Walmart displays emphasize 'family night'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 13, 2009

Mega-retailer Walmart has already rolled out one recession-driven ad blitz, in which it emphasizes how families can make homemade meals for just a few dollars…

Great customer service: Remembering the little things

Tough times mean retailers need to squeeze all the value they can out of their assets, and that includes the small touches that can make a big difference.

A&P to split its brand into four store types

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 10, 2009

In an interview with New Jersey Business News, A&P chief executive Eric Claus outlined his company's plan to launch four distinct store types, each aimed…

Halfords reaches one millionth online reservation for in-store pickup

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 10, 2009

British retailer Halfords launched a "reserve and collect" feature on its web site last year, and it appears to be clicking with customers: The company…

Study: Community features drive traffic, sales to online retailers

September 10, 2009

As social networks proliferate and consumers report spending more of their time online, e-commerce is ripe to weave community into the customer experience. On…

The theater of the brand: Building entertainment experiences at retail

Retailers are using three pivotal tools to engage and stay top-of-mind with consumers.

Nielsen: Affluent shoppers more likely to be heavy coupon users

September 8, 2009

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — In today's economy, more U.S. consumers are using coupons when purchasing consumer packaged goods (CPG) items with 1.6 billion coupons…

Kronos index shows signs of recovery in retail hiring

September 8, 2009

CHELMSFORD, Mass. — Kronos Incorporated has unveiled the first installment of its Kronos Retail Labor Index, a family of metrics and indices that analyze the…

Walmart's 'Project Impact' shoots for cleaner stores, better customer service

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 8, 2009

Time is reporting on the real-world impact of Walmart's "Project Impact," a makeover initiative that sees the retailer focusing on cleaner store environments…

RetailWire Discussion: Guys join the 'get out of shopping' club

Where does the shopping-averse and fashion-challenged male go for help? One answer is Trunk Club, a new online personal shopping service.

How to make men feel at home while shopping

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 7, 2009

San Francisco Chronicle fashion correspondent Aaron Britt recently went on a walking tour of S.F. men's retail with Bertrand Pellegrin, author of "Branding the…

Grass-roots marketing: Retailer mails hand-written thank you notes to shoppers

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 7, 2009

In Palm Springs, Calif., one retailer is going back-to-basics for customer service, reviving the art of the hand-written thank you note.

Making the case for custom point-of-purchase content

A core factor of the retail customer experience is advertising. But how we speak to a potential customer versus a customer at the point of purchase are not the…

Designing a new experience — and putting fun back into retail

Now is a great time to design and launch a new customer experience — especially for brands feeling the pinch of commoditization.

ELO Media announces new DVD kiosk, financing program

September 2, 2009

ELO Media has announced the debut of its newest DVmatic DVD-rental kiosk, the DVmatic 550XL. According to a news release from the company, enhanced features…

Microsoft announces preview of Windows 7-based embedded platform

September 1, 2009

Microsoft Corp. has announced a preview release of its Windows 7-based Windows Embedded Standard 2011 platform, commonly used in POS and kiosk applications.

Cisco Retail Store Workforce Management Solution

This solution facilitates communications and helps control costs by enabling employees to clock in, view hours/vacations, and contact supervisors. Managers can…

NBC Everywhere forms partnership with Gas Station TV

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 31, 2009

Mediaweek reports that NBC Everywhere, the OOH unit of NBC Universal, has struck a deal with Gas Station TV.

Roots Canada adds social commerce features to web site

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 31, 2009

Roots Canada, a leading Canadian lifestyle retailer, announced it has added social commerce features to its e-commerce site at www.roots.com. The product…

Driver's license scanning reduces fraud, but may alienate shoppers

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

In an effort to fight return fraud and abuse, a growing number of retailers are using a service that keeps a database of return activity — and feels like an…