Forecast: Smaller inventories, more price cutting for the 2009 holidays

November 10, 2009

The line between outlet stores and mainstream retail is blurring this holiday season as even upscale and luxury chains ratchet back their inventories and slash…

Report: Social media, mobile phones are key retail influencers this year

November 10, 2009

Digital advancements continue to drive a new approach to shopping, with social media and mobile phones emerging as key influencers this holiday season…

Research: Holiday retail outlook is positive

November 9, 2009

This holiday season could be a make or break year for many retailers as most cannot survive another year of suppressed sales. However, on the bright side, the…

Barnes & Noble Nook raises questions about digital-only products

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Technology has made it possible to deliver music, movies, books and more without a physical product. But is that good for shoppers or retailers?

Top 100 Retail Movers & Shakers: 2010

Discover the companies, people, issues and trends that are shaping the future of retail. Are you on the list?

Presented by RetailCustomerExperience.com

Customers are buying down, and opportunities are rising, part 3

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

Customer-centric experience design is explored in this final installment of "Where's the Opportunity?"

Borders announces in-stock guarantee for the holidays

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

November 2, 2009

Borders today announced its new "In-Stock Guarantee," which promises that if a customer's desired item cannot be found in-store, the company will ship it from…

NRF updates 'buyer beware' product list

November 2, 2009

The National Retail Federation has added new products to a consumer alert about common household items being sold through some online auction sites, warning…

Amazon PayPhrase lets shoppers make payments with words rather than numbers

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

October 29, 2009

Amazon this week unveiled its PayPhrase service, which aims to make online purchasing quicker and easier both on its site and on other participating sites on…

Online retailers emphasize free shipping, social media for the holidays

October 29, 2009

The economy is not only impacting shoppers, it`s affecting online retailers, too. According to results of Shop.org`s eHoliday Study, conducted by BIGresearch…

Survey: Returns fraud will cost retailers $9.6 billion in 2009

October 28, 2009

Though return fraud continues to plague the retail industry, changes in policies have helped companies see improvements in some areas. According to NRF's…

Ebay working to keep up with customer experience expectations

October 18, 2009

AdAge reports this morning that Ebay has tasked itself with keeping up with online retail sites like Amazon and Zappos, and much of that reorganizing will be…

September retail sales see modest increases thanks to weather, late back-to-school sales

October 13, 2009

Consumers opened up their wallets last month to treat themselves to new Fall apparel and other discretionary purchases, helping September retail sales see…

Freakonomics co-author to speak at NRF 2010

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Journalist Stephen Dubner has been added to the roster of "retail's big show," taking place this January in New York.

Amazon UK offering free shipping for the holidays

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

October 12, 2009

England-based Retail Week reports that Amazon UK is offering free shipping on all orders between now and Jan. 1, 2010.

Consumers say holiday budgets are tight, 85 percent will shop online

October 8, 2009

Eighty-five percent of consumers plan to shop online and 69 percent plan to make an online holiday purchase, based on results of a new survey from Burst.

Online shopping a 'work in progress,' says report

October 7, 2009

A new report released this week from Tealeaf Technology and Harris Interactive shows that the use of websites for transactions is growing and that while the…

Top 10 brand and marketing trends for 2010

A new definition of value, growing consumer expectations among the things brands and retailers will need to watch for.

Report: Store-based retailers see the most potential in mobile

September 30, 2009

RSR Research's latest report, "Online Commerce in 2009: The Model Has Changed — Have Retailers?" finds that store-based retailers see the greatest…

Virgin Mobile woos shoppers with free beer

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 28, 2009

The new Virgin Mobile web site in Australia uses new nomenclature when describing its customers — in fact, they are no longer called customers, but rather…