Deploying social media to cultivate customer loyalty

Average spending on social media to achieve loyalty increased by 193 percent over the past year.

Study: Retailers' return policies often unclear, inconsistent

More than half do not include their return policy on their home page; one-quarter do not allow cross-channel returns.

CETW: Target exec hits the bullseye with CETWorld keynote

by Christopher Hall — w, t

Christopher Borek detailed Target's 8-point strategy for connecting with shoppers.

Using assumptions as a problem-solving tool

Author shares a four-question approach to isolating and solving operational problems.

Opinion: Customers want relationships, not low prices

Retailers need to solve the customer's problem, but also deliver satisfaction on an emotional level.

Six marketing lessons from Sir Richard Branson

Customer engagement, tapping free publicity among the tips shared by the business luminary.

As consumers spend less, they expect more from retailers

A focus on long-term relationships, customer advocacy can protect against price erosion.

Best Retail Customer Experiences 2010 winners announced

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

More than 1,000 consumers voted on the best retail experiences in eight segments and across multiple attributes.

What I learned at the Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit

RCEES 2010 saw a solid mix of perspectives and best practices — and lots of takeaway lessons.

Ten retail IT predictions for 2010

At the heart of the coming year is a focus on the "new shopper."

Benchmark in-store experiences to define, measure and boost results

Customer experience programs established in the first quarter can pay dividends year round.

Four ways to get online shoppers to contribute reviews

Most retail Web sites allow users to write product reviews, but building a vibrant community takes more than just the tools. A recent success story from Sears…

7 keys to customer experience in 2010

True dedication to the voice of the customer will be pivotal for retailers looking to improve their customer experience in the coming year.

The 5 biggest retail customer experience stories of 2009

Faced with a tough economy and shaky consumer confidence, retailers innovated when it came to customer experience this year.

How consumers killed customer service

Demand for low prices has driven down the value of customer service. Here's how retailers can drive it back up.

How mobile is set to impact the 2009 holiday retail season

In what is another challenging holiday season for retailers, mobile marketing and advertising provide a very welcome bright spot.

How discounting is hurting retailers

When retailers lower prices without asking customers to give up something in return, confusion results and sales are negatively impacted.

Retailers tackle 2010 with technology

Retailers are seeking technologies that do for any product category what mannequins do for apparel—show the customer how to bring many items together into a…

The changing face of Black Friday

The weekend after Thanksgiving remains the biggest shopping event of the year, but the reasons customers pack the stores are changing.

Shifting retailers respond to new 'season of discontent'

Smart retailers are combating the tough times with an organizational shift to a customer-centric focus.