Customer experience lessons from the NBC Olympic #epicfail

NBC shows us why retailers must cater to their customers' needs, not their own agendas.

RCE Podcast episode 5: Amazon profits plummet, more JC Penney news, and whether 'Made in America' still matters

Amazon made an awful lot of money in the second quarter - but kept only a fraction of it. We run the numbers in this episode, then talk about all of the news…

NRF releases infographic with top back-to-school trends for 2012

July 26, 2012

The National Retail Federation has released a new infographic filled with data relative to the upcoming back-to-school season.

Solution combines social media, online shopping

July 25, 2012

As if showrooming hasn't gotten easy enough, a new app is available to help consumers get not only their  friends' recommendations as they shop, but theWajam…

Study: CARQUEST ranked highest, Pep Boys lowest on customer satisfaction

July 25, 2012

Consumers are more satisfied with their shopping experiences at CARQUEST than at any other auto parts store, according to a new study by Market Force…

Augmented reality is part of IKEA's 2013 catalog

July 25, 2012

IKEA is taking the catalog experience up a notch, using augmented reality to grab readers' attention. After downloading the IKEA app to smartphones or tablets…

The Hippocratic Oath of customer experience

For thousands of years, physicians have been taking the Hippocratic Oath to "first do no harm." This philosophy is also excellent advice for anyone dealing…

RCE Podcast episode 4: Mobile retail marketing and Walmart's innovative approach to back-to-school

The mobile phone brings with it an almost infinite array of possibilities for retail marketers, but new innovations bring new concerns about ethical marketing…

Small pet retailer still running with the big dogs

The CEO of a small chain of pet boutiques explains how he competes with big-box competitors.

Feet in the lettuce: The curious incident of employees, social media and a brand

How three employees, one smartphone and a social website threw a major company into crisis mode

The impact of omnichannel on specific retail segments

Peggy Casey and Bharat Popat with Cisco talk about key omnichannel trends facing retail stores and e-commerce operators.

Charming CHARLIE adds in-store experience analytics tool

July 18, 2012

ForeSee, a customer experience analytics company, has announced that it will measure and analyze the in-store customer experience for Charming CHARLIE.

Study: One in 10 smartphone owners have written a review while in-store

Mobile and social customer experience strategies are becoming more important than ever for brands.

Why don't the old customer service ways work anymore?

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

"Why don't the old ways work with customers anymore?" I hear this question frequently when I'm speaking at a business event or starting a new customer service…

Slate: Amazon's same-day shipping will 'hose brick-and-mortar stores'

July 16, 2012

While Amazon has been beating up on local retailers with its lower prices, brick-and-mortar stores have had the competitive advantage when it comes to shoppers…

Meet your new gift registry: Pinterest

I'm planning a party for my younger sister. Usually, I flip through magazines or ask friends for ideas. However, this time I went straight to Pinterest.

Tokyo toy co testing augmented reality kiosks

July 16, 2012

A Tokyo toy company is testing kiosks with augmented reality capabilities to allow shoppers to interact with toys even when they're still in packaging.

There's no room for revolutionaries on Wall Street

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Several months ago, JC Penney CEO Ron Johnson and his newly formed executive team made some significant changes to the pricing and promotional structure for…

Nivea promotes products via digital shelf

July 11, 2012

Nivea in Germany is replacing some of its standard in-store product shelves with the digital multidisplay shelf-edge display solution designed by Crystal…

Bailey Banks & Biddle revamps in-store, online experience

July 11, 2012

Luxury jeweler Bailey Banks & Biddle is revamping its in-store and online shopping experience by implementing a new design studio, according to a company…