New research dissects what makes a 'wow experience'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 8, 2009

A new survey from The Verde Group and the Retail Council of Canada says that most shoppers — just slightly more than 50 percent — have had a great retail…

NCR chief: We're 'leveraging our past to create our future'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 8, 2009

Forbes magazine's Andy Greenberg recently sat down with Bill Nuti, chief executive of NCR since 2005 and a man with a serious vision for bringing channels…

Economy presents a new reality for luxury brands

The downturn has forced a paradigm shift on luxury brand marketers, who are for the first time being forced to re-think their traditional approach.

Is customer experience relevant in tough economic times?

Certain trends lead to the growth in customer experience attention and investment.

Blog: Apple's magical retail experience in its global stores

June 22, 2009

Information Week: A professional investor who's used PCs for 20 years relates the superb retail experience he had at the Apple Store in Tokyo, and emphasizes…

Forrester to host Customer Experience Forum 2009 in New York

June 21, 2009

NEW YORK — Forrester's first-ever Customer Experience Forum will bring together customer experience professionals from top companies that share one thing in…

Opinion: The fine art of reading customers

June 18, 2009

Publisher's Weekly: Training staffers to read customers' signals can lead to much better, more successful experiences for both customer and retailer. Though it…

Making mobile work for retail marketers

Mall operator General Growth Properties is experimenting with SMS-based communication as a way to build loyalty and drive sales.

Apple receives patent for media distribution kiosk

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Will the wireless-enabled device bring iTunes into retail shops and airports?

Interactive mall game aims to bring in patrons, get them to stay longer

June 16, 2009

AUSTIN, Texas — At a time when competition for the consumer dollar is fierce and retail traffic has slowed, retail centers are exploring new innovative guest…

Loyalty segmentation needs to extend into the store

When front-line employees are left out of the loyalty process, points programs miss the point.

Whole Foods offering free rides home — via rickshaw

June 9, 2009

Supermarket News: Whole Foods Market stores in Manhattan this week are offering to take shoppers home for free — via rickshaw.

RetailWire Discussion: Most loyal customers aren't profitable

A recent Harvard Business Journal article suggests that few customers are profitable — and of the ones that are, most are not loyal.

Three specialty stores that stand out from the pack

When times are tight, experience counts more than ever. Here are three small retailers with singular in-store experiences.

New report reveals consumer attitudes toward self-service technology

May 21, 2009

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Self-Service and Kiosk Association has published its 2009 Self-Service Consumer Survey, a comprehensive report that reveals what…

Five viral marketing mistakes to avoid

There's a lot of buzz surrounding viral marketing — but retailers need to make sure to avoid these common missteps.

Netflix takes service outage, turns it into a customer service opportunity

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Quick response and a proactive attitude turn what could have been a negative into a win for the brand.

The financial discipline of customer experience

For the retail CFO, customer experience needs to shift from a "nice to have" to a "must have."

Secrets of high-concept retailers

Retailers such as American Girl that forge their own path thrive, despite tough times.

Sunoco debuts new store layout

May 11, 2009

NEW YORK — CBX, a strategic branding, design and consultancy agency, has completed a new store layout for Sunoco's APlus-branded convenience store operation.