How to build an expert customer service problem resolution approach

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

An expert approach to customer service requires a well-defined process for problem resolution. Let’s look at how to start setting up such a process.

Survey says Millennials prefer brick-and-mortar shopping

May 21, 2013

Detailed research from the Urban Land Institute reveals that Millennials prefer shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. Surprisingly, the brands Millennials love…

Pricing: Innovation vs. enhancement

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

Innovations premiums are huge. Early adopters often pay 3 to 4 times the price the mass market does. But what about product improvements? Do they carry the…

Malaysian retailer TANGS goes live with Manthan analytics

May 16, 2013

Manthan Systems, providers of business intelligence solutions for retailers, announced recently it's successful implementation of the ARC Customer Analytics…

Will an Internet sales tax bring fairness or confusion?

by Natalie Gagliordi — Editor of KioskMarketplace.com, Networld Media Group

The Marketplace Fairness Act is causing a divide in the industry and has tax experts bracing for chaos.

Retail reboot: The changing face of retail worldwide

The evolution and tide of consumer change is global ... and is escalating.

Update: Nordstrom ends test of shopper tracking

May 13, 2013

Following a report on CBS 11 in Dallas (and subsequent reporting through other websites) that Nordstrom was tracking shoppers' activity via smartphone data…

Mother's Day shopper study finds in-store trumps online

May 10, 2013

The market research firm Trendsource released results of its Mother's Day buying intentions study, revealing that shoppers prefer the in-store experience for…

Professor weighs benefit vs. risk of facial recognition technology

Retailers have collected data on customer preferences and demographics for years, but biometrics takes it to a new level.

Intuit index offers glimpse of consumer spending habits

May 8, 2013

Findings have been released from the Intuit Consumer Spending Index, providing a unique view into the U.S. economy with a near real-time view of actual…

NRF economist downplays April retail hires

May 6, 2013

Positive job numbers released for the month of April showed a surge in hiring in the retail sector. But as an article on wsj.com notes, the 29,000 new retail…

Are checkout impulse buys a mobile casualty?

Sales of items typically stocked near grocery checkout counters have fallen sharply over the last year and a half.

Millennial marketing guru gives sneak peek of Fast Casual Executive Summit keynote

Creating brand fans out of Millennials -- consumers ages 18 to 34 -- is key for every restaurant's success. Jeff Fromm, millennial expert and 2013 Fast Casual…

What can retail learn from community managers?

by Jeannie Walters — Chief Customer Experience Investigator, 360Connext

A few years ago, the role of community manager as we know it today didn’t exist. Social media was in its infancy, and as brands joined in they started to see…

Opinion: How social media is changing retail

The traditional path to purchase has been disrupted by the convergence of websites, kiosks, tablets, smartphones and social media.

Why you need to 'multiculturize' your brand

by Arturo Nava — Managing Partner & Co-founder, Marketealo

There is a huge emerging Latino wave “Multiculturizing” America that will also change the mainstream market in the U.S. Latinos represent a massive $1.…

Study: Millennials still spending despite economy

April 26, 2013

The National Retail Federation analyzed data gleaned from Prosper Insights & Analytics' April Consumer Survey in order to gain a better understanding of…

It's 10:00 o’clock. Do you know where your profits are?

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

When I began my consulting practice 24 years ago I’d go into companies and ask “What’s making money?” Most of the owners/CEOs would shrug, indicating that they…

What can merchants do to become better retail therapists?

More than half of all Americans go shopping to improve their moods.

Forrester report highlights 'mobile mind shift'

April 23, 2013

At Forrester's Forum for Marketing Leaders last week, SVP of Idea Development Josh Bernoff shared results from the firm's new report, "Marketing Strategy for…