The great irony here is that many of them, like Forever 21 within Sears (SHLD), Brooks Brothers in Nordstrom (JWN), MNG by Mango inside JC Penney (JCP), and others, with many more to come, were in fact, the “enemy” for many years. ![]() Those of you have read last October’s issue of The Robin Report and the article sub-headed: “Department Stores as Mini-Malls,” already know where I’m going with this. But, what if we were to envision a different scenario, one in which the “Godfathers” of retailing develop a strategy that goes beyond simply understanding the enemy, or keeping them close, to literally bringing them into their “camps,” or stores? Better yet, why not flip the battlefield on its head and turn the enemies into friends, the competitors into collaborators? Not to get carried away with the metaphor, but the advice is in fact smart strategy for the retail battlefield as well. The point? Know your enemies even better than your friends, because in battle, while wanting your friends alongside you, knowing your enemy’s strategies and next moves provides the ability to launch a preemptive strike or at least to plan counter strategies to their next move on the battlefield. First quoted by Sun Tzu, the Chinese general and author of The Art of War, an ancient treatise on military strategy, the statement was given more contemporary relevance in the 1974 film The Godfather Part II when spoken by Al Pacino’s character Michael Corleone. ![]()
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