Survey crowns Nordstrom as most-favored retail chain

March 6, 2013

Nordstrom is the nation's favorite fashion retail chain, according to an annual consumer study conducted by Market Force Information. The upscale department…

Looking for love? Try Walmart

March 6, 2013

Walmart has built a reputation as a place where the less style-conscious can shop in their pajamas (or some other, far worse faux pas). But a recent study by…

The future of self-service in retail

As the definition of self-service broadens, so too are its applications for retail.

Study finds consumers lack interest in same-day delivery

March 5, 2013

Retailers can scale back their efforts to offer same-day delivery to online customers. A new study from The Boston Consulting Group found that free delivery…

Study finds retail wins big with wedding registries

March 4, 2013

According to a recent study conducted by the University of Notre Dame, there is a symbiotic relationship between retail and matrimony. Not only is the total…

TrendSource releases results from consumer insight study

March 1, 2013

TrendSource released findings from its two-part consumer insights research study that it said aims to help retailers keep pace with omnichannel consumers. The…

How to apologize to customers without alienating employees

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

In customer service, the key to an effective apology is to convey to the customer at the outset that you’re willing to take his side and share his viewpoint. 

Xtreme Labs releases report card on retailer apps

February 28, 2013

Xtreme Labs, a mobile strategy and solutions company, released its Retail Apps Report, which details how consumers rate the top U.S. retailers' iOS and Android…

Making a 'value play'

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

My wife and I were in an electronics store. Neither of us are big on electronics. Our TV is 17 years old which gives you an idea of our interest in the latest…

Five fundamentals required for 'ME-tailing' success

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

It's the "Age of the Consumer." That's not news. The lead articles on retail are chocked full of stories about how consumers are now empowered through their…

Retail survival will require both consumer and product centricity

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

The term "consumer-centric" has been bandied about in retail a lot recently. What does it really mean to be a consumer centric retailer? Obviously, it means to…

Overlooked benefits of price analysis

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

A common misconception about pricing is that it’s all about establishing the price. In a recent project my client and I improved their margin by 56 percent…

NRF: Voice feedback tool from Saygent

February 21, 2013

At this year's NRF show, representatives from Saygent were demonstrating their new voice feedback tool, which aims to capture customer sentiment and feedback…

Commentary: The impact of checkout time on customer service perception

The time a customer spends waiting in line can dramatically impact their perception of the service they receive on the whole.

Do your customers say they love you?

by Jeanne Bliss — Founder, CustomerBliss

Are customers saying they love you?  At yelp, epinions, Twitter and hundreds of websites every day, customers who are treated well are not bashful about…

NRF: Foresee talks about the importance of multichannel

February 19, 2013

At this year's NRF show, Larry Freed, president and CEO of Foresee discusses the increasingly multichannel behavior of shoppers, including some findings from a…

Customer service will transform your business ... starting today

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

Customer service–exceptional, consistent, customer-centered service–can transform your business more quickly than nearly any other advantage.

The future of the retail store

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Retail is dead! At least, that’s how Marc Andreessen sees it. The entrepreneur and tech investor was recently quoted saying that all physical retail stores…

How to use customer data to plan store layouts

Consumer data can give insight on how to boost the bottom line with simple store design improvements. 

Mood Media to rebrand retired Muzak

February 13, 2013

Muzak, the music service that gets piped through the speakers at shopping malls and office buildings, will undergo a rebranding effort by its parent company…