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GameStop is safe (for now): PlayStation 4 won't block used games
The multi-billion-dollar video game industry is currently between generations — that is, most of the major hardware manufacturers haven't put out a new machine in several years and it's time …- James Bickers -
When retail associates hold their head up
During a panel discussion this morning at the NRF 102nd Annual Convention & EXPO, the conversation turned to hiring and keeping employees that are willing and able to uphold higher-than-usual …- James Bickers -
Retail Social Media Top 10 [Infographic]
A look at how some of the top U.S. retail brands stack up on social media.- James Bickers -
The one simple thing your retail associates should be doing, but probably aren't
As Dale Carnegie's sixth principle teaches us, the sound of a person's name is the sweetest and most important sound to that person. It is an immutable truth, because our name is not just a few …- James Bickers -
I Saw Mommy Googling Santa Claus [Infographic]
U.S. holiday retail sales are expected to reach $586 billion in 2012. Online and mobile sales will account for larger portion of those sales than ever before. Check out the trends in our latest …- James Bickers -
These Target training videos are a joke. I think.
We've all got that one family member who thinks he's hilarious, but he is not. Let's call him Uncle Kevin. At any family gathering, Uncle Kevin can be counted on to deliver a performance that makes …- James Bickers -
Why small retailers must work harder on customer service
This is a tale of two retailers, one of them a single-location local boutique shop, the other a major multinational corporation. One of them recently gave me extraordinary, above-and-beyond service …- James Bickers -
A conversation about building great retail window displays
This weekend, MSNBC's "Your Business" ran a segment on the venerable retail window display, and how the basics of good window design are the same for everyone, whether it's a small boutique shop or …- James Bickers -
The agony and the ecstasy of online product reviews
Today's xkcd comic is a pretty brilliant illustration of just how frustrating online product reviews have become for consumers. Setting aside for the moment the topic of intentionally funny reviews …- James Bickers -
How Target said it best when it said nothing at all
My apologies to Paul Overstreet and Alison Krauss for the title of this post, but it was the first thing that came to mind when I stumbled upon this blog post from the site Noah's Dad, which caters …- James Bickers -
Epic Retail Fails of 2011 [Infographic]
It’s been a rough couple of years for retail, but it’s been especially bad for some. Here are seven particularly startling “retail fails” from the past year. Which ones did we miss?- James Bickers -
Hey IKEA, this isn't sexist at all! Just kidding, it totally is.
Had to double-check that I wasn't reading a story from The Onion at first, but no, I was on Adweek: An Australian IKEA location is testing Mänland, complete with umlaut, "a crate for husbands …- James Bickers -
Netflix to split into two separate companies. Wait, what?
I awoke this morning to a friendly, "personal" email from Reed Hastings, the co-founder and CEO of Netflix. "I messed up. I owe you an explanation," he says, before level-headedly explaining the …- James Bickers -
Walgreens lawsuit highlights the need for common sense in managing employees
Expect some serious backlash against Walgreens when this story goes viral: Josefina Hernandez was an 18-year employee of the retailer, at the company's South San Francisco location. Hernandez is …- James Bickers -
John Hodgman on how to save bookstores
Comedian John Hodgman – one of the funniest people on the planet, if you ask me – was on The Daily Show the other night, discussing the demise of bookstores and how retailers can change …- James Bickers -
Zappo's Tony Hsieh on The Colbert Report
In case you missed it: Zappo's CEO Tony Hsieh appeared as the interview guest on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" the other night, discussing his company's culture and his recent book …- James Bickers -
'Extreme Couponing' should give retailers, brands and tech providers nightmares
I'm normally loathe to go anywhere near reality television — and has there ever been a more dishonest or inaccurate label for a genre than that one? — but I was captivated this week by …- James Bickers -
Could Amazon's Cloud Drive be an iTunes killer?
I've been an avid customer of Amazon's MP3 download service ever since it launched a few short years ago, but there's always been one major shortcoming that kept it from the lofty heights of the …- James Bickers -
Netflix, Amazon, redbox don't need to lose sleep over this new competitor
This week, a very strange service is coming out of beta, a service that is taking on entertainment giants like Netflix and redbox with a business model that Rube Goldberg would approve of. Companies …- James Bickers -
Apple praised for its role in helping the people of Japan
Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg and a technology angel investor, published on his blog an email he received from an Apple employee in Japan. It tells a story of humanity and compassion — two …- James Bickers
Latest posts by James Bickers
James Bickers
James Bickers is the senior editor of Retail Customer Experience, and also manages live events and webinars for Networld Media Group. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist and innovative content strategist, with publication credits in national, international and regional publications.
