Google charges ahead in the 'device race'

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

A Bulldog in Ferragamo

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Luxury retail chain Saks Fifth Avenue held its annual meeting June 1 and at the gathering – just as in every annual meeting since 2002 – it included a…

Price gouging: Is it possible?

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

There have been reports of price gouging on sales of the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf with dealers charging $10,000 or more over the manufacturer's suggested…

Retail Success in the Sunshine State

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

What makes a store a local favorite in Florida? Knowing the Florida customer and addressing her lifestyle needs is the answer to Bealls’ success in the…

Moms and loyalty — the power of the I-Network

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

I read this blog post about Moms and loyalty with great interest: The post noted new consumer research that shows that many consumers value the ability to…

Lessons from the 'Shark Tank'

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

I was channel surfing when I stumbled across the program 'Shark Tank.' For those of you who may not have seen it, entrepreneurs present their business ideas to…

The Retail Defense Team: Protecting stores from customers in a mall near you

by Harry Friedman

Lease Line Deputies. Perhaps you've seen them. Perhaps you've had one working in your store. They're found in most retail malls, standing in front of their…

Wowing Customers Doesn’t Come With A Groupon

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

I was reading a blog about using Groupon for a restaurant and a posted comment stood out, "... the key is adding value, so that when they use their Groupon at…

Ideas to retain service quality in a growing company

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

Small companies often deliver a higher-quality customer experience than larger companies. But as small companies grow, it becomes more difficult to stay close…

American Express Social Currency

by Jim Joseph — President, Lippe Taylor

I've been speaking a lot lately about how social media can transform a brand. Either give it a voice for the first time, give it thought leadership status…

Guy Kawasaki on enchantment in retail

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

I caught up with author, speaker and investor Guy Kawasaki to discuss his new book Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions. Specifically, I…

Heritage vs. innovations vs. relevance

by Doug Fleener — President and Managing Partner, Dynamic Experiences Group, LLC

In an interview published a few years ago in Fortune magazine, Disney CEO Bob Iger was asked if Disney's lessening emphasis on animation was diminishing the…

The rebate debate

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

According to research released by the Aberdeen Group last week, half of retailers use rebate programs as part of their mix of customer loyalty. In addition…

At Kroger, Shoppers are Bananas for Loyalty

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Fun fact: Americans are just as likely to have bananas in their kitchen as a Kroger loyalty card in their wallets.

Better Pricing / Better Living

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

The most recent 2011 Store Openings list (a list obtained from credible published sources available to the general public, updated 3/24/11) reveals that store…

Is it okay to have favorites among your employees?

by Doug Fleener — President and Managing Partner, Dynamic Experiences Group, LLC

We all have employees who make our life a little easier. They take on tasks without being asked and can always be counted on to get things done.

Is 'America-washing' the next big thing?

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Walmart CEO Mike Duke surprised analysts last week by announcing that the majority of the products the retailer sells are made in the United States. The…

Macy's loyalty pilot still circling the runway

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Fans of I.N.C, Martha Stewart and other Macy's exclusive brands will have to wait a while before earning new reward points for their purchases.

How social media is changing conferences

by Jim Joseph — President, Lippe Taylor

Last week I went to two industry conferences (OTC Perspectives and PRSA Counselors Academy) and an awards show (Sabre Awards) — it was a big networking week.…

How 'karma credit' can build a business

by Laurel Tielis — Author and Professional Speaker, Laurel Tielis & Associates

While charity may begin at home, you build business by bringing it into your store. What goes around truly does come around. Take care of other people, and…