Sears brings back layaway

November 16, 2008

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears announced it will offer layaway on a wide selection of merchandise. The program was made available to shoppers on Sunday, Nov.

Leaked memo: Best Buy redoubling customer service efforts in wake of slowing sales

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

November 16, 2008

With fear of a global recession casting a shadow over much of retail, one major player is using that fear as an opportunity to motivate staff and improve its…

Five things shoppers will do this holiday

A tough economy is impacting shopper plans and behaviors.

77% of consumers say they've gone green

November 13, 2008

Adweek: The drive to sustainability is having a broad effect on consumers, with three in four defining themselves as "green," according to a new study.

J.C. Penney, Sears get aggressive on gift cards for holiday season

November 13, 2008

New York Times: J.C. Penney plans to devote part of its holiday campaign to reassuring shoppers about the redeemability of its gift cards, much the same way…

Retailers tap into shoppers' psyches with sentimental sales pitches

November 12, 2008

Washington Post: The economic downturn is rattling U.S. shoppers as their wallets shrink and credit dries up. Retailers, who just reported their worst October…

Grocers cash in as Americans eat cheap

November 12, 2008

Forbes: Food costs have fallen in recent months, but the stalling economy has kept price the top concern for consumers. For many grocery stores, that's been a…

Digital signage increases revenue by 50 percent for Virgin

November 11, 2008

LAS VEGAS — Epson, a supplier of value-added point of sale (POS) solutions, announced that Virgin Megastores, its showcase customer, has recapped the results…

Escalate integrates with Where 2 Get It for 'buy anywhere, fulfill anywhere' retail

November 11, 2008

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Where 2 Get It announced its partnership with Escalate Retail, a company that offers software that simplifies the challenge of cross-channel…

Amazon sending daily deals to mobile phones, with instant-buy feature

November 11, 2008

SEATTLE — Amazon.com announced it is now allowing customers to sign up to receive its "Daily Deal" offers via SMS.

Samsung releases 2,000-nit 70-inch high-brightness LCD

November 11, 2008

NEW YORK — Samsung Electronics Co., a provider of thin-film transistor, liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCDs), announced that it has developed a 70-inch diagonal…

The cautionary lessons of Circuit City

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

A reminder of the importance of great employees.

Thomson bringing interactive merchandising to ISME

November 9, 2008

LAS VEGAS — Thomson's Premier Retail Networks Inc. (PRN), provider of digital media solutions at retail, announced details of a new interactive multi-product…

One-fifth of online retailers offer a mobile microsite

November 9, 2008

The Retail Bulletin: A fifth of online retailers have used mobile microsites to push specific promotions, according to new research by mobile marketing agency…

FutureVision Gallery coming to In-Store Marketing Expo

November 9, 2008

DALLAS, Texas — Reflect Systems, a provider of digital signage software and services, will present new capabilities for interactivity and rich-media user…

Self-checkout adds human touch

In-person assistance combines with self-service convenience.

Study: Multi-channel marketing drives new sales

November 6, 2008

LONDON — Hybris, a vendor of multi-channel commerce and communication software, announced research carried out at its e-Commerce Summit in Switzerland which…

Kraft reinventing the cheese aisle

November 5, 2008

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Display Boys, a full-service, premium retail display specialist, is partnering with Kraft Foods to reinvent the cheese aisle. The…

VeriFone launches contactless pinpad for self-service POS

November 5, 2008

PARIS — VeriFone Holdings, Inc., has introduced a contactless version of its popular PINpad 1000SE, further expanding the industry's broadest line of…

HANDS-ON VIDEO: Amazon Windowshop

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

November 5, 2008