Groupon buys two mobile payment, tech companies

February 20, 2012

Daily deal site Groupon snapped up a couple of companies late last week to bolster its mobile capabilities. Groupon announced on Friday it has bought…

Neiman Marcus, Christian Louboutin launch social media campaign

February 17, 2012

Christian Louboutin, known best for his heels with the iconic red bottoms, is helping Neiman Marcus celebrate its 20th anniversarty with the launch of "Sole…

Prices up, profits down

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

A recent Washington Post/Bloomberg Business article stated that Hormel Foods' fourth quarter 2011 profit slipped 3 percent. Price increases were blamed for…

NRF: 2012 all about customer interaction and experience

February 15, 2012

In an effort to build customer engagement, capture wallet share and accelerate sales growth, retailers in 2012 will focus on a number of customer-centric…

What will the tech giants sell in retail stores?

February 14, 2012

Apple's hundreds of stores generate billions of dollars in sales annually, and its competitors are hoping to repeat Apple's success in the retail space.

JCPenney: A new, well-reasoned approach to retailing

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

CEO Ron Johnson rolled out a new plan for JCPenney that includes:

Life (and Honda) moves pretty fast

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Matthew Broderick gave us a time-out during the Super Bowl, and for a middle-aged, recession-weary public, the timing couldn't have been better.

Walmart unveils 'Great For You' icon

February 7, 2012

A year after pledging to develop a front-of-pack label that would give its customers an easier way to identify healthier food, Walmart Stores has unveiled the…

Low prices and drug shortages

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

"Essentially all of the drug shortages that occur in the U.S. arise in the generics market, where profitability is fairly low," Greg Conko, of the Competitive…

Neiman Marcus makes over 'Art of Fashion' campaign

February 3, 2012

Susan Sarandon and her daughter, Eva Amurri Martino, are part of Neiman Marcus' Spring 2012 Art of Fashion campaign that includes 14 portraits of mothers and…

Study examines purchasing decisions of c-store customers

January 30, 2012

Mars Chocolate North America recently conducted a study in partnership with a national c-store retailer, hoping to understand the way consumers make purchase…

Is the deal finally done for daily deal sites?

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

One short year ago, the hype around daily deals was electric. In the analyst community, you could barely get through a day without hearing something about…

Target leads fight to stop 'showrooming'

Will other retailers follow Target's lead in asking vendors to create in-store-only products?

Fresh off Navajo controversy, Urban Outfitters stock plummets, CEO exits

by Jon O'Barr

Retailers need to tread lightly when co-opting cultural identities.

Time Warner opens brand laboratory in New York

January 26, 2012

Time Warner Inc. today announced the opening of a state-of-the-art Medialab for research and development at its worldwide headquarters in New York City. The…

My rich best friend, Apple

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Apple Inc. posted its largest quarterly profit ever on Jan. 24. So good, in fact, that it places the iPhone maker among an elite group populated by very few…

JCPenney unveils plans for drastic overhaul

January 25, 2012

At an event this morning in New York, J. C. Penney Company Inc. revealed its "plans to become America's favorite store."

Survey says: 51% of shoppers seek online access via in-store kiosks

January 24, 2012

More than half (51 percent) of shoppers in the United States seek out in-store kiosks for access to the retailer's website, according to a recent survey from…

Do higher prices drive customers away?

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

Higher prices = lost customers. That's a common belief among business owners. Is it true?

Procter & Gamble seeking way to scan coupons to phones

January 23, 2012

Coupons are coming to consumers' phones, according to Procter & Gamble, who just signed a deal with a Silicon Valley start-up to find a way to scan coupons…