Study lists 5 challenges to mobile testing

February 26, 2013

SOASTA Inc., specialists in cloud and mobile testing, announced the results of its survey of 500 IT executives representing such industries as global IT…

What does Apple get by trademarking its store design?

Apple originally applied for the trademark in 2010 but was rejected twice before finally being approved.

Johnson's JCP relies on benefits from staging

February 25, 2013

A recent article from Forbes discusses the "store within a store" retail model that JC Penney's CEO Ron Johnson implemented since he took the helm of the…

Moscow Mall now using indoor mapping

February 25, 2013

Retailers at the Moscow Mall in Russia are utilizing indoor mapping and positioning to help shoppers navigate their way to the more than 5,000 shops in the…

The Children's Place sends hyper-personalized emails with CQuotient

February 25, 2013

CQuotient today unveiled its algorithm-based technology that enables retailers to send digital communications to individual customers. By harnessing big data…

GameStop is safe (for now): PlayStation 4 won't block used games

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

The multi-billion-dollar video game industry is currently between generations — that is, most of the major hardware manufacturers haven't put out a new machine…

Retail survival will require both consumer and product centricity

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

The term "consumer-centric" has been bandied about in retail a lot recently. What does it really mean to be a consumer centric retailer? Obviously, it means to…

Commentary: The impact of checkout time on customer service perception

The time a customer spends waiting in line can dramatically impact their perception of the service they receive on the whole.

Do your customers say they love you?

by Jeanne Bliss — Founder, CustomerBliss

Are customers saying they love you?  At yelp, epinions, Twitter and hundreds of websites every day, customers who are treated well are not bashful about…

Bank of America's CEO: Brave or naive?

by Colin Shaw — Founder & CEO, Beyond Philosophy

I have seen so many proclamations like the one Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America sent to his 270,000 employees recently stating they needed to improve…

Meet the Marionettebot (Video)

February 18, 2013

Moving mannequins are no longer limited to the reality of a classic 80s movie. At United Arrows' largest apparel store in Tokyo, technology from a Kinect…

Customer service will transform your business ... starting today

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

Customer service–exceptional, consistent, customer-centered service–can transform your business more quickly than nearly any other advantage.

The future of the retail store

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Retail is dead! At least, that’s how Marc Andreessen sees it. The entrepreneur and tech investor was recently quoted saying that all physical retail stores…

Commentary: Omnichannel meets in-store merchandising

A Frank Mayer exec discusses how in-store merchandising can bridge the gap between online and in-store shopping.

AT&T flagship wins retail design award

February 14, 2013

AT&T's flagship store on Chicago's Magnificent Mile took home top honors during the 42nd Retail Design Institute Design Awards Gala. The AT&T Michigan…

Tesco digital pilot brings online experience to in-store shopping

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

Insight from Cisco helps Tesco 'catch and keep' digital shoppers.

Mood Media to rebrand retired Muzak

February 13, 2013

Muzak, the music service that gets piped through the speakers at shopping malls and office buildings, will undergo a rebranding effort by its parent company…

Apple CEO announces store closures, likens retail experience to Prozac

February 12, 2013

Apple CEO Tim Cook told attendees at the Goldman Sachs investor conference that Apple plans to close 20 of its retail locations in order to relocate and…

Stage, actors, script: Great theater and retail

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

One only needs to peruse the retail headlines to see the wide ranging discussion on the importance of customer experience in retail. In IMS Retail University…

Giving shoppers what they don't know they want

by Jeff Weidauer — Vice President, Marketing & Strategy, Vestcom International, Inc.

The National Grocers Association and Supermarket Guru released some teaser facts from their Consumer Panel Survey that will be released at the annual…