Showrooming dips, but 'webrooming' surges, according to survey

October 20, 2014

New research in 17 countries shows consumers combining online, in-person shopping for even low-value purchases.

Respect your customer's time by resolving complaints quickly

by Shep Hyken — CAO, Shepard Presentations

Statistics show that the average adult in the United States spends 364 minutes on the phone every year waiting, and hoping, to talk to someone who can correct…

Nine common mistakes that can wreck your retail business

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

You can't always blame your company's hard times on the economy or the competition. Sometimes, it's a lack of focus on the fundamentals.

American Eagle Outfitters says beacons are driving better sales

October 15, 2014

American Eagle customers received a message upon entering the store, offering a small incentive for visiting the fitting rooms. Resulting data showed the…

Study says consumer satisfaction with supermarkets is very high

October 14, 2014

The research found that supermarkets continue to generate high satisfaction among their shoppers, scoring an average of 4.46 on a five-point scale, where five…

Don't let 'holiday creep' ruin your retail story

by Andrew Sharpe — Retail Strategist, BRANDSPANK

On the surface, holiday creep may not seem like a problem for retailers, but when you take a closer look, you can see how this phenomenon contributes to the…

September spending shows slight retreat from August

October 14, 2014

Following a summer in which spending growth hit several year-long highs, September spending slowed slightly when compared to August numbers.

A customer service lesson from Hy-Vee's social media team

by Shep Hyken — CAO, Shepard Presentations

You cannot stop your customers from talking about you on social media. Good or bad, they will tell the world of their experiences. Find a way to use it to your…

Online holiday shopping to be more influenced by social media this year

October 10, 2014

Survey results show 36 percent of shoppers intend to buy gifts via their mobile device, up 29 percent from last year, and 49 percent will make purchases based…

September retail sales fall short

October 10, 2014

Traffic decreased substantially compared to last year and last month. However, healthier economic conditions and less government disruption led to significant…

ICSC predicts 4 percent rise in holiday retail revenue

October 9, 2014

Positive economic signals point to a stronger holiday shopping season as the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) forecasts a 4.0 percent increase…

Survey says U.S. consumers plan to spend more this holiday season

October 9, 2014

Holiday gift purchases expected to average $718; Consumer enthusiasm for Black Friday shopping hits eight-year peak.

When marketing to millennials, don't forget the basics

In planning for marketing to millennials at retail, there is still a commonality of experience that requires in-store merchandising not to lose sight of the…

Study says shoppers are abandoning mobile shopping carts due to poor customer care

October 8, 2014

New research from Contact Solutions shows that consumers have high expectations for retail care when shopping via mobile device, and if those expectations…

Moment.me launches tool for real-time aggregation of place-based social content

October 7, 2014

According to the company, business owners can simply input an address or the name of their establishment and Moment.me will aggregate all the content that has…

NRF forecasts holiday sales to increase 4.1 percent

October 7, 2014

Holiday sales on average have grown 2.9 percent over the past 10 years, including estimates for 2014, and are expected to represent approximately 19.2 percent…

Study charts 10 percent rise in shoppers who buy via mobile device

October 6, 2014

Since 2012, the incidence of shoppers using mobile devices to make purchases has increased from 25 percent to 35 percent.

Macy's omnichannel strategy: Moving engagement as well as sweaters

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Do bricks and mortar cost more than bytes and channels? For Macy's, the question may not matter as much as whether the two investments, combined, sell more…

Vera Bradley implements ShopperTrak for in-store analytics

October 3, 2014

A leading designer of women's handbags and accessories, luggage and travel items, eyewear, stationery and gifts, Vera Bradley has implemented ShopperTrak’s…

How mobile changes consumer behavior

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

When 82 percent of U.S. adults own smartphones, and 91 percent keep them with them at all times, a mobile strategy for retail becomes more important than ever.