Social gifting coming on strong

April 30, 2012

Brick-and-mortar retailers are always looking for new, efficient ways to drive store traffic without diluting their brands. That was the inspiration for…

What is an industry leader?

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

"Industry leader" is one of the financial press' favorite phrases, yet how often do they define the term? What makes one company, above all others, the…

Furniture kiosk brings online experience to stores

April 25, 2012

Natuzzi Americas, a leather upholstery company, has unveiled an interactive kiosk for retailers to help deliver product information, videos and photos to…

NRF: Despite gas prices, Mother's Day spending will rise this year

April 24, 2012

Riding the coattails of a spring where they spent freely on everything from garden supplies and home décor to colorful fashions, consumers will stretch their…

Why 'Tweets for Treats' must die

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

It was only a matter of time before marketers developed a work-around to avoid the heavy lifting of great social media. Companies like Amex and now retailers…

Loyalty plan: A compelling showroom model

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Recent news stories regarding the trend of "showrooming" have me wondering why more merchants aren't showboating the one feature that distinguishes them from…

Rent-to-own retailers trying to change bad rep - by hiring vets

April 23, 2012

Rent-to-own furniture retailers are trying to change the reputation they have as "predatory lenders" by hiring veterans returning from war, according to a…

Who's running your business?

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

What would you say if someone told you that they were responding to 600 proposals a year versus 150 in prior years? Who among us wouldn't like to see that…

The new travel trend: Shopping tourism

April 20, 2012

There's a new buzz phrase in the world of travel: Shopping tourism. According to Forbes, the trend is common, although its new name isn't yet widely known.

Opinion: Customization becoming essential to the customer experience

Far from being just a feature, customization is a product strategy.

Study: In-store messaging is top reason shoppers buy items not on lists

April 17, 2012

Despite a shopping list being a tool to stay on budget and eliminate unnecessary purchases, research shows that nine out of 10 shoppers still buy items not on…

A conversation about building great retail window displays

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

This weekend, MSNBC's "Your Business" ran a segment on the venerable retail window display, and how the basics of good window design are the same for everyone…

Apple partners with French designer Philippe Starck?

April 16, 2012

Apple is working with Philippe Starck, the famous French product designer, on a "revolutionary" project to be unveiled later this year, according to…

44Doors, QR codes and the art of mobile marketing

Tim Hayden, the CMO for mobile marketing company 44Doors, spoke with Mobile Payments Today at the Retail RAMP conference in Chicago. Hayden discussed how…

CXPA accepting CX innovation nominations

April 11, 2012

The Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), an international non-profit organization created to guide and enhance the growing field of customer…

Why pet stores are thriving

April 9, 2012

Pet stores are thriving, and some retail experts think it's because they are catering to pet owners who treat their animals like family members, Joanna Felder…

JCP's ads don't square

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

When JCPenney announced its new pricing strategy, I was one of the few who applauded the move. After seeing their ads, I'm not so sure I was right in doing so.

Can Penney's squareness lead to loyalty?

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Being fair and being loyal are not the same thing. But can one engender the other?

CETW12: Loyalty program uses tablets, smartphones for easy adoption

RewardMe makes it easy for retailers and consumers to embrace loyalty programs.

Canadian grocer launches apparel line to compete with Walmart, Target

April 2, 2012

Loblaw's Joe Fresh, Canada's biggest grocer, opened a flagship store last week on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, but instead of meat and produce, it's selling…