Loyalty means never having to say, "Eat that second doughnut"

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Smart marketers know that the key to winning customer loyalty is through using personal data in a way that benefits both the company and the consumer.

Do customers control your pricing?

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

The CEO of a staffing firm asked what I did for a living. When I told him that I help companies get higher prices regardless of what their competitors or the…

Survey: Average US consumer will spend $300 on back-to-school

July 17, 2012

The back-to-school shopping season is already underway with one-third of households reporting that they have begun to shop, according to a special ICSC-Goldman…

Why don't the old customer service ways work anymore?

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

"Why don't the old ways work with customers anymore?" I hear this question frequently when I'm speaking at a business event or starting a new customer service…

Report: Mobile retail commerce rises in second quarter, social shopping drops

July 16, 2012

Mobile shopping rose while social media sales fell, providing an indication of where U.S. retailers may invest in order to capture the attention and loyalty of…

Meet your new gift registry: Pinterest

I'm planning a party for my younger sister. Usually, I flip through magazines or ask friends for ideas. However, this time I went straight to Pinterest.

Tokyo toy co testing augmented reality kiosks

July 16, 2012

A Tokyo toy company is testing kiosks with augmented reality capabilities to allow shoppers to interact with toys even when they're still in packaging.

Klout: More social influence equals a better customer experience?

by Colin Shaw — Founder & CEO, Beyond Philosophy

I was very interested to see that organizations are starting to provide a better customer experience to people that have more social influence. You may have…

The customer-centric retail pricing zone

Analyzing shopping patterns across multiple stores allows for a more profitable pricing-zone strategy.

There's no room for revolutionaries on Wall Street

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Several months ago, JC Penney CEO Ron Johnson and his newly formed executive team made some significant changes to the pricing and promotional structure for…

What would happen if all the store signs were removed?

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Ever look around a store and notice all the signs? At least in technology stores you can't miss them. There seems to be a plethora of signs touting the latest…

Market-driven pricing

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

A May 9, 2012 Bloomberg Businessweek article, "Macy's 1Q profit jumps 38 percent," attributes the company's success to its ability to tailor its fashions to…

RCE Podcast episode 3: Why (most) retailers shouldn't worry about showrooming

July 6, 2012

New survey data reveals that most retailers have nothing to fear from the mobile-enabled consumer, and on today's call our panel discusses why that is - and…

Five ways to drive customer conversion rates in your stores

Increasing conversion rate is a sales opportunity that many retailers completely overlook.

Amazon phone to compete with Apple, Android devices

July 6, 2012

Amazon is developing a smartphone to compete with Apple's iPhone and devices running on Google's Android platform, according to Bloomberg News, which also…

Skype Station digital signage kiosks taking off

Estonian tech company says new Skype-capable kiosks will drive traffic and ad revenue for customers.

How to integrate digital for a great multichannel experience

Blending digital channels into a company's overall multichannel approach requires changes beyond the sales force.

Microsoft's new technology could be a mood lifter

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

If there is one thing I have learned during my years in marketing, it is that it's a lot easier to engage a happy person than an angry one.

Study: Consumers easily fooled by discounts, freebies

July 2, 2012

Math is hard; just ask the numerous shoppers who struggled with fractions in a study recently completed at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of…

Vending kiosks providing retailers variety of solutions

From dispensing products to tracking consumer behavior, vending kiosks are the new go-to retail solution.