Know your customer

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

February 12, 2008

See how personas help retailers shape the customer experience.

Product pros

February 12, 2008

Knowledgeable employees are trained, not hired.

Clarity UC solution lets sales associates go mobile

February 11, 2008

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Clarity Consulting Inc. demonstrated a new Unified Communications (UC) retail solution today at Microsoft's Office System Developer…

Peter Luckett: 'Banish the bland'

Innovative grocer shares tips on building a great customer experience.

Healthnotes program shown to increase shopper satisfaction, drive sales

February 6, 2008

PORTLAND, Ore. — Healthnotes announced results of an in-store test conducted by an independent firm showing that the company's "Fresh Ideas" program drives…

Chocolate lounge invites customers to sit back and relax

February 4, 2008

Display & Design Ideas: In recent years, chocolatiers have picked up on consumers' fond sentiments for the cocoa bean and have begun opening chocolate…

Wal-Mart launches online shopping tool for Valentine's Day

February 4, 2008

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart has introduced HelpaChickPick.com and re-introduced HelpaGuyBuy.com, online shopping tools that help customers identify the gift…

Retail clinics a symptom of change in patient demand

February 3, 2008

The Tennessean: The medical profession should not be surprised that small, convenient retail clinics are popping up as popular destinations for patients. The…

Putting the 'world' in Wincor World

by Tracy Kitten — Editor, AMC

Steady growth, innovation mark German firm's annual self-service show.

Online shoppers expect more from the experience

February 3, 2008

Marketing Charts: Some 67 percent of consumers say their expectations about the quality of their online shopping experience had increased from the previous…

Office Depot adds customer product reviews to Web site

January 27, 2008

South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Delray Beach-based Office Depot, the world's second-largest office supply retailer, recently launched a new product review and…

Interactivity 'the future of customer service'

January 22, 2008

Nikki Baird with Retail Systems Research identified three areas of investment that retailers have eyes on for the coming year: cross-channel care, mobility and…

Retailers need to keep an ear on the phone

January 22, 2008

Scott Caldwell writes on Retail Design Diva about how retailers should keep the telephone in mind when planning their store layouts. Convenient access to…

De-escalation

January 22, 2008

How to cool down the fired-up customer.

NRF 08: emphasis on 'green'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Retail's Big Show saw a major emphasis on the environment.

Ben Stein speaks at NRF

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Actor/economist gives state-of-the-economy address to retailers.

L.L. Bean No. 1 in customer service, according to NRF

January 15, 2008

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Satisfaction guaranteed is a mantra many companies live by, but customers say that none demonstrate that practice more than specialty retailer…

Kroger testing paperless coupons

January 13, 2008

Forbes: Some grocery chains are trying paperless, or digital, coupons. Kroger Co. is partnering with Procter & Gamble Co. to offer paperless discounts for…

IBM unveils results of new retail loyalty survey

January 13, 2008

NEW YORK — IBM unveiled a new survey of 19,000 U.S. consumers which found that across multiple retail segments, only 21 percent of consumers are advocates for…

ARTS releases SOA blueprint for retail

January 13, 2008

NEW YORK — The Association for Retail Technology Standards, the standards division of the National Retail Federation, announced the release of the SOA…