Why the empowered customer is good for retail

While the Internet trained consumers to be extreme deal-seekers, the mobile revolution is empowering them to be extreme convenience-seekers.

Data security, omnichannel initiatives top retail CIOs' priority lists

February 20, 2015

With recent high-profile data breaches and the growing need to deliver a unified and differentiated customer experience, retail CIOs agree that security and…

Americans planning to save, not splurge, with tax refunds this year

February 19, 2015

Consumers have a plan for how they will use their refunds: 39.1 percent will pay down debt and 25.1 percent plan to use it for daily expenses.

Retail customer satisfaction is down for the first time in four years

February 19, 2015

Online retail makes sole gain; supermarkets and drug stores lose ground.

Customer service strategy: Deliver value with time

by Shep Hyken — CAO, Shepard Presentations

Your customers want you to know this: "Value my time and you value me." It's part of delivering amazing service.

Report sees growth in multichannel grocery shopping

February 18, 2015

Multichannel grocery shopping is surging across the globe, with the birth of a new child being a primary driver of an increased propensity to buy online…

Paul Price to keynote Interactive Customer Experience Summit

Paul Price, CEO of marketing technology company Creative Realities, will offer ICX Summit attendees his expert insights and real-world examples for putting the…

The rise of social selling in 2015

Early attempts by brands to gain followers and fans on social media are now giving way to more sophisticated efforts to leverage the power of social influence…

Consumer expectations of retailers growing fast, says new engagement index

February 16, 2015

J. Crew, Nike, Marshall’s and TJ Maxx, Walmart, Home Depot, Whole Foods, Amazon.com, Costco, and Dick’s all captured engagement leadership positions in a…

NRF forecasts retail sales to increase 4.1 percent over last year

February 12, 2015

The 4.1 percent increase would mark the biggest annual growth since 2011 when retail sales for the year increased 5.1 percent.

Consumer spending on home fashions, appliances rose for two years

February 12, 2015

Consumers spent more than $47 billion on small appliances, non-electric housewares products and home fashions in 2014, according to The NPD Group.

Why customer service and branding are the same thing

by Andrew Sharpe — Retail Strategist, BRANDSPANK

If you aren't investing in customer service, you're omitting the most influential piece of your brand's story.

Mobile still tops retailers' priority lists

February 9, 2015

A new report finds mobile as a percentage of online sales increased 50 percent in 2014.

Survey says physical stores still preferred over online

February 9, 2015

According to the survey, only 27 percent of U.S. consumers say they shop online weekly.

Nearly two-thirds of American shoppers don't trust retailers to protect their data

February 4, 2015

A new survey finds considerable concern for the security of credit card and personal information not only online, but also in brick-and-mortar stores…

Rakuten survey says men will spend more than women on Valentine's Day

February 3, 2015

American men will spend more on Valentine's Day than women, with men spending an average of $104, compared to $45 by women.

Three micro-trends of the retail customer experience

by Jeannie Walters — Chief Customer Experience Investigator, 360Connext

There are several ways the retail customer experience is actually becoming smaller, and it seems to be a good thing for sales and customers.

Commentary: The tech and features that shoppers want

A new large-scale shopper survey sheds light on consumers who mix online and in-store shopping in whatever way is most convenient for them.

Report: Mobile accounts for 25 percent of online transactions in Q4 2014

January 30, 2015

The holiday shopping season accounted for the majority of such transactions.

Five ways to lose a customer

by Shep Hyken — CAO, Shepard Presentations

Customer service doesn't have to be terrible to drive shoppers away. Indifference and lukewarm attitudes are bad enough.