Best Buy's new laptop sales model includes Internet service, steep discounts

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 26, 2009

Electronics retailer Best Buy has tried a lot of strategies in recent months to stay ahead of its discount competition, everything from expanded Geek Squad…

New Christopher & Banks prototype celebrates 'women of all sizes'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 26, 2009

Minneapolis-based apparel retailer Christopher & Banks announced it will open a new prototype store in Moosic, Penn., and it will be branded with the…

Netflix CEO: We have no interest in DVD-rental kiosks

July 26, 2009

In the past, Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings has said the company won't be expanding its service to include DVD-rental kiosks, despite increasing…

Opinion: IKEA is the 'least sustainable retailer on the planet'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 26, 2009

Ellen Ruppel Shell, contributing editor to The Atlantic and author of "Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture," has published a scathing indictment of…

Bongo shopping cart demo

Bongo International demonstrates how its integrated application works on a retailer's website.

What the Amazon/Zappos deal means for customers

Amazon has acquired Zappos.com in a deal that exceeds $800 million. From the customer's standpoint, is this a marriage made in retail heaven?

Pop-up shops becoming mainstream

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 23, 2009

The Economist has published a brief exploration of the concept of pop-up shops, temporary stores set up by retailers in unexpected locations — from abandoned…

Jeff Bezos apologizes for Kindle/Orwell incident

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 23, 2009

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos knows his company raised a lot of eyebrows last week with its remote deletion of Orwell's "1984" and "Animal Farm" from Kindles of users…

Real-time purchases take to the skies

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

A new program allows airlines to conduct catalog sales transactions while in mid-flight. But will travelers want to shop in the air?

Webinar: Leveraging Lean Store Operations to Improve the Customer Experience

Meeting Description: Learn how leading retailers are applying Lean Six Sigma to improve the customer experience.

Report: Green retailing is not a fad

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 21, 2009

Green retailing is about more than just building a positive perception; it's a serious cost saver that means more than ever during tough economic times.

Borders adding teen sections, taking real estate away from music/DVD departments

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 21, 2009

Borders, the second largest bookstore chain in the United States, is taking away some floor space from its music and DVD departments in order to build new…

AT&T completes makeover of 2,200 retail locations

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 20, 2009

The Apple Insider blog reports that the massive makeover of more than 2,200 AT&T U.S. retail locations is complete. The stores now offer netbooks in…

Self-checkout and alcohol: A dangerous mix?

New research about minors, alcohol and self-checkout may prompt legislation in California.

Surprise: Low-income shoppers more willing to pay a premium for sustainability

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 19, 2009

In the prevailing cliché, it is the wealthy among us who care the most about the environment; they are the ones willing to pay a premium for products and…

Report: Online retailers focusing on the checkout experience

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 16, 2009

When an online shopping experience is analyzed, most of the emphasis is usually placed on the "front end" — how the site looks to the visitor upon entrance…

Mass Connections brings real-time promotional alerts to shoppers

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 16, 2009

Mass Connections, a California-based marketing company, announced in a press release the launch of its "Consumer Alert" program, a framework that allows…

Amazon remotely deletes Kindle books that were legitimately purchased

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

In a move fraught with irony, the online bookseller has remotely removed copies of George Orwell books from paying customers' Kindles.

E-tail clinic: The new CircuitCity.com

The electronics retail brand has been revived online by Systemax — so what is it like for customers?

Microsoft's retail stores will be 'right next door' to Apple's

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 15, 2009

Buzz for branded Microsoft stores has been building since February, when the company first announced its formal intentions to open its own brick-and-mortar…