A pile of honeycrisp apples in the grocery aisle isn't likely to get shoppers thinking about human trafficking, but some shareholders of Kroger Co. want it to. Four shareholders filed a proposal …

Ask any consumer about his or her best buying experience, and you'll hear it did not simply involve a product purchase, but an entire brand encounter. This is the case whether we are purchasing …

Nothing seems simple anymore. It's amazing how complex our lives have become with the technology that was supposed to simplify our lives! As I was trying to confirm flights for my departure for China …

An expert approach to customer service requires a well-defined process for problem resolution. Let's look at how to start setting up such a process. 1. Start by actively "harvesting" complaints. Yes …

Innovations premiums are huge. Early adopters often pay 3 to 4 times the price the mass market does. But what about product improvements? Do they carry the same premium? That's the question we'll be …

We achieve what we believe. Sometimes that serves us well, and sometimes that holds us back. Here are some of the myths that create barriers to success in stores and other customer-focused businesses …

A few years ago, the role of community manager as we know it today didn't exist. Social media was in its infancy, and as brands joined in they started to see the real value in having 24/7 access to …

There is a huge emerging Latino wave "Multiculturizing" America that will also change the mainstream market in the U.S. Latinos represent a massive $1.3 trillion in purchasing power and 56% of US …

When I began my consulting practice 24 years ago I'd go into companies and ask "What's making money?" Most of the owners/CEOs would shrug, indicating that they really didn't know. Unfortunately, they …

The supermarket industry is notoriously frugal. Rarely is an article written in the mainstream media that doesn't mention the razor-thin margins retailers operate under, and for the most part Wall …

In my last blog, we discussed a major difference between e-commerce and retail stores. Online retail is very effective and efficient IF you know WHAT you want and need. A tremendous advantage of …

Eric Spitznagel, in his SFGate article Memorable marketing flip-flops, highlights the errors of some well-known, well-respected brands. Should we chalk up these mistakes to the fact that we're all …

When I was a teenager my sister sold Avon products. She was actually pretty good. Our house was filled with Skin So Soft lotion, Sweet Honesty perfume and cat-shaped brooches. But once I started …

When you think about electronic security, what comes to mind? Do you consider how vulnerable your customer credit cards are, or how easily someone can break into your on-line bank account? These are …

Much has been written and continues to be written about the battle between online e-commerce and retail stores. If it is only about lowest price, game over. Online wins IF you, the consumer, already …

Amazon and omni-channel are sexy topics that grab a lot of retail press. But at the end of the day, Walmart is the largest retailer on the planet, and the second largest company in terms of revenue …

Pricing goes well beyond merely establishing a price. Indeed, there are some industries in which there's little, if any, ability to adjust price. The health care industry is one of them. Many of …

You'd think a yoga outfitter would afford its customers a little more flexibility. But if the tales of Lululemon's recent fabric faux pas are true, then the Canadian merchant is facing one lulu of an …

"How should I compensate a customer for a service or product failure?" This is one of the most common, popular, and emotionally fraught questions I encounter. The answer is: It depends. And that …

Come and meet Chris at this year's Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit! Registration is now open, and early-bird pricing is in effect. I was asked again in a recent Retail University class …