Walmart Joins the Data-ing Game

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Just how many bags of Tootsie Pops does Walmart sell every year? Soon, the world may know.

What can we learn from Scottish farmers?

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

A recent BBC South Scotland News article stated that "Farmers across Scotland are being urged to attend a series of meetings to outline proposals for a new…

NRF: Back-to-school sales expected to be flat

July 20, 2011

As they prepare for their annual back-to-school shopping trip, parents this year will make children scour their closets before agreeing to buy any new jeans…

Three ways you are frustrating your customers

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

A buddy of mine named Matt heard about a big electronics store that was closing. He wanted to finally get a flat screen TV, but he and his wife were nervous…

Five ways to use mobile to drive positive brick-and-mortar shopping experiences

Extending the aisles, using games to engage shoppers among the ways mobile can make in-store shopping better.

First Data releases results of Q2 prepaid card survey

July 17, 2011

First Data Corporation, a provider of electronic commerce and payment processing solutions, has released an overview of its First Data SpendTrend Closed-Loop…

NRF: June retail sales mark twelve consecutive months of growth

July 13, 2011

Warm weather, lower gas costs and strong Father's Day promotions put consumers in a spending mood in June, boosting retail sales for the 12th consecutive month…

Study affirms importance of in-store technology

July 12, 2011

Retailers are turning to technology to boost customer satisfaction, productivity and multi-channel sales, according to a study co-sponsored by HP and RSR…

Making your retail business social in 2012

by Lynn Switanowski — President, Creative Business Consulting Group

People around the world are using social media for many reasons. They are meeting long lost relatives or high school classmates on social media sites…

Pepsi Throwback

by Jim Joseph — President, Lippe Taylor

The cola wars are undoubtedly one of the most fascinating categories to watch in marketing - probably ever since the '80s.

Retail trends go under the microscope at August Summit

Consumer trend experts Vickie Abrahamson and Mary Meehan will share the findings of their latest research.

Why Self-Checkout Lanes Are Increasingly Getting Checked-off

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

About a decade ago, retailers demanded greater profits – leading to the roll-out of the self-checkout lanes. The introduction of self-checkout lanes was viewed…

Avoiding your Napster Moment

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

In a previous post I talked about how companies are often blind-sided by what I call Napster moments. Napster moments are radical, game-changing innovations…

Consumer study offers insights into the U.S. gift card market

More consumers are reloading open- and closed-loop cards, which can mean more visits and a greater spend.

You know your brand stinks when the government adds regulations

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

The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued new rules for the airline industry including price disclosures and cash penalties for a variety of airline…

Survey: Retailers unsatisfied with cross-channel abilities

Only 21 percent of retailers are satisfied with their ability to deliver across channels.

US Airways suing for lower prices

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

A recent Miami Herald headline - "US Airways sues Sabre over pricing." According to the article US Airways isn't the only airline, American has a suit pending…

Big Y Foods pioneers Groupon use for grocery marketing

Retailer says there is 'big power' in store-specific coupon deals.

Hitwise says each new Facebook fan leads to 20 extra visits to a retailers site

June 22, 2011

According to the Hitwise blog, Facebook fans have a real measurable value: 20. That’s the number of additional visits Hitwise analyst Robin Goad said a…

Always Wired: Why Retailers Should Offer Free Wi-Fi In-Store

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Mobile devices are the nexis of consumer purchasing power, as they now give consumers the ability to comparison shop, purchase, and share likes/dislikes from…