Insights and Perspectives

06/17/2013 - 2:26pm
Parody of Kmart ad shows the perils of viral marketing

Kmart is distancing itself from a parody of its viral "Ship My Pants" ad on YouTube that many are saying goes too far, crossing the line from edgy to racist.

06/17/2013 - 1:36pm
Fresh food could help drive more loyalty for Amazon

Amazon has announced that it will offer a free, 90-day trial of a new same-day delivery service to customers in the Los Angeles area that includes fresh food. The service, Prime Fresh, is being offered to members of Amazon Prime members, and after 90 days, the company will offer to let them upgrade to Prime Fresh on a permanent basis, for $299 per year, from the current Amazon Prime price of $79 per year. The company tested the program for six years in Seattle and plans to expand it to San Francisco later this year.

As Amazon director and category for U.S. health and beauty told DSN in a profile of the company back in May, Wall Street didn't like the SuperSaver shipping program, and the company spent a net $2.9 billion on shopping in 2012, a 17% increase from the year before, according to its 2012 annual report. But according to one report, Prime actually is quite profitable, and members are among the online retailer's best customers.

06/14/2013 - 11:04am
Mintel: Consumers avoid total sugars more than specific types when choosing food, beverages

Consumers avoid total sugars more than they avoid any specific sweetener, according to a new brand-level consumer attitudes and behavior study about food and beverages from Mintel Research Consultancy.

06/13/2013 - 2:46pm
Home health care shows strongest job growth in healthcare sector, May data show

Most of the growth in jobs in the healthcare sector comes from home health care, according to data released this month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

06/13/2013 - 10:47am
Consumer confidence, high spending fuel retail sales

Retail sales are up nearly 5% from one year ago, according to the latest numbers from the Department of Commerce.

06/11/2013 - 2:47pm
Study finds misperceptions among adults, doctors about opioid dependence

Misperceptions and stereotypes about opioid dependence that may affect how it's treated have persisted among the general public and physicians despite increased attention devoted to the issue, according to a new survey.

06/10/2013 - 3:00pm
Study supports low-calorie sweeteners as way to help prevent, manage diabetes

Low-calorie sweeteners can be used to prevent and manage Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

06/10/2013 - 10:59am
Walgreens' continued transformation into comprehensive health solutions provider is an opportunity for all

Beginning July 1, Walgreens will be able to provide tube feeding services to Medicare patients in 97 of 100 competitive-bidding areas nationwide, the healthcare solutions provider announced last week. The contracts are up for renewal every three years.

This is just another example of how Walgreens is transforming its pharmacy business into a center for healthcare solutions — this goes far beyond dispensing and ultimately aims squarely at reducing hospitalization costs, another way that Walgreens is helping payers bend the cost curve. It begs the question: Should traditional suppliers be thinking about the role their products can play as Walgreens develops new business segments like infusion services?

06/10/2013 - 10:23am
Avandia could get a second chance, following FDA panel vote

A 26-member joint panel comprising the Food and Drug Administration's Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs and Drug Safety and Risk Management advisory committees voted to support modifying or removing the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy protocol for GlaxoSmithKline's Type 2 diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone).

Historically, the FDA has followed advisory committee votes when making a decision on the marketing of a drug even though it is not bound by them, but assuming the agency follows the panel's advice, it could mean a lot for the controversial drug and the way it's dispensed. But even if Avandia winds up on retail pharmacy shelves again, it faces a very different landscape from its heyday.

06/05/2013 - 11:21am
Survey finds widespread ignorance about triglycerides' role in cardiovascular health

Most Americans have little understanding of the importance of managing fats known as triglycerides to maintain cardiovascular health, according to a new survey.