It's Amazon's world, we're just living in it

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

It doesn't seem like all that many years ago when Amazon.com was touting itself as the "world's biggest bookstore." I remember listening to its radio ads in…

Six trends that will cause brick-and-mortar retailers to lose sleep in 2012

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

It's customary to look ahead at the retail trends that will shape 2012 and the buzz, profits and challenges to profitable retailing. Here then are the good…

Survey: Mobile technology leads to better customer experience

December 19, 2011

Three in four retail associates and managers said they provide a better in-store customer experience when equipped with the latest mobile technologies…

How the Choice of Digital Signage Software Affects Your Network's Business: A Healthcare Network Example

Digital signs help patients get a fuller service, while allowing doctors to serve more patients more efficiently.

Epic Retail Fails of 2011 [Infographic]

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

It’s been a rough couple of years for retail, but it’s been especially bad for some. Here are seven particularly startling “retail fails” from the past year.

Kum & Go partners with NCR

December 14, 2011

NCR Corp. announced it will implement its Radiant c-store technology in each of Kum & Go's 400-plus stores. The chain, which is the fifth largest…

AT&T opens interactive store in Illinois

December 14, 2011

AT&T has opened a high-tech retail store in Champaign, Ill. The store offers a unique way for customers to interact with and shop, including a hands-on…

The best way to feel a brand is to hear it

by Mark Murray — Director, The Store Channel

As we're all shopping (or perhaps "auditing") stores filled with the sounds of the season, it's a good time to talk sound. Believe me when I tell you - sound…

RIM's only road back: Building an iPhone killer

by Aaron Shapiro — CEO, HUGE

Once upon a time, Research in Motion was the world's leading smartphone company. Armies of executives were loyal to their "crackberries." It had a stock price…

New study is first to test the actual impact of branded apps on consumers

Research found that mobile applications can stimulate interest in new product categories.

What customers really remember from the holidays

by Doug Fleener — President and Managing Partner, Dynamic Experiences Group, LLC

Long after the holiday and the online deals and big box sales, it's the shopping experiences that most customers remember.

Is your marketing magnetic?

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

An interesting fact about magnets is that they can either attract or repel other magnets depending upon their polarity. Marketing also has the ability to…

Geo-fencing makes targeted text offers possible

December 4, 2011

Consumers who visit any of the 27 open-air malls owned by DDR, a commercial real estate company, can receive text messages offering deals from the retailers in…

Leveraging Engagement Technology for the Holiday Season

Learn four touchpoints to provide an exceptional customer experience.

Presented by HP Inc.

Are you overlooking what your customers are looking over?

by Harry Friedman

Most retailers spend a great deal of time making their stores visually appealing. Whether your merchandising style projects an opulent, prestigious image, or a…

Bathrooms: More than meets the eye

by Kimberly Nasief — President, Measure Consumer Perspectives

I recently saw an article online — "How the Restroom Symbolizes Your Whole Operation" — about sustainability and hygiene in the workplace, but it started me…

Shaping the customer experience with digital signage

by James Bickers

The goal is two-fold: accomplish the task at hand, and make the customer feel good about how it was accomplished.

Do you believe customers are an asset, or a cost center?

by Jeanne Bliss — Founder, CustomerBliss

With only one retail location, Zane's Cycles of Connecticut is one of the three largest bike shops in the United States. They sell $15 million each year in…

Apple employees: We know where you are

November 28, 2011

Apple employees in Palo Alto, Calif., know the location of all their customers, thanks to a new technology the company is using to help speed purchases.

Wal-Mart, Amazon eliminating 'wrap rage'

November 28, 2011

Too much packaging leads to "wrap rage," according to Amazon.com Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The companies are working together to encourage manufacturers to…