MCX's perspective: What merchants want from mobile commerce

Walmart, Target, CVS, Lowe's, Best Buy … why are so many merchants lining up to commit to MCX?

CETW12: The power of social media done right

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

Citibank executive Frank Eliason explains the pitfalls and benefits of social media.

How showrooming may hurt holiday retail sales

If every holiday season has a scrooge, then this year for retailers, it's showrooming.

Report: Online retail up 15 percent over last year

November 8, 2012

comScore Inc. has released its Q3 2012 U.S. retail e-commerce sales estimates, showing that online retail spending reached $41.9 billion for the quarter, up 1…

Price cuts plague Carrefour sales

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

That is the title of a recent Financial Times article. But is it true?

How important is mobility marketing? Follow Mom's lead.

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

There has been a lot of research on "crossing the chasm" and how technology moves from early adopters to mainstream consumers. With previous technology devices…

The best perk of all: Fairness

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

I remember, in the near past, when getting a safe in your hotel room was considered a perk that many of us didn’t even use. Today, that little extra costs a…

Are your QR codes gathering dust?

Retailers need to use QR codes to deliver something of value to consumers.

Price-matching becomes retail holiday strategy

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

With showrooming abounding, retailers look to match prices of online competitors. Is that a good idea?

The waiting is the hardest part (for your customers)

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

Timeliness is a critical part of creating a successful customer experience. As a business keynote speaker, I'm often heard calling on company and conference…

Halloween and Sandy boost retail sales

October 31, 2012

The Johnson Redbook Index, an indicator of performance in U.S. retail sales, released figures yesterday showing that national chain-store sales fell 1.…

ShopperTrak acquires RelTel in move to improve analytics power

October 30, 2012

ShopperTrak, a company that analyzes foot traffic data for retailers, today announced its acquisition of surveillance analytics startup ReTel Technologies. 

How retailers can attract more male customers

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

In RCE podcast #8, Kim Nasief, CEO of Measure CP, and I were asked if there is a way to attract male shoppers to stores. The generally held and widely accepted…

Will same-day shipping make us happier customers?

by William Cusick — President, Customerspectives

Both Amazon and Walmart are vying to be your retailer of choice, and one aspect that we are all apparently about to start demanding is same-day delivery of our…

Opinion: Consumer confidence could have its dangers

October 29, 2012

According to an article on The Daily Beast, this fall, for the first time since late 2007, the percentage of Americans who say their personal financial…

Microsoft allegedly fakes line for Windows 8 launch

October 29, 2012

In a possible move to rival Apple's diehard fanbase, Microsoft is being accused of staging huge lines at some stores for the launch of Windows 8, in order to…

The great digital divide: Natives versus Immigrants

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

If you look at age demographics, there is an amazing stat: 50 percent of the world's population is under 30 years old! No one under 30 remembers typewriters…

Here's why retailers should put up their Christmas displays before Halloween

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

It's that time of the year ... time for the leaves to change, corn mazes to sprout up, pumpkin spice latte demand so strong Starbucks has shortages. And of…

Index: Overall consumer confidence at highest point in five years

October 24, 2012

According to the latest CEA Index released this week by the Consumer Electronics Association, consumer confidence in the overall economy increased in October…

Retail, restaurants drive big business with loyalty programs

by Christopher Hall — w, t

Loyalty programs offer a way to build relationships with customers, and gather mission critical insight into their behavior.