Report: Back-to-school spending is up

July 14, 2010

Having outgrown shoes, shirts and even the backpacks they’ve used the last two years, children heading back to school this year will arrive in style. The…

No, Your Customer Can't Put Off the Purchase!

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

If you can't find the energy to explain why waiting is not an option, you'll never make a sale in this economy. And the more expensive the item is that you…

NRF: June retail sales a mixed bag

July 13, 2010

June retail sales were more of a mixed bag than a solid indicator of the direction of consumer spending. According to the National Retail Federation, June…

Top ten people who influence American shoppers

Influential figures from entertainment, business and politics are promoting the era of "mindful spending."

Ready for the hook plus line and sinker in the store?

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

I needed to buy a down pillow. That’s how it started. I needed something softer than the hard, bouncy pillow I’d been sleeping on for months, so I thought…

What Is Price?

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

What is Price? Ridiculous question... ...or thought-provoking insight? Ted Gorski, Executive Coach and host of The Business Advantage Radio Show at WKXL…

A Dollar a Day

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Have we lost touch? 

The Aspirational Tourist

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Remember your last out-of-town getaway?  You probably wandered into a few shops at your destination to browse, buy a few mementos, or just pass the time before…

Social Guardian tool helps retailers protect online reputation

July 6, 2010

ChannelNet, a provider of multichannel solutions, has announced the launch of Social Guardian, its online reputation management service. The service is…

Shaping customer experience a critical strategy as retail recovers

'Indistinguishable sameness' can alleviated by a cohesive experience plan.

What We Can Learn from Bankers

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

The manufacturer's role in shopper-centric category management

Manufacturers and retailers need to work together to get the most benefit from shopper-centric analytics.

An Inconvenient Truth About Bad Customer Service

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

What if you could get the least engaged staff member to actually care about your customers?  What kind of difference would that make to your business? In this…

Abercrombie & Fitch: Sex Obviously Doesn't Sell

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

If “sex sells” then why have they lost so many of their customers? Sure their Manhattan store sells $100 million a year to gawker tourists, but how about the…

NRF: Three-quarters of online retailers are dialing up mobile strategies

One in five retailers boasts having a fully implemented mobile strategy in place already.

Report: U.K. online shopping booming in home and fashion sectors

June 28, 2010

Internet shopping in the home and fashion sectors has been booming according to the new Transactis Home and Fashion Online Retail Index, as total web spend was…

Opinion: Do not give in to 'dumb discounting'

Cutting prices can be a useful tool with core customers, but will just as often backfire on a retailer.

Q&A: CIT's Burt Feinberg

A leading provider of asset-based credit to retailers talks about the economic downturn and the months ahead for retail.

After two-month shopping spree, consumers hold back in May

June 10, 2010

The spur in economic activity hit a small speed bump last month as the latest retail sales report shows evidence of a more timid shopper. According to the…

Five reasons retailers should look to mobile video

With past technological barriers now down, mobile video is a fertile playground for retail marketers.