David Merrefield

Another bleak chapter in the annals of supermarket history was written last week when, moments after midnight last Tuesday, 80-year-old Winn-Dixie Stores said it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy the previous day...

What's in store for the economy when customer satisfaction in a wide range of enterprises takes a dive?We may find out in upcoming quarters, since that very thing is happening.The results of a research project...

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Involving consumers in decisions about the cost of health care is critical to lowering the cost of health care, according to Regina Herzlinger.Herzlinger, a professor at Harvard Business School...

Membership clubs are state of the art when it comes to in-store product sampling.In one, it's difficult to move more than an aisle or two without encountering a sampling station set up on an end. This works especially...

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- The current focus of Ahold is to operate in reduced geography and to achieve the first or second market-share ranking in each of its markets, according to Anders Moberg, Ahold's president and chief...

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Large-scale retailers, notably Wal-Mart Stores, are destined to define retailing in upcoming years, to a great extent, but a parallel development toward deconsolidation and niche retailing will...

These are busy times. First, inaugural week and all its festivities commanded a lot of attention. Then, of more finite interest, many topside executives in the food-distribution industry gathered at the weekend for...

The shoe is on the other foot now.For many years, the supermarket industry and other high-volume channels have been accused of lifting a page from airlines' manual of frequent-flyer programs as inspiration for...