New research attempts to debunk showrooming myths

September 13, 2013

New research from the Columbia Business School and the loyalty firm Aimia offers retailers tips on enticing consumers with mobile devices to make purchases…

Turning a frown upside-down: How negative WOM can help your brand

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Why Jerry Seinfeld is a customer service consultant

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

"We're craving the nondigital even more these days, the authentically human interaction," says Jerry Seinfeld, explaining (I would argue) not just live standup…

What to take away from the 2013 back-to-school season

Sales data can show how successful your back-to-school season was, but numbers don’t reveal the reasons why.

Cardlytics releases back-to-school 'report card'

September 10, 2013

Cardlytics, specialists in card-linked marketing, has announced the results of its "2013 Back-to-School Shopping Report Card," an analysis of 70 percent of…

A brainstorming tool to use with your staff

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

Your employees are a tremendous source of information and insight. They can share how to deliver a better customer experience, or how to sell more. They might…

What if a 'foodie' ran your store?

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

After returning from India, I had to an opportunity to meet with over 70 technology retailers from Latin America last week. For all retailers owning brick and…

Retailers resort to deep discounts this back-to-school season

September 6, 2013

Back-to-school spending was up slightly this year over last, but it came at a steep price for retailers, who resorted to deep discounting in order to move…

Retailers 'behind the curve' with tablets

September 6, 2013

In a new commentary published in The Guardian, Simon Black, CEO of payment gateway provider Sage Pay, says that retailers are "still behind the curve" when it…

'Idea brands’ will win big with Millennials: Here's how to attract them

by Jeff Fromm — Executive Vice President, Barkley

Millennials want to change the world. Who doesn't? However, this generation born from 1977 to 2000 is often accused of passive insensitivity caused by their…

The loyalty lie

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Loyalty is an increasingly fleeting thing. In fact, the average Gen Y mother now defines "brand loyalty" as a window of allegiance lasting 6-12 months before…

Moving past the showroom challenge: The beauty of Sephora's customer-centric approach

by Jeannie Walters — Chief Customer Experience Investigator, 360Connext

Many retailers have been spending a lot of time and energy battling showrooming.

Should marketers trust their gut or their data?

According to a recent study, 80 percent of marketers are making decisions based on their gut instincts.

Retailer loyalty programs copycat airline industry

August 29, 2013

Retailers may be crafting their loyalty programs to reflect the airline industry — with elite levels and extra perks for shoppers who spend the most money…

Measurement is necessary, but not sufficient to produce change

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Every once in a while you need to be "gobsmacked." I think I first used the British slang gobsmacked in a 2010 blog, and I've been waiting for an appropriate…

Commentary: The showrooming myth

The "false paradigm of showrooming" will only distract retailers from the real task at hand.

Customer loyalty: Woody Allen vs. your local ATM

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

In my years as a customer service consultant, I've yet to hear a customer blurt out anything that sounds like this:

Best Buy's new look

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

A little over a year ago I had the worst buying experience I’ve ever had at my local Best Buy store. I thought that the two associates in front of me were…

Has the Apple Store lost its uniqueness?

Apple's third quarter earnings dipped slightly, the first decline since 2009.

Majority of US shoppers are not loyal, study finds

August 22, 2013

Market Track announced today the release of an in-depth report from a two-part national survey of retail shoppers and Fortune 100 companies. The report…