Study: Christmas shoppers trust social networking for gift inspiration

December 21, 2009

More than a quarter of consumers highly value their friends' recommendations via social networking sites when shopping for Christmas gifts, according to a…

The 5 biggest retail customer experience stories of 2009

Faced with a tough economy and shaky consumer confidence, retailers innovated when it came to customer experience this year.

How consumers killed customer service

Demand for low prices has driven down the value of customer service. Here's how retailers can drive it back up.

Study: Promotional bundles devalue products, reduce long-term profit

December 16, 2009

The best things in life aren't free, especially for companies trying to lure customers by offering sweet deals on two complementary products.

NRF survey: Most consumers are less than halfway done with holiday shopping

December 16, 2009

Though the Christmas countdown is in its final stages, it seems shoppers still have plenty of shopping left to do. According to NRF's 2009 Holiday Consumer…

Most holiday shipping offers to expire on or before Dec. 18

December 14, 2009

Holiday procrastinators, take note: It's not too late to shop online and receive gifts by Christmas, but the window is closing. According to Shop.org's…

How mobile is set to impact the 2009 holiday retail season

In what is another challenging holiday season for retailers, mobile marketing and advertising provide a very welcome bright spot.

Cegid to unveil retail management tool at NRF Big Show

December 9, 2009

Software solutions company Cegid announced that it will unveil its latest retail planning, merchandising and store management application at the NRF EXPO…

How shopping cart abandonment affected Cyber Monday and Black Friday

December 9, 2009

The abandonment rate has steadily dropped since the end of October — but when you look beneath the monthly average, a strong weekly cycle becomes apparent.

The best is yet to come for holiday e-commerce

December 8, 2009

Retail Solutions online editor in chief Matt Pillar said in a blog post this week that the best shopping day of 2009 is still yet to come, despite Cyber Monday…

The Amazon store is just a rumor — but maybe it shouldn't be

The online giant has quashed a rumor that it is scouting brick-and-mortar locations, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good idea.

How discounting is hurting retailers

When retailers lower prices without asking customers to give up something in return, confusion results and sales are negatively impacted.

RetailWire Discussion: Localization and limited buys

The pendulum has swung away from generalization and back toward localization, but retailers and brands are learning how to execute locally through their…

Report: Consumer definition of value is changing

December 2, 2009

The shopper experience study underway by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research reveals that electronics and department stores continue to see the largest…

Cyber Monday spending shifts to early mornings, evenings, less shopping at work

November 30, 2009

Retailers who were expecting strong Cyber Monday sales over shoppers' lunch hour may have been disappointed when those sales were softer than expected, but…

Number of Americans to shop on Cyber Monday nears 100 million

November 29, 2009

As online retailers put the finishing touches on Cyber Monday promotions, the number of people who plan to shop on the Monday after Thanksgiving may surpass…

Walmart, Amazon stir up holiday price war

November 24, 2009

The New York Times reports this morning that Walmart might have met its adversary, at least price-wise. Amazon and Walmart are waging an online price war on…

eBay opens first pop-up store

November 24, 2009

Home Textiles Today reports this week that eBay has opened its first pop-up store, a 5,500-square-foot shop on 57th St. in Manhattan. The store allows users to…

Cartoon Network launches build-your-own-DVD tool

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

November 22, 2009

Cartoon Network last week added a new feature to its Adult Swim Retail Shop: an interactive tool that allows users to build a custom DVD from a pool of…

Report: Consumers in a frugal holiday mood

November 22, 2009

U.S. households are expected to spend an average of $390 on Christmas gifts this holiday season, down from last year's estimate of $418, The Conference Board…