July 4 holiday consumer spend reflects healthy growth spurt

June 29, 2015

Consumers will spend more on July 4 food celebrations this year than they did last year, with total spend on food items expected to hit $6.6 billion.

Shoplifting, employee theft top reasons for $44B retail loss in 2014

June 29, 2015

Shoplifting is the key activity spurring retail loss and resulted in a fraud cost of $44 billion in 2014. The good news is the amount of loss is declining.

Consumer spend enjoys growth spurt due to lower gas prices, job market stability

June 27, 2015

Here is some good news as the last full week of June arrives and the big summer retail holiday weekend, July 4, looms ahead: consumers spent more money in May…

Target chief merchant stepping down

June 26, 2015

Mega retailer Target is striving to get back on track in the ever competitive marketplace and undergoing its second huge leadership change within the past year.

Women’s clothing retailer lululemon recalling elastic draw cords

June 26, 2015

Lululemon, which sells high-end women’s clothing, is being directed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to replace the elastic drawstring used in over…

Webinar download available: 'How to Deliver a Stellar Site Search Experience'

June 26, 2015

Site search is one of the most critical methods of product discovery on ecommerce sites and is the focus of a webinar that's now available to readers.

Confederate flag sales flying strong for at least one retailer

June 25, 2015

Not every retailer is pulling Confederate products off the shelves in the wake of the murders in Charleston, South Carolina and push to retire flags.

Interactive customer experience technology has to surprise and delight

Customers expect a personalized experience that surprises and delights them, and most will trade bits of information about themselves if they receive something…

Retailers facing 'egg-ceptional' customer dilemma

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Retail foodservice faces a big customer experience hurdle due to the shortage of eggs thanks to an Avian flu outbreak.

Retailers lower the boom on Confederate merchandise online and offline

June 24, 2015

There is a bit of a civil war brewing in the retail sector over the push to pull Confederate Army products off shelves in light of a movement to retire the…

Gartner includes Bond Brand Loyalty in market guide for loyalty platforms

Bond considered a key player in loyalty marketing, with a platform and services that seek to support acquisition and long-term retention of customers.

Why cost cutting strategies require putting the customer first

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Retailers, like every business niche, are continually striving to save money while making more money, and if you’ve been reading the national business…

Display produce and bulk items in a dramatic presentation with new RPC Shelves

Display produce and bulk items with drama and convenience with the new RPC Bin Direct Hook-In Shelves and Bins from FFR Merchandising.

Alibaba going mobile to reach consumers no matter where they're shopping

June 23, 2015

A new shopping and dining service, called Koubei, promises to speed up online retail delivery services for China’s biggest ecommerce player.

Instacart expands personal delivery into Miami communities

June 23, 2015

Grocery patrons in northeast Miami-Dade county will now have another food shopping option given Instacart expanding its delivery operations, according to a…

Are you 'CONNECTING' with your customers?

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The CONNECT 2015 Mobile Innovation Summit will teach restaurant operators and retailers how to provide customers with mobile connections to help build a loyal…

Pepper robot boasts record sales, may be the retail assistant of the future

June 21, 2015

Retail assistant of the future flies off sales shelves

Amazon revamps rating process to make reviews more valuable

June 21, 2015

The world’s biggest etailer hopes to make product reviews more valuable, and more trustworthy, for consumers by revamping and re-weighing actual reviews.

Ensuring a ‘pop-up’ effort pops for consumers and doesn’t flame out in failure

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

The ‘pop up’ customer engagement experience isn’t brand-new, but it certainly isn’t old hat as many a retailer is embarking on either the first ‘pop up’ effort…

Why upscale, newer brands can escape negative Groupon effect

June 19, 2015

Some experts caution that restaurant brands may come across as desperate when they offer daily deals, but a new study from the University of Maryland's Robert…