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.

Luxury retail at a crossroads

Shattered by heavy discounting, luxury retailers now need to focus on two distinct customer types - those looking for branded items at a lower price, and the…

Discounting while preserving the brand

Why retailers need to focus on intelligent promotions, rather than across-the-board discounts.

Breaking retail's addiction to discounting

When retailers emphasize price above all else, everybody loses. Author Kate Newlin offers some alternatives to "okay, available and cheap."

How to catch male shoppers: Market to women

The men's grooming market is set to explode, and retailers can reach it more directly by marketing to women.

Private label: The prestige brands of tomorrow?

Retail expert and author Kate Newlin says the only odd thing about private label brands is that they've taken so long to win shoppers over.

Opinion: Why customer satisfaction surveys don't work

With 95 percent of our cognitive processing handled by the subconscious, how much value is there in surveys that probe the other five percent?

Retailers can weather economy by focusing on basics

Trusted brands and an enlarged pool of skilled workers provide leverage.

Economy presents a new reality for luxury brands

The downturn has forced a paradigm shift on luxury brand marketers, who are for the first time being forced to re-think their traditional approach.

Fighting online shopping cart abandonment

While most e-commerce sites measure conversion, many do not take a structured and proactive approach to abandonment.

RetailWire Discussion: Most loyal customers aren't profitable

A recent Harvard Business Journal article suggests that few customers are profitable — and of the ones that are, most are not loyal.

Commentary: Online retail over-analyzed, 'stripped of all brand soul'

A brand consultant argues that too much emphasis on search engine optimization has diminished the online shopping experience.

Five viral marketing mistakes to avoid

There's a lot of buzz surrounding viral marketing — but retailers need to make sure to avoid these common missteps.

Secrets of high-concept retailers

Retailers such as American Girl that forge their own path thrive, despite tough times.

Opinion: Retailers giving lip service to customer service

Noted retail trainer and author discusses how the concept of customer service has been watered down by many retailers.

Satisfying the customer whose credit has been denied

The retail credit scene is tough, but retailers don't have to bear the brunt of rejection.

Is price the only 'P' that matters?

Convenience-based value propositions are losing their appeal as people are repricing their free time.

Live chat drives sales, satisfaction — but only when executed honestly

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Web retailers that offer live text-chat assistance can increase conversion and generate word-of-mouth, but poor or dishonest execution can spell disaster.

Opinion: Loyalty is more than points programs

Building a perfect loyalty program requires a delicate balance between reward and customer effort — and online retailers are leading the way.