What will bookstores look like in five years?

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

The proliferation of e-readers is fundamentally changing the value proposition of bookselling.

California set to vote on plastic bag ban

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Proponents of the bill point to environmental benefits, while detractors decry possible loss of jobs.

Grocery theatricals put under the spotlight

Some in-store bakeries are used "merely to warm up bread made in industrial units hundreds of miles away."

Three mobile web marketing tips for the holiday shopping season

Bringing the online experience into the store, embracing cross-channel behavior are keys to success.

Making the most of transactional emails

80 percent of the revenue generated from transactional emails comes from shopping cart recovery.

The psychology of retail marketing

From rounded corners to natural textures: Neurological research reveals why consumers react the way they do to the in-store experience.

Bank of America to pilot payments with mobile phones in New York

Participants will use their BlackBerrys and iPhones to pay for purchases at merchants who accept contactless payments.

Smartphones look to replace plastic as payment

Several wireless carriers are testing a system that allows consumers to pay for purchases with a wave of their smartphones.

Empowering store operations with analytics and business intelligence

Retailers can exploit BI, coupled with smart phone technology, to help store ops do its job.

Best Retail Customer Experiences 2010 winners announced

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

More than 1,000 consumers voted on the best retail experiences in eight segments and across multiple attributes.

How old-school catalogs drive up sales

Nine out of 10 of the top converting retail websites in the U.S. also have catalogs.

Making your in-store technology deployment a success, part 1

An expert lays out five key steps to take before beginning any in-store tech project.

Is this the future of interactive retail screen media?

Work underway at MIT's Media Lab points to the future of screen media in retail.

Q&A: Rand Nickerson, OpinionLab

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

The inventor of an iconic web feedback mechanism talks about the future of online retail.

Opinion: 'New retail experts' are here to stay

To prosper in a buyer-dominant world, you must stop thinking like yesterday’s seller and start thinking like today’s buyer.

Capture the voice of customers to improve the online retail experience

Phone, web and social channels all provide insight into customer wants and needs.

Market basket analytics: Ready for prime time

BI tools can reveal valuable insight by linking the market basket to performance data at every level.

What I learned at the Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit

RCEES 2010 saw a solid mix of perspectives and best practices — and lots of takeaway lessons.

Opinion: Why mobile coupons are not the answer

One expert says displaying a barcode coupon on a smart phone is a poor way to address consumer desire for value.

Seven requirements for becoming customer-centric

Retailers are trying to embed customer orientation into their culture, but most are struggling to make real progress.