Report says social media less important in the shopping process than two years ago

September 26, 2014

According to the report, compared to 2012, less importance is being placed on following retailers on social media, finding out about new products through…

Seven disruptive trends that will kill the 'dinosaurs of retail'

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Retail evolution is speeding up, and it waits for no one.

The real secrets to creating a memorable customer experience

by Kristen Gramigna — Chief Marketing Officer, BluePay

Research points to a strong return on investment for creating positive and memorable customer experiences.

Gamification, digital coupon companies join forces

September 24, 2014

In their initial campaign, Dailybreak and RevTrax achieved results that were above key industry benchmarks, with 47 percent of consumers printing the coupon…

Forecast says retail holiday sales to increase 4 to 4.5 percent

September 24, 2014

Digital interactions expected to influence 50 percent of retail store sales; Non-store sales to rise 13.5 to 14 percent.

New guide caters to restaurateurs, retailers looking to boost income with ATMs

'How to Profit from ATMs: A Guide for Retailers and Restaurateurs' delivers 40 pages packed with essential information about the business of owning, operating…

Half of Americans plan to start online holiday shopping earlier this year

September 23, 2014

Overall, 70 percent of Americans consider shipping options to be an important factor in the shopping experience compared to 66 percent in 2013. Also, one-third…

Why it's time to retire the concept of generations

by Jeff Weidauer — Vice President, Marketing & Strategy, Vestcom International, Inc.

For marketers, labeling a target market as "millennials" or "boomers" makes as much sense as grouping all the Capricorns together and targeting them.

What did you miss at #CONNECTsummit14? Check out the highlights

#CONNECTsummit14 included mobile innovation leaders from across the spectrum: tech, restaurant, retail.

Understanding the lifetime value of a loyal customer

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

It is a business practice so long-standing it is practically a cliché. Companies fall all over themselves to woo new customers, but once they get them, they…

More than half of Americans are unhappy with their loyalty programs

September 17, 2014

Ninety-three percent of U.S. consumers said the type of reward offered is a “very important” or “somewhat important” factor in their decisions to join a…

Study: QuikTrip, Wawa named favorite convenience stores

September 17, 2014

Other regional players such as Sheetz, RaceTrac and Speedway also earned high enough scores to land in the top five.

More than 60 percent of consumers are increasing their online shopping activity

September 15, 2014

The SmartFocus survey also reveals a significant age-related gap in digital shopping preferences. Nearly half of all millennials spend more time shopping…

Report says August retail spending growth strongest in 13 months

September 12, 2014

Leisure spending is at a six-month high; late-season travel, back-to-school spending propel growth.

August retail sales increased 0.5 percent

September 12, 2014

When combined with revisions to July, August sales indicate a consistent improvement in consumer confidence and spending but run contrary to August's…

The four different types of specialty retail associates

by Doug Fleener — President and Managing Partner, Dynamic Experiences Group, LLC

How your employees can gawk, stalk, talk or rock the retail sales experience.

ICSC says momentum for marketplace fairness at an all-time high

September 10, 2014

Seven in ten Americans support legislation requiring sales tax collection at the time of purchase. This represents an increase of six percentage points since…

Independent grocers hold ground in tough fiscal year 2013

September 10, 2014

The National Grocers Association and FMS Solutions today released the results of their joint 2014 Independent Grocers Financial Survey, covering fiscal year…

Report says that for first time, online shoppers primarily interact with brands via mobile

September 8, 2014

In August 2014, mobile devices generated 51 percent of all online retail visits, the majority of which occurred on Apple devices. In 2010, only four percent of…

Mastering customer retention using data

According to global consulting firm Bain & Company, it costs six to seven times more for an organization to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one.