Kroger loyalty program offers free wireless minutes

December 16, 2009

Grocery chain Kroger has announced a clever new wrinkle to its loyalty program. It is now giving shoppers free minutes on its wireless phone service…

Report: Gift card spending to drop slightly

November 18, 2009

While they remain the most requested holiday item, shoppers are expected to pull back on buying gift cards again this year. According to NRF's 2009 Holiday…

Report: Four ways Millennials will impact retail in coming years

November 16, 2009

Millennials — Americans born between 1979 and 1989 — are one of the largest demographics in the country and will soon be entering a strong growth period in…

RFID-based loyalty card tracks shopper movement

November 15, 2009

Sydney, Australia-based Ramp has announced what it calls the "world's first customer tracking and loyalty system," an RFID-based loyalty card that contains…

E-tail Clinic: BestBuy.com

The electronics retailer's site has properly integrated in-store pickup, but less-than-relevant cross-sell intelligence.

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?"

JC Penney testing mobile coupon program

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 24, 2009

JC Penney has announced that it will support the Cellfire mobile coupon program, which allows shoppers to download and carry coupons on their smart phones. In…

Blackhawk unveils open-network gift cards

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 20, 2009

Blackhawk Network, the largest third-party gift card provider, has announced the availability of its Rewards Visa Gift Card through its B2B program. Cards can…

Grass-roots marketing: Retailer mails hand-written thank you notes to shoppers

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 7, 2009

In Palm Springs, Calif., one retailer is going back-to-basics for customer service, reviving the art of the hand-written thank you note.

Taming the loyalty card beast

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

New tools — both high-tech and low-tech — aim to liberate loyalty cards from the key chain.

Private label: The prestige brands of tomorrow?

Retail expert and author Kate Newlin says the only odd thing about private label brands is that they've taken so long to win shoppers over.

Safeway online coupon program coming to all stores

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 13, 2009

Drug Store News reports that Safeway is expanding its couponLink program, an interesting and innovative take on online coupons.

Customers abandon food, household brands, but stay loyal to child and pet care products

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 8, 2009

Marketing company Epsilon just released the results of its recent survey of 1,500 shoppers, exploring which types of products the newly frugal are abandoning…

New service tracks deli shopping habits

July 6, 2009

Progressive Grocer: The NPD Group is now tracking consumer shopping habits, purchases and perceptions of the supermarket deli department through its new…

Participation in loyalty programs jumps 20 percent

July 1, 2009

CINCINNATI — Despite the recession, U.S. consumer participation in rewards programs is on the rise across all demographic segments, according to COLLOQUY…

CVS testing virtual gift cards

June 28, 2009

Progressive Grocer: CVS/pharmacy last week launched a new e-gift card program that offers its customers the convenience of purchasing personalized gift cards…

Loyalty segmentation needs to extend into the store

When front-line employees are left out of the loyalty process, points programs miss the point.

New solution simplifies gift card sales in Japan

June 8, 2009

ATLANTA — FUJITSU ADVANCED SOLUTIONS LIMITED (FASOL) announced the release of a new solution that will streamline operations for retailers that carry gift…

RetailWire Discussion: Most loyal customers aren't profitable

A recent Harvard Business Journal article suggests that few customers are profitable — and of the ones that are, most are not loyal.

Primera shipping full-color POS printer

June 2, 2009

PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Primera Technology Inc., a manufacturer of specialty color printers, today announced that its new PX450 Color Printer is now shipping.