What do the Golden Globe wins really mean for Amazon.com?

Carol's latest Retail Wire weigh-in on how Amazon's Golden Globe afterglow highlights a fundamental flaw.

Amazon's foray into original programming marks another profit-less market share grab move for the platform. Amazon's got the eyeballs, now how or where is going to make the money required to keep them? Wooing creators like Woody Allen to bolster Amazon's sophomore line-up won't come cheap, increasing Prime membership fees (again) may not fly and viewers won't take kindly to Amazon breaking up their binge watching sessions with advertising intrusions. Scale sans profits. How long will it work?

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NRF attendees feeling really good about 2015

Carol's latest Retail Wire weigh-in on the reasons behind the mood elevation at NRF (and CES)

I conducted a couple of private presentations in conjunction with NRF and agree that the mood is much more upbeat in general and within individual companies (the same was true at CES). Over the past few years, companies seemed to be playing a dangerous game of wait-and-see. 2015 is kicking off with a more proactive, confident and entrepreneurial spirit for a few reasons. First of all, many of the retailers that have made it this far have a few "new world" successes under their belts and they are anxious to "lather, rinse, repeat." Most have also integrated new talent, acquisitions and processes into their organizations. This is making all the difference.

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