Opinion: the shopping experience can be more important than the product

February 24, 2008

Advertising Age: Nordstrom executives long have made it their business to do whatever is necessary to please the consumer — everything from stocking every…

Some Wal-Marts going upscale

February 24, 2008

Austin Business Journal: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is going high-end. In some markets, such as the Dallas area, the retailer is upgrading its image to more closely…

Elf Yourself visitors skyrocket

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

What value did it actually bring to OfficeMax?

Retail design conference to open Euroshop

February 21, 2008

Design Week: The Euroshop Retail Design Conference will open the 16th Euroshop trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, tomorrow. Speakers include Fitch chairman…

Blog: recession will be helped by 'reproduction mania'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

February 21, 2008

Heather Strang, blogger for Retail Design Diva, isn't particularly worried about the effect a possible recession would have on retail. No, she says, there are…

Analyst: as belts tighten, customers choose Wal-Mart over Target

February 21, 2008

Associated Press: Citi Investment Research analyst Deborah L. Weinswig said Wal-Mart's "low-price message" resonates with consumers who are trying to scale…

Customer satisfaction down overall, up online

February 19, 2008

Medill Reports: Another explanation for lackluster consumer spending emerged Tuesday when the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index…

Public still wary of retail health clinics

February 19, 2008

Wall Street Journal: The public's still pretty wary of the retail clinics cropping up in Wal-Marts and drugstores around the country. But there are enough…

New RFID system for apparel retailers includes 'magic mirror'

February 19, 2008

DUSSELDORF, Germany — TAGSYS, a provider of item-level RFID infrastructure, announced a new suite of RFID products aimed at apparel retailers.

Temporary shops make lasting impressions

February 17, 2008

Los Angeles Times: "Pop-up" or guerrilla shops have been lurking in the shadows of the world's cities for the last few years. Rei Kawakubo of fashion label…

Coverage of the Retail Business Show

Exhibitors say tech can make or break the customer experience.

Starbucks to offer both free and paid Wi-Fi

February 13, 2008

Display & Design Ideas: Starbucks Corp. and AT&T announced plans to deliver AT&T Wi-FiSM service at more than 7,000 company-operated Starbucks…

Welch's testing 'lickable ads'

February 13, 2008

Wall Street Journal: Welch's is taking out full-page print ads in People magazine this month that give readers a chance to sample its grape juice by licking…

Borders concept store includes digital services

February 13, 2008

USA Today: Borders' new concept store, located in its home town of Ann Arbor, Mich., features a digital center where customers can download music or books…

Quebec grocer eliminates plastic bags

February 12, 2008

MONTREAL — The Maxi & Co store located in the city of Sherbrooke has become Loblaw Companies Limited's first grocery and general merchandise store in…

New Nokia store designed for interactive retailing

February 12, 2008

Design Week: A new Nokia concept store is built around an interactive customer experience, with functioning handsets for customers to play with and a…

Ramping up accessibility

February 12, 2008

Accessibility not only is the law, it's good business. Here's how to stay legal and profit at the same time.

Up close and personal

February 12, 2008

Becoming familiar with customers builds lasting loyalty.

Know your customer

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

February 12, 2008

See how personas help retailers shape the customer experience.

Product pros

February 12, 2008

Knowledgeable employees are trained, not hired.