Putting the 'custom' back in customer

A commentary on how to save brick-and-mortar retail with tailored in-store experiences.

High-low pricing method gets slammed in court ruling

May 24, 2013

Following a recent ruling in California's 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, retailers following a high-low pricing method (think JC Penney, Kohl's) could be in…

How to build an expert customer service problem resolution approach

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

An expert approach to customer service requires a well-defined process for problem resolution. Let’s look at how to start setting up such a process.

IBM's Jeopardy-winning computer Watson now working on customer engagement

May 21, 2013

Two years after conquering Jeopardy, IBM's Watson is setting its sights on customer engagement.

Inventory fulfillment solution promises omnichannel execution

May 21, 2013

During this week's Momentum 2013 conference in Las Vegas, Manhattan Associates announced the release of its Store Inventory Fulfillment solution, which it says…

Bealls Florida goes to the cloud with HighJump

May 14, 2013

HighJump Software, a global provider of supply chain management software, announced today that the Florida-based apparel and home merchandise retailer Bealls…

RichRelevance expands global presence with acquisition of Avail

May 14, 2013

RichRelevance, the company behind personalized online product recommendations for clients including Walmart, Sears and Target, announced it has acquired Avail…

Update: Nordstrom ends test of shopper tracking

May 13, 2013

Following a report on CBS 11 in Dallas (and subsequent reporting through other websites) that Nordstrom was tracking shoppers' activity via smartphone data…

Nordstrom tracks shoppers to improve customer experience

May 8, 2013

Nordstrom is using tracking software to identify how much time shoppers spend in specific departments, according to dfw.cbslocal.com. The technology is being…

Retail Mesh 'cuts through clutter' of mobile coupons

May 6, 2013

The rise of mobile technology in retail has led to a surge of platforms that push targeted, location-based mobile coupons to smartphone-wielding shoppers. A…

Busting the myths of specialty retail

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

We achieve what we believe. Sometimes that serves us well, and sometimes that holds us back. Here are some of the myths that create barriers to success in…

What can retail learn from community managers?

by Jeannie Walters — Chief Customer Experience Investigator, 360Connext

A few years ago, the role of community manager as we know it today didn’t exist. Social media was in its infancy, and as brands joined in they started to see…

What's new, and what's not, about giving great customer service

Customers have changed in ways that will profoundly impact how you deal with them.

Honeymoon registries get personal with video feature

April 22, 2013

Engaged couples looking for creative alternatives to the traditional wedding registry have shifted the focus from the ceremony to the honeymoon. And portals…

'Father of customer experience' to speak at August retail event

Lou Carbone will deliver a keynote address at this year's Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit.

Can 'digital associates' create a personal experience online?

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

In my last blog, we discussed a major difference between e-commerce and retail stores. Online retail is very effective and efficient IF you know WHAT you want…

Marketing faux pas

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

Eric Spitznagel, in his SFGate article Memorable marketing flip-flops, highlights the errors of some well-known, well-respected brands.

Avon's makeover: A world affair brought home

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

When I was a teenager my sister sold Avon products. She was actually pretty good. Our house was filled with Skin So Soft lotion, Sweet Honesty perfume and…

A positive customer experience may lead to stock market gains

April 3, 2013

Companies that deliver a great customer experience are rewarded — on Main Street and on Wall Street.

Google pilots same-day delivery in San Francisco

April 3, 2013

Google opened its Google Shopping Express same-day delivery service to a test market in San Francisco last week.