Lessons in "goodwill" and the power of people

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Blogger and industry expert Chris H. Petersen explains why today's retail customer experience involves a foundation of "goodwill" that drives positive feelings.

Mother's Day gift cost just under a C-note

May 10, 2018

Mother's Day shoppers will spend, on average, just under $100 buck this year, with baby boomers most likely to spend the least and generation xers likely to…

Walmart, DoorDash team up on grocery delivery

May 8, 2018

Walmart and DoorDash are teaming up to expand Walmart's online grocery delivery service, beginning with the Atlanta metro market.

Taco Bell's digital transformation focus of ICX Summit keynote

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Rafik Hanna, senior director, All Access, at Taco Bell will share insight on how the brand is winning big with customers due to its digital transformation…

Amazon on track to lead the apparel segment

May 3, 2018

Amazon is likely shoring up its fashion apparel strategy and according to Morgan Stanley it's on track to be the top U.S. apparel player this year.

Should retailers try to out-Amazon Amazon?

Wanda Cadigan, vice president, commerce, at Sitecore, says the fate of Toys R Us is a prime example of the slippery slope in partnering with Amazon. Brands…

Why the best retail omnichannel experience is an invisible one

Joe Rabah, managing director for EMEA, RMG Networks, explains that while customers expect consistent brand interactions across all channels some companies have…

Amazon increasing Prime fee as first quarter sales spike 43% to hit $51B

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Amazon sales soared in first quarter of 2018 and it's a trend the mega omnichannel player expects to continue. One helpful factor is a move to increase…

How Target is embracing the human touch to beat the competition

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Instead of resisting change when new competitors such as e-commerce retailers and on-demand delivery services came into the market, Target is investing in its…

Wayfair launches one-day Way Day retail shopping experience

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

There's Black Friday and Cyber Monday and now comes Way Day, which will take place April 25 at Wayfair.com. The retailer is launching its own retail 'holiday…

Target launches drive-up pickup service

April 23, 2018

Target is offering customers a new way to grab what they need from the retailer with its new "Drive Up" service available in Florida, Texas and throughout the…

Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market on the future of the grocery store

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

While e-commerce continues to expand, consumers still want to visit the store for fresh food. Supermarkets need to find ways to improve the in-store shopping…

How to boost retail operational efficiency via process management

Mark Holenstein, COO at Signavio, maps out why having the best omnichannel strategy is not only important, but necessary when competing with other high-volume…

Mall of America embracing chatbot to boost retail customer experience

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

The Mall of America's limited chatbot experience led to a more robust deployment this past holiday season and is part of the mall's overall digital technology…

Lowe's debuts 'view in your space' AR experience

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

The latest AR mobile app experience lets customers view items in a home or yard space during the shopping journey.

Lowe's, Poshmark are improving customer experience via digital innovation

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Retailers that engage customers using today's highly sophisticated digital and mobile tools are finding that these initiatives deliver greater customer…

Google expands retail shopping program with a universal cart, personalization focus

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Industry watchers say the retail service effort is a direct shot at Amazon and its dominance as the destination in consumer product search and discovery.

Physical, digital melding together fast in retail

March 22, 2018

The lines between the physical and the digital is getting even more blurry, according to a NRF/Forrester study.

Kagan: Amazon effect only part of reason Toys R Us failed

by Jeff KAGAN — Wireless Analyst, Telecom Industry Analyst

Jeff Kagan says we shouldn't be too quick to blame the failure of Toys R Us on Amazon. A good deal of the blame, he says, should land on the toy seller's…

Macy’s to introduce mobile checkout, VR furniture design experience and more

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Macy's has recognized the characteristics of its target shopper and is committed to offering her a more personalized experience, as well as mobile checkout and…