The Aspirational Tourist

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Remember your last out-of-town getaway?  You probably wandered into a few shops at your destination to browse, buy a few mementos, or just pass the time before…

Retail Roundtable: Sam's Club offering SBA loans

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Is this a natural extension of the brand, or is the company overextending itself and getting away from its retail roots?

JCPenney to launch ALDO shop-within-a-shop

June 30, 2010

JCPenney Company Inc. and ALDO USA, Inc. have announced plans for JCPenney to become The ALDO Group's exclusive department store retailer in the United States…

Sears, Kmart to sell movies, TV shows on demand

June 22, 2010

Two more retailers have joined the growing list of companies wanting to snag some of the revenue being spent on at-home, on-demand entertainment: Reuters…

Sears launches online platform for Blue Crew

June 15, 2010

Sears is taking its Blue Crew, "the trusted experts at Sears who help in-store customers get exactly what they need," onto the Internet.According to a press…

Target executive to talk interactive multichannel at retail summit

June 15, 2010

Sourcing Retail Store Fixtures from China

Sourcing fixtures from China can increase ROI, but a careful eye must be kept on hidden expenses and quality.

Curves: Lessons in Creating a Community

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

One summer, not too long ago, I joined a 2nd gym as I was out of town most weekends.  A charming low-frills outpost of Curves. 

Target: We now have more than 40 different store designs

June 1, 2010

It is a huge departure from the template-based philosophy that, for years, has meant shoppers visiting Target stores in different cities will largely find…

Walmart to embrace smartcard payments

May 23, 2010

Walmart is planning to make its American payment terminals compliant with smartcard-based technology.According to Tech World, the plans were announced this…

Walmart MoneyCard first to offer cash back on prepaid debit card

May 20, 2010

Walmart has announced the first cash-back incentive for consumers using a prepaid debit card. When customers use the Walmart MoneyCard to buy gasoline for…

Walmart upgrades photo departments with help from HP

May 19, 2010

HP has announced that Walmart is rolling out the HP "Prints in Minutes" retail publishing service in 3,600 of its stores across the United States.According to…

Macy's testing self-serve beauty concept

The concept showcases aisle displays of smaller brands, many of which are entering Macy's for the first time.

Walmart and the dawn of retail digital signage

by Christopher Hall — writer, self

A former Walmart executive gives the history of the chain's digital signage network, and looks into the future.

The return of the Target-only credit card

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

It's a move that is understandable from a financial standpoint but questionable from a customer satisfaction one: As we reported Tuesday, Target is…

Target switching to Target-only credit card

April 19, 2010

Target Corp. announced today that all new qualified credit card applicants will receive the Target Credit Card, a credit product accepted at all Target stores…

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…

Kohl’s kiosk plans draw attention from press, investors

April 6, 2010

Department store chain Kohl’s plans to deploy self-service kiosks in all of its stores late this year. According to a report from Zebra Technologies’ Shelf…

Survey: Low prices replace customer service as primary loyalty driver

Walmart dominated the 2010 COLLOQUY Retail Loyalty Index, in results that reflect a reality of the Great Recession.