Opinion: 12 ways to maximize the customer during a recession

The author of Retail Business Kit for Dummies weighs in with tips on how to get more out of each customer interaction and drive repeat business.

iCongo version 8 adds dynamic catalog creation, enhanced merchandising

March 4, 2009

MONTREAL — iCongo, provider of e-commerce and cross-channel systems, today announced a set of new features to its retail e-commerce and cross-channel system.

Store closings spell big opportunities for the survivors

March 4, 2009

The Associated Press: Retailers left standing amid the carcasses of their competitors are going after orphaned customers. They're using aggressive mailers…

Study shows e-mail campaigns drive offline shopping behavior

February 22, 2009

DALLAS — The receipt of permission-based e-mail makes shoppers more likely to do business with a retailer, in addition to generating a more favorable opinion…

GK Software releases GK/Retail 12

February 22, 2009

SCHOENECK, Germany — GK SOFTWARE AG has announced the immediate availability of GK/Retail 12, the newest release of its Store Automation suite of products…

Reward program members are best at word-of-mouth

February 10, 2009

Progressive Grocer: Consumers who are loyalty reward program members are far more likely to be word-of-mouth (WOM) champions for their favorite brands than…

Wegmans upgrades online shopping list functionality

February 4, 2009

Progressive Grocer: Wegmans.com now enables users to make shopping lists that help them spot savings, check prices before going to the store, remember…

Ikea multichannel driving customer loyalty

February 3, 2009

Retail Bulletin: The online business of Ikea was developed as a way of generating greater loyalty among the customer base as it is this that ultimately…

Wincor expands loyalty software capabilities

January 29, 2009

PADERBORN, Germany — Wincor Nixdorf has expanded its software portfolio for international retail companies to include new functions to enable central control…

Costco calls shoppers to warn them about recalled products

January 25, 2009

MSNBC: Jon Lowder usually disdains computer-generated telephone calls — "robo-calls," he grumbles — but when he got two this week from Costco Wholesale Corp.…

Loyalty 360, PCATS announce partnership

January 19, 2009

ALEXANDRIA, Va., and CINCINNATI, Ohio — The Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards (PCATS) and Loyalty 360, the Loyalty Marketer's Association…

NRF's Sonic Bar highlights retailing innovations

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

The high-concept concept store gave attendees a taste of retail's future — one that is available today.

NRF: Clarity unveils POS 'Innovation Lane'

January 12, 2009

NEW YORK — Clarity Consulting today presented its "Innovation Lane" — a new POS technology concept system featuring Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 and unified…

NRF: Torex unveils new customer loyalty system

January 12, 2009

NEW YORK — Torex Retail Holdings Limited today launched its Torex Loyalty system the NRF 98th Annual Convention & Expo. Torex Loyalty enables retailers to…

Smaller stores honoring gift cards from large retailers

January 5, 2009

The Toledo Blade: For the fourth year, Culture Clash, a Toledo, Ohio, store that sells CDs, records, and pop culture merchandise, is accepting gift cards of…

Pointer Media Network launches with data on 80 million shoppers

December 8, 2008

Ad Week: Armed with two years of purchase data for 80 million individual consumers, Catalina Marketing is this week launching a new in-store ad network called…

Meijer offers grocery discounts in exchange for general merchandise purchases

December 2, 2008

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer is rewarding holiday shoppers with a bonus of up to 20 percent off their grocery purchases when they buy general merchandise…

Cellfire wins mobile marketing innovation award

November 20, 2008

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Cellfire Inc., a nationwide mobile coupon and discount offer service, was honored by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) with the MMA…

Marketing show heavy on innovation

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Fresh ideas from the In-Store Marketing Expo in Las Vegas.

Gift card balances are covered, FDIC says

November 16, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the entity that guarantees bank deposits, has issued an opinion stating that funds on gift cards and…