Report: 40 percent of shoppers rely on directional signage

December 19, 2007

A recent study conducted by M/A/R/C Research found 40 percent of shoppers rely on directional signs while shopping. The group polled almost 23,000 shoppers…

Retailers: make customer experience 'more theatrical'

December 19, 2007

A new report from Datamonitor shows that retailers are seeking to win back market share by making the customers' shopping experience more theatrical, with…

Measuring and managing the customer experience

December 19, 2007

Retailers must measure, manage and improve the experiences of their customers, in order to grow their businesses effectively.

Interactive signage gives power to the people

December 19, 2007

A new trend in digital signage is emerging that combines the strength of digital signs with the interactivity of digital kiosks. For many areas, such as retail…

New retail trend: 'park-your-husband lounges'

December 19, 2007

Forbes: When men accompany their ladies on a shopping trip, the last thing stores — and women — want is a nagging, bored husband. After all, the more time…

Breaking the rules of retail

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

December 19, 2007

Charging a fee for customer service? Asking shoppers to make an appointment for help? These might be the kiss of death for most retailers, but not Apple.

Trading places

December 19, 2007

Customer empathy is the best way to better customer service.

Survey: customer service trumps price

December 18, 2007

A recent benchmark survey on "The State of Retail Workforce Management," conducted by Retail Systems Research (RSR), and sponsored by Kronos Inc., indicates…

POPAI research: digital window signage increases footfall

December 18, 2007

Research commissioned by 3M and POPAI demonstrates the effectiveness of back-projecting dynamic promotional messages onto shop windows.

More gift cards going unredeemed

December 17, 2007

A Consumer Reports survey conducted in October found that among people who received a gift card during the 2006 holiday season, 27 percent of them left one or…

Customer satisfaction takes first dip in two years

December 17, 2007

Customer satisfaction is down for the first time since early 2005, according to the third quarter report of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

Where clothing stores really fail: the dressing room

December 16, 2007

Retail consultancy Adaptive Path recently used its blog to tear into the clothes-buying process. The main culprit: dressing rooms that don't make the shopper…

JCPenney launches 'Know Before You Go' campaign

December 13, 2007

If you can't beat 'em, integrate 'em: JCPenney recently unveiled a new initiative on its Web site, "Know Before You Go," aimed at bringing the online and…

The planning puzzle

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

For technology, intelligent planning makes all the difference.

Portland's Healthnotes adds products, expands beyond natural-food roots

December 11, 2007

(Portland, Ore.) Business Journal: Long a mainstay in natural-food markets, Healthnotes Inc. kiosks can now be found in mainstream grocery stores and…

Snag shoppers with self-service

Self-service is a key part of any smart multi-channel strategy.

Nike opens first NikeID Studio

December 10, 2007

Nike recently opened its first "NikeID Studio" in London, following similar installations in New York City, Paris and Osaka. The concept connects the in-store…

Blockbuster challenges redbox

Movie-rental giant tests kiosks at Papa John's, Family Dollar locations.

Staples improves the experience for online shoppers

November 19, 2007

With its online channel a critical part of its growth strategy, Staples needed a commerce platform that would support and fuel its online business growth …

BMW delivers high-performance customer care

November 19, 2007

Upon conducting a systematic review of its IT infrastructure, BMW Group Canada needed to find a business communications platform that would support aggressive…