Joe Pine to kick off CETW with keynote address: Driving Customer Engagement through Digital Experiences

September 7, 2011

In the seminal work "The Experience Economy," B. Joseph Pine II identified a seismic shift in the business world: To set yourself apart from your competition…

The retail generation gap is killing premium brands

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

As the keynote speaker last month at the Retail Customer Executive Summit, I focused on the humanity needed in retail. That's because, just like at the NRF…

Best Buy becomes first branded store inside Facebook game CityVille

August 31, 2011

Best Buy and Zynga have announced a partnership that integrates the first retail branded store into Zynga's CityVille, the largest game on Facebook according…

Why The Fresh Market is more fresh than Whole Foods

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Founded in 1982, The Fresh Market, Inc. is a specialty grocery retailer focused on providing high-quality products in a unique and inviting atmosphere with a…

When is a reward NOT a reward? A lesson from Panera Bread.

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

In my previous post, "Buying customer loyalty," I railed against reward programs. One restaurant chain, Panera Bread, has proven my point via the type of…

The twenty-four hour WOW

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

Former American Idol judge Simon Cowell often commented that even though a contestant's performance was good, and sometimes even quite good, nobody will…

Anne Fontaine debuts new flagship store design

August 18, 2011

This month, Anne Fontaine will open its doors to its newest concept store at Highland Park Village, Dallas' premier venue for upscale shopping and dining.

Walgreens launches its Nice! store brand

August 18, 2011

Walgreens today officially unveiled its new store brand Nice! in stores across the country.

John Hodgman on how to save bookstores

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Comedian John Hodgman – one of the funniest people on the planet, if you ask me – was on The Daily Show the other night, discussing the demise of bookstores…

Opinion: The retail 'moment of truth' has run amok

Why trying to pull apart the Gordian knot of consumer motivation and label each piece is an exercise in futility.

Perception is reality: Why Wal-Mart needs to show shoppers the money

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal highlights that Wal-Mart's "aura of price leadership" has experienced a downturn since the recession, according to surveys by…

Canada Post capturing customer experience data at 40 post offices

August 16, 2011

OpinionLab, provider of voice-of-customer (VOC) listening technologies, has announced an expanded relationship with Canada Post. In addition to collecting…

Disney's price increases: Yoda or Goofy?

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

In a June 20, 2011 Orlando Sentinal article, "Disney pricing strategy: Seeking more profits out of long-term visitors," Jason Garcia cites hefty price…

Summit: How to track your employees' customer service

Kristi Behr, head of operations for AT&T retail locations, discusses the chain's process for monitoring the customer experience.

Summit: Helping customers find themselves

A new kiosk/digital sign from Lo-K can show customers the way to specific products as well as perform many other functions.

Summit: The handheld POS

Story Miners' Mike Wittenstein led a technology panel at the 2011 Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit. Here, he summarizes its focus on the smart phone…

Summit: Latest consumer trends

At the 2011 Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit, attendees were given a close look at the most recent and important consumer trends. Vickie Abrahamson…

Summit: The ROI of customer experience

Amy Shea, with Brand Keys, talks about the importance of customer experience to the bottom line. She spoke at the Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit…

Summit: The power of positive thought

Bob Phibbs, aka the Retail Doctor, believes retailers should think more positively. He spoke at the Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit 2011.

Casual Male opens a Destination XL store in Murray, UT

August 10, 2011

Casual Male Retail Group Inc., a retailer of men's big and tall apparel, has opened a new Destination XL in Murray, Utah, located at 6170 S. State Street.