RIM's only road back: Building an iPhone killer

by Aaron Shapiro — CEO, HUGE

Once upon a time, Research in Motion was the world's leading smartphone company. Armies of executives were loyal to their "crackberries." It had a stock price…

NRF: November retail sales rose 4.5 percent

December 12, 2011

Strong promotions on holiday gifts helped a variety of retail categories draw in savvy shoppers as the 2011 holiday shopping season started strong. According…

RichRelevance acquires Searchandise Commerce

December 12, 2011

RichRelevance has acquired Searchandise Commerce, a retail search media company. The acquisition expands RichRelevance’s monetization and Shopping Media…

Verizon, redbox may offer video streaming

December 11, 2011

Rumor has it that Verizon and redbox are joining forces to create a video streaming service.

Senator: Amazon is attacking small businesses

December 11, 2011

Retailers are not happy about Amazon's recent promotion giving customers up to $5 off purchases when they use the company's app to compare in-store prices with…

CETW: Age and gender detection

Lo-K displayed its LOOK application at CETW fall 2011. The tool identifies the age and gender of passers-by, enabling retailers to do a better job of…

Nokia India launches marketing campaign for new smartphone

December 8, 2011

In honor of its new smartphone, Lumia, Nokia India is giving more than 5,000 of its retail stores a new look.

Does Wall Street go Krogering?

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Are stock analysts loyal Kroger customers? Perhaps they would be if they could be.

Consumers aren't buying into discount promises

December 7, 2011

Despite research stating that most retailers are offering discounts better than or as steep as last year, consumers aren't buying it and are waiting as long as…

New study is first to test the actual impact of branded apps on consumers

Research found that mobile applications can stimulate interest in new product categories.

What customers really remember from the holidays

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

Long after the holiday and the online deals and big box sales, it's the shopping experiences that most customers remember.

Is your marketing magnetic?

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

An interesting fact about magnets is that they can either attract or repel other magnets depending upon their polarity. Marketing also has the ability to…

Think tank predicts Top 12 customer loyalty trends of 2012

December 6, 2011

To help marketers develop more effective loyalty strategies, Loyalty 360, a marketing think tank, has published 12 trends that it believes successful marketers…

Finish Line launches new gift card program

December 6, 2011

Transaction Wireless, a provider of digital gift card solutions, as teamed with Finish Line, a retailer of athletic shoes, apparel and accessories, to power…

J.C. Penney hopes 17 percent stake in Martha Stewart will pay off

December 6, 2011

J.C. Penney Co. will launch "mini-stores" in 2013 in hopes of reviving sales after the chain last month posted its first quarterly loss in two years.

Amazon's Price Check helping customers or helping itself to customers?

December 6, 2011

Amazon is touting its Price Check app as a service to customers, while others see it as an attack on brick-and-mortar retailers.

CETW: It's iPads to the rescue for POD info

Few things frustrate shoppers more than sales assistants who don't know their products or their inventories. Reality Interactive's Jetty Hartsky shows off her…

U.S. fashion retailer tracking trends with new software

December 5, 2011

Teen retailer rue21 is implementing Maple Lake assortment planning software. The technology has the potential to reduce markdowns and increase profitability by…

Amazon tax deals may be unconstitutional

December 5, 2011

Amazon.com Inc. may be violating a U.S. Constitution commerce clause, according to legal experts. The Seattle-based company has deals in place with South…

Sears.com reverses up-sell policy

December 5, 2011

After Consumer Advocate Edgar Dworksy questioned Sears.com's policy of automatically adding service contracts to appliance orders online, the company said it…