Appliance sales big part of JC Penney Black Friday event

November 18, 2016

Move over clothes and accessories. JC Penney is putting appliances up front and center for Black Friday and not one single toy.

Consumers will shop, spend more on themselves this holiday season

November 18, 2016

Holiday season shoppers won't just be tossing items in the wagon for family and friends. A good portion, 58 percent, will be scouting out discount items for…

Why 30 retailers are asking consumers to self-personalize the shopping experience this holiday

Personalization has long been touted as the Holy Grail for improved customer experience at retail.

30 percent of consumers hate Black Friday

November 16, 2016

Black Friday apparently isn't so well loved by consumers despite historical big sales and price reductions on what has long been the busiest holiday season…

J.C. Penney store sales dip yet retailer is upbeat about holiday

November 16, 2016

Unseasonable weather and a strategy to put appliances front and center as the holiday sales season hits are two factors J.C. Penney is citing for a 0.8 percent…

Autumn comforts: Discovering your shoppers' comfort zone

Along with the falling leaves and cooler temperatures comes the desire for comfort. So, in this season of comfort, how can we ensure that the feeling…

7 critical questions traditional retailer metrics can't answer

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Traditional metrics of sales and share are not enough for omnichannel.

Cash still most popular payment approach for consumers

November 11, 2016

While shoppers may be conducting more mobile payment transactions, cold hard cash is still pretty popular and is actually the most used, according to a new…

Redefining the customer reward strategy

Reward programs have been around since 1793, but it would be a mistake to believe we as businesses and marketers have mastered the concept.

Report: Retailers will need to pivot to hurdle upcoming challenges

November 10, 2016

While holiday sales are expected to be robust, the future holds some challenges for retailers, reveals a new Forrester report, and those challenges could be…

Mall of America prepping new retail concept for debut this month

November 10, 2016

The Mall of America will be home to a brand new, permanent retail concept, called Debut, come November 16. The concept, to be located in the new north end of…

New tool powering PetSmart.com's delivery operation

November 9, 2016

PetSmart.com is now providing same-day scheduled delivery to 17 metro areas via Deliv, a logistic deliver provider.

1 of the greatest misses in omnichannel retailing

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

If retailers want to engage, they need more than products, pics and price.

Furniture retailer boosts buyer engagement with data-driven communication

November 8, 2016

Industry West, a furniture retailer, is increasing commercial buyer engagement and driving greater website traffic via a new approach to marketing…

Spiking holiday sales means more socializing for retailers, reveals study

November 8, 2016

Retailers Sephora and Amazon are leaders when it comes to social media engagement and are examples retailers need to follow given the expected holiday sales…

Millennial demand spurs fragrance market

November 8, 2016

Retailers selling fragrances can expect increasing sales thanks to millennial interest in perfumes.

Study: Consumer expectations are driving new retail economic metrics

November 2, 2016

Taking a page from Oldsmobile's marketing genius, today’s retail economics are not anyone’s grandparents’ retail economics.

5 ways to optimize customer experience in store and online

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Consumers want online to be more like stores … and vice versa.

Online retail a big focus for holiday shoppers, reveals survey

November 1, 2016

At least half of holiday shoppers are intending to buy gifts online this year, according to the annual Deloitte holiday survey on consumer spend and trends.

Survey: Digital strategy key for retailer success

October 31, 2016

A digital e-commerce strategy is more critical than ever for retailers, as a new survey reveals that consumers love shopping online — especially on Amazon …