GlobalShop 2008: Mammoth retail show opens in Chicago

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

March 17, 2008

CHICAGO — GlobalShop, billed as "the world's largest annual retail design and in-store marketing trade show," opens its doors today at Chicago's McCormick…

Report: Gen-Y shoppers are least brand-loyal

March 17, 2008

Seniors are fiercely loyal when it comes to the brands they love, while members of Generation Y are more willing to shift their shopping allegiances.

GlobalShop: Day 1 news roundup

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

March 17, 2008

CHICAGO — Today was opening day for GlobalShop 2008, the 16th installment of the trade show devoted to store design, visual merchandising and in-store…

RFID a boon for retailers, bane for privacy advocates

March 16, 2008

Associated Press: The problem with RFID, critics say, is that the microchipping of products might have unintended consequences. With tags in so many objects…

Wal-Mart tweaks store for Arab-Americans

March 16, 2008

Associated Press: Shoppers at the new Wal-Mart in a Detroit suburb known as "the capital of Arab America" can now find the whole-wheat cookie Mamool on the…

AOL launches paperless coupon program

March 12, 2008

DULLES, Va. — AOL has launched Shortcuts, its free service for paperless online coupons. The first retail partner to endorse the program is The Kroger Co., the…

Outlet malls getting flashier

March 12, 2008

The Dallas Morning News: An outlet mall used to mean a day trip for shoppers seeking bargains they just couldn't get anywhere else. Today, the distinction…

Freedom Shopping unveils RFID checkout solution

March 12, 2008

HICKORY, N.C. — Freedom Shopping Inc. announced the availability of an OEM offering that plugs into existing cash registers and point-of-sale terminals to…

Is it the end of an era for enclosed malls?

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

March 11, 2008

Blogger Heather Strang at Retail Design Diva is mourning the apparent death of the enclosed mall, noting that a new one hasn't been built in the United States…

Harris poll: Consumers expect retailers to know their preferences

March 10, 2008

Advertising Age: A Harris Interactive poll finds that a whopping 95 percent of people believe it is at least somewhat important that companies know "who I am…

Kroger testing wireless coupons

March 9, 2008

Advertising Age: Five top package-goods manufacturers are using mobile phones in an effort to revive the art of coupon redemption. Procter & Gamble…

Bergdorf Goodman named 2008's best customer experience

March 9, 2008

NEW YORK — High net-worth consumers rated Bergdorf Goodman the retailer that offers the best customer experience in the 2008 Luxury Customer Experience Index…

Nickelodeon theme park coming to Mall of America

March 5, 2008

The New York Times: The entertainment company Nickelodeon is opening its first theme park in the 4.2 million-square-foot Mall of America on March 15. The…

StreamGuys unveils IP-based ad insertion for in-store audio

March 5, 2008

LAS VEGAS — At this year's Digital Signage Expo, Barix AG of Switzerland, StreamGuys Inc. of Northern California and MOH Technologies AG, a partner of Barix…

Customer experience spending will intensify in 2008

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

March 5, 2008

According to a new report just published by Forrester Research, customer experience spending is about to take off to new levels.

Airport retail, foodservice trending toward more local flavor

March 4, 2008

The Salt Lake Tribune: Airports are responding to longer passenger wait times by improving the quality and focus of their retail and restaurant offerings.

Survey reveals shift in customer loyalty drivers

March 3, 2008

Display & Design Ideas: For the first time in 11 years all but two of the 57 categories tracked in the annual Brand Keys Loyalty Engagement Index have…

Convergence of digital signage, kiosks requires common strategy

March 2, 2008

The growing popularity of digital signage and the strong footprint already established by kiosks makes it impossible for businesses to ignore the two coming…

Half of consumers would give up convenience packaging for green reasons

March 2, 2008

MILAN, Italy — According to a Nielsen Global Food Packaging Survey, nearly one in two global consumers would give up all forms of packaging provided for…

U.S. retailers just beginning to understand customer experience, report says

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

February 27, 2008

Forrester Research has published "The State of Experience-Based Differentiation," a summary of its recent survey of 287 customer experience decision-makers…