market research

Author: Patrick O'connor, Mai In the retail community, there is an ongoing discussion about consumers' lack of brand and store loyalty. Chain stores long ago took over the retail landscape, and the mom-and-pop retailer is nearly a thing of the past. Kaplan's Ben-Hur, an independent department store operating in Houston's Heights neighborhood for decades, recently closed amid rising land prices and falling revenues. In contrast, residents of the nearby Woodland Heights neighborhood were recently quoted as being overjoyed about the opening of a brand new Target nearby this summer. Perhaps one explanation for this change is the blurring line (at least in the minds of some consumers) between discount stores and more traditional retailers. A new upscale Wal-Mart Supercenter in the Dallas suburb of Plano aims to attract those consumers who can be convinced that the term "upscale Wal- Mart" is not an oxymoron, and who are none too pleased to toss sushi in their cart alongsid