5 key distributor opportunities in an omnichannel world

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

For today's consumers, omnichannel is their "new normal." They now shop and purchase anytime and everywhere. What this means for traditional retailers is that…

Amazon's Treasure Truck banking on retail consumer whimsy

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

While the New York Times describes Amazon's Treasure Truck as another of Amazon's "puzzling retail experiments," it can be viewed as Amazon's continuing effort…

Amazon opening fulfillment center in Maryland

February 15, 2017

Amazon plans to open a 1.2 million-square-foot fulfillment center in North East, Maryland, which will create 700 new full-time jobs.

Consumers experience anxiety when it comes to e-commerce

February 13, 2017

Consumers don't have much confidence when it comes to e-commerce retailers delivering the right product on the expected date.

Kohl’s CTO on personalizing customer experience and how data plays a big role

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

When it comes to creating a ‘MEaningful’ customer experience, Kohl's is relying big time on data to understand customer behavior and craft a personalized…

Watch out, Amazon: Wal-Mart enhances shipping options

February 7, 2017

Wal-Mart is "moving at the speed of a startup," according to its CEO, by launching free two-day shipping without any membership fee involved.

Customer loyalty requires a retail transformation, reveals IBM study

January 20, 2017

New IBM research reveals retailers must transform fast if they hope to inspire customer loyalty as consumers are busy shopping on their phones, online and in…

Target’s digital chief: We’re not technology slackers any longer

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

If there is one message Target's EVP, CIO and Chief Digital Officer, Mike McNamara, wants heard loud and clear, it's this: Target is no longer a laggard when…

UX university: 4 retailers getting the user experience right

Customer loyalty requires more than offering a customer a free coffee every time they buy 10. There’s no middle ground any longer as user experience is key for…

Holiday trends report reveals online growth, greater ecommerce traction

January 13, 2017

Total holiday season spend in 2016 beat out 2015 with growth jumping from 1.8 percent in 2015 to 4.7 percent in 2016, according to First Data’s updated Holiday…

Omnichannel retailers big winners in holiday season

January 12, 2017

Retailers with an omnichannel strategy enjoyed a robust return-on-investment this holiday season as consumers spent 16 percent more on holiday purchases in…

Limited shuttering all U.S. stores, 4,000 jobs cut

January 10, 2017

The new year brings the closing of a well-known women's apparel retailer as The Limited is closing all of its 250 U.S. stores and laying off 4,000 workers.

2016 in review: Top retail customer experience stories

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

The year 2016 was one of technology, big changes and big steps by retailers aiming to boost and hone the customer experience. Here's a look back at the big…

Retailers striving to beat Amazon must perfect the customer experience

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

To avoid losing more market share to Amazon, competing e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retailers must perfect the customer experience from the moment a…

Online assortments: Long-tail, curated or castrated?

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Declaring you are omnichannel is the easy part. Achieving profitability will require balancing the tradeoffs of long-tail assortments vs. the ability to…

Jewelry etailer reaping big rewards with price negotiation tool

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

Consumers love a bargain and, as one online jewelry retailer is learning, consumers love to negotiate on price.

Branded mobile pay bodes big promise for retailers

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

Check out a webinar presentation featuring an IBM expert that offers up terrific insight and knowledge regarding the branded mobile payment solution now…

5 rules for a retail town square: What Apple, Whole Foods Can Teach Us

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Here's a potential formula for retail of the future: One Apple squared equals a community experience minus the traditional sales space.

Howard Schultz resigning as Starbucks CEO to focus on retail innovation

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

December 1, 2016

Schultz said he personally asked COO Kevin Johnson to fill his shoes because he is a "true servant leader."

Black Friday: Gimmick, gone or more relevant than ever?

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

Is Black Friday relevant, needed, necessary, or even a valuable marketing opportunity, or has it become a gimmick in the retailer's quest to grab consumers…