Starbucks closes 7,100 stores for training

February 26, 2008

Wall Street Journal: Starbucks Corp. retaught baristas how to make espresso shots, steam milk and hand drinks to customers while it shut down nearly 7,10…

Singapore grocer testing RFID cart this year

February 26, 2008

ZDNet Asia: Singapore supermarket chain Cold Storage says it will be the first in Asia to implement "technology-enabled" shopping carts by the end of this…

IBM, Microsoft to collaborate on plug-and-play POS

February 25, 2008

REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft Corp. announced that it is working with IBM to deliver a Windows Embedded-based "plug-and-play" solution to help make it faster and…

Wal-Mart, Target facing lawsuit over RFID use

February 25, 2008

CNET: Behind the scenes, Wal-Mart and Target use radio-frequency identification tracking systems to keep their shelves stocked, but that method could face new…

C-store signage network focuses on scalability, measurement

February 25, 2008

A digital signage network serving convenience stores needed a software solution that could accommodate a growing number of screens — all of which need…

EU may require deactivation of RFID tags at the POS

February 24, 2008

Reuters: RFID tags embedded in items ranging from pets to retail products will have to be deactivated at the point of sale to protect purchasers' privacy…

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…

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…

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…