Making Retail Work: What To Say Before They Go Out The Door

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

Giving thought to what employees should say as customers leave is something most of us never consider when trying to build sales. I'm reminded of my first…

What's Really Good About HomeGoods

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Do you find yourself regularly going to HomeGoods?  Just to see what’s there?  You’re not alone; the fans of HomeGoods are numerous and extremely enthusiastic…

The Art of Saying "No"

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

Training Your Customers

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

Retail Customer Experience: Change or Die

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

To compete in 2010 you've got to ask the hard questions and then find the answers. Generations of Americans have owned their own jewelry store and generations…

Is Discounting Ever Appropriate?

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

Ten retail IT predictions for 2010

At the heart of the coming year is a focus on the "new shopper."

Pricing and Name Awareness

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

Is Technology Just Ahead--Or Is Retailing Behind?

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

It’s time for retail business design to catch up with technology.

The Discount Economy and its Implications for the Future

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

We’ve been in a discount economy for several decades. There are a number of factors contributing to this reality:

Kiosk Branding

Kiosks are increasingly becoming an accepted part of the retail environment, but a kiosk's message is more than just the service it provides.

Presented by KioskMarketplace.com

Benchmark in-store experiences to define, measure and boost results

Customer experience programs established in the first quarter can pay dividends year round.

The Lost Art of the Loss Leader

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

Traditional strategies for promotional discounting are being ignored, and retailers are losing revenue as a result.

Four ways to get online shoppers to contribute reviews

Most retail Web sites allow users to write product reviews, but building a vibrant community takes more than just the tools. A recent success story from Sears…

Retailers tackling 'mountains of data'

January 3, 2010

A new report in the New York Times discusses the "mountains of data and whiz-bang technology" that today's retailers are wrestling with, in their ongoing…

Report: Loyalty to nationally advertised brands is falling

December 28, 2009

Loyalty to nationally advertised brands has been falling over the past two years.   Decision Analyst's "Anatomy of the Recession" report, based on a survey of…

7 keys to customer experience in 2010

True dedication to the voice of the customer will be pivotal for retailers looking to improve their customer experience in the coming year.

The 5 biggest retail customer experience stories of 2009

Faced with a tough economy and shaky consumer confidence, retailers innovated when it came to customer experience this year.

How consumers killed customer service

Demand for low prices has driven down the value of customer service. Here's how retailers can drive it back up.

RFID smart mirror prototype installed at men's store

December 14, 2009

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports on a new RFID-based smart mirror — or Smart.Mirror, to be more precise — installed at Charles Spiegel for Men in…