Amazon's FreeTime Unlimited geared toward kids with Kindles

December 19, 2012

Amazon has lured in adults with its Amazon Prime subscription service and is now setting its sights on children. FreeTime Unlimited is "part streaming media…

Leverage others' experience instead of wasting time on pure invention

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

From the first days of school, we are taught that "copying others is bad." In the process of teaching students to think creatively, we create a lifetime…

Guess? CIO discusses benefits of in-store iPads

December 18, 2012

In a recent Q&A on openforum.com, Guess? Chief Information Officer Michael Relich admitted that two years ago, the fashion retailer had a bit of a…

UK mall hangs 'largest LCD video wall in Europe'

December 18, 2012

Scala Inc. today announced the installation of more than 350 digital signage screens at Britain's third-largest shopping center, Westfield Stratford City. The…

Analyst: Microsoft's retail strategy 'absolutely stinks'

December 17, 2012

Over at The Street, Rocco Pendola isn't pulling punches when he talks about visiting a pop-up Microsoft Store in Times Square this weekend, which he said was…

Report: Social integration drives consumer engagement, trust

December 17, 2012

Research firm Mass Relevance has released a new research study that quantifies the impact of social integration on customer engagement, brand preference and…

NPR discusses the future of retail

December 14, 2012

National Public Radio's Audie Cornish has been exploring the evolution of the American shopping experience and recently interviewed retail architect M.J.

The trouble with facial recognition technology

December 14, 2012

While the use of facial recognition technology for marketing purposes is attractive for retailers, an article on independent.co.uk discusses how the process…

The retailer 'race to the bottom' brings pricing conundrums

December 11, 2012

As retailers become tangled up in price confusion in what a Forbes blogger calls a "race to the bottom," the consumer now has quite a few pricing styles to…

Hotel retail ditches the towels in favor of oddities

December 4, 2012

Hotel retail helps create an experience, according to an article on usatoday.com. While retail doesn't play a major role in revenue for hotels, unique retail…

Opinion: C-store retailers need convenient loyalty programs

December 4, 2012

An opinion piece on csnews.com explains the importance and benefits of loyalty programs for c-store retailers. The author cited a recent study from the NPD…

Indoor mapping gives power to retailers

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

In-store navigation systems appeal to retailers looking to gain shopper insight and boost customer engagement.

HP intros new POS for retail, hospitality

December 3, 2012

HP has introduced a new point-of-sale system for retail and hospitality customer experience. The HP RP7 Retail System, model 7100, is a new fanless version of…

Walgreens celebrates 8,000 stores with opening of LA flagship

December 3, 2012

Walgreens opened its 8,000th location this past weekend in Los Angeles. The flagship features offerings not typical at drug stores, such as a fresh sushi bar…

Is that a digital signage lapel pin on your uniform?

Brian Kutchma, vice president of sales and marketing for digital signage provider Black Box, talks about his company's wearable digital signage displays.

Two simple ingredients of personalization that almost all retailers miss

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Having lived in Canada, it is true that Thanksgiving is also celebrated there, albeit a month earlier than the US. The US Thanksgiving celebration has become a…

Thanksgiving and Black Friday spending round-up

This year's average ticket price spiked, thanks to less aggressive discounting.

Researcher finds the scent of retail is a simple one

November 28, 2012

Retailers hoping to attract customers with the luring smells of the season should stay away from complex combinations of scents and stick with simple basics.

Best Buy invests 50,000 hours in employee training on Windows 8

The radical new operating system is leading to the kind of products that people need to see and touch.

Delivering loyalty: Ten lessons learned From Zappos.com

Zappos.com is more than an electronic shoe store. It is a community that happens to put you in a pair of great-looking shoes.