What Dollar Shave Club knows: Getting an edge on utility

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

The Dollar Shave Club is one sharp example of how manufacturing supply chains are being disrupted. Yet its approach to winning market share is disarmingly…

'Evolved' retailers more likely to succeed compared to pure-play business strategy

January 26, 2016

Retailers going only online, or only in physical store locations, are likely not going to achieve sustainable, long-term operational success.

Discount Tire wheels out mobile payment with one goal in mind

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

The 56-year-old largest tire and wheel retailer realizes that buying tires isn’t usually a fun time for consumers so it wants to make the purchase point as…

Amazon aims to make product re-orders easier than ever

January 21, 2016

Amazon wants to make shopping easier than ever and is building a re-order capability via connected devices tied to its Amazon Dash service.

Amazon flying fast forward with drone service strategy

January 20, 2016

Regulatory challenges, safety hurdles and increasing competition aren't stalling Amazon's plans to be one of the first, if not the first, drone service…

NRF Preview: Retailers shine a light on beacons to drive mobile engagement

by Will Hernandez — Editor, NetWorld Media Group

Multiple mainstream publications near the end of 2015 rushed to declare beacon technology a dud even though Apple first introduced the technology less than…

The great Occam’s Razor paradox for retailing in 2016

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

The law of parsimony is great for consumers, but a burden for retailers.

Apple aims to draw out the artist in iPhone, iPad user base

January 1, 2016

Apple will debut new creative and artistic workshops for device users.

Click and collect: A hat trick retailers can't pull off?

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

'Sort of works' is not acceptable for today's omnichannel consumers.

Dear Santa: All I want for Christmas is equal product pricing across genders

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

From razors and clothing to toys and adult diapers, women are likely always paying more for a product than men.

Zappos’ Santa Claus feat leaves big shoes to fill

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

A recent act of kindness by Zappos has some wondering if it could spin its reputation for feel-good experiences into a marketing tool.

Amazon mulling air freight service operation, claims reports

December 22, 2015

Amazon isn’t just looking to drones to provide faster and more efficient shipping and delivery operations.

Year in Review: 5 insights on why data will remain critical in 2016

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Data, specifically given the looming Internet of Things technology ahead, will prove even more critical for retailers in 2016.

Retail hours for Christmas Eve aim to provide late shoppers a reprieve

December 21, 2015

The retail segment is hoping more than a few procrastinators will be out and about Christmas Eve and expanding hours to accommodate the last-minute consumer…

Retailers embracing Free Shipping Friday

December 18, 2015

Whether free shipping offers a competitive edge for retailers is a bit murky as the incentive is now pretty much an expected consumer benefit.

Insight on kicking a 2016 retail strategy off on solid ground

by Ethan Whitehill — CEO, two west inc

It's a good idea to review consumer patterns and data from the past year to make sure retail strategy plans for the new year are on track from the start.

Critical reasons why retailers need a seamless product return process

Retail product returns, which appear to be a minor part of the customer experience, are actually a crucial component of the overall relationship between the…

Year in Review: 5 popular articles of 2015

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

As a new year beckons Retail Customer Experience, takes a look back over this year’s most read stories and offers up a chance to catch up on insight and trends…

Shoes of prey: New time versus personalization trade-off

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

A case of when personalized means more than speed of delivery.

10 tips for boosting customer service and inspiring a retail seasonal workforce

For many businesses, the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year. But it certainly is not the time to slack off on service.