Jie Zhang is a Professor of Marketing and the Harvey Sanders Fellow of Retail Management at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. She received her Ph.D. in marketing from the Kellogg School of Management at NorthwesternUniversity. She was a faculty member at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan prior to joining the Smith School. Her general research interest is to apply advanced econometric and statistical models to study consumer purchase behaviors and retail strategies.
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Summer used to be a relative shopping dead zone. Sure, there’d be the odd “Christmas in July” major appliance sale or car dealership clearance event. But until the August back-to-school sales launched, summer was a retail doldrum.
Then came Amazon.com.
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Are those daily promotions, like the ones from Groupon, a good deal or not? They can be, but it’s all a matter of perspective, says marketing professor Jie Zhang at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Marshalls has always been about the thrill of the hunt, even more so than it’s big-sister store, TJ Maxx.
So the company’s recent announcement that Marshalls will enter the world of e-commerce naturally had some shoppers wondering how the brand would translate that thrill-seeker ethos into an online existence. And it had experts wondering how parent company TJX would pull it all off.
Deloitte hosted seven faculty affiliates of the Smith Analytics Consortium for a meeting of the minds on Jan. 31, 2019, at the company’s Greenhouse in Washington, D.C.
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Walmart has been on a shopping spree.
It’s been buying up successful online retailers and ecommerce-related businesses — nearly 20 of them — as it seeks to better position itself against the only other retailer in its weight class, Amazon.com. So far, it appears to be working.
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – If sales on the day after Thanksgiving appear gloomy this year, try not to read too much into that, says Maryland Smith’s Jie Zhang. It doesn’t mean the economy is weakening or that the holiday season won’t be as jolly this year.
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – RIP, Toys “R” Us. The iconic (and recently liquidated) toy seller has left a giant toy-shaped void in the retail landscape ahead of the holiday season. And as shoppers begin to ponder where their go-to spot for toys will be this year, several retailers are looking to provide an answer. Marketing professor Jie Zhang says that already the competition is getting interesting.
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Maryland Smith branding experts describe the decision by Dunkin’ Donuts to drop the "Donuts" from its name as overdue, fitting, and in tune with its customers' tastes. Starting in January, the “Donuts” will disappear from ads, social media accounts and signage at new and remodeled stores, according to the quick-serve coffee chain. Marketing professors at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business say the formal rebranding to just Dunkin' has been a long time coming.
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Back-to-school shoppers want discounts. Manufacturers want high profit margins. The tension feeds a paradox of sorts at retail outlets where buyers and sellers meet: Stores increasingly emphasize pricey, innovative and fun products in a bargain-shopping season.
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – The fog of perfume and clatter of cosmetics samples for generations have greeted shoppers as they walk through the doors at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store in Manhattan. But that’s changed this week.
