Holiday Shopping Dilemma

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

 ...when to buy.

Black Friday weekend sees bigger crowds, $45 billion in spending

With one of the biggest shopping days of the year under their belts, retailers have reason to smile.

Old Navy launches 'virtual Black Friday' in Facebook game

November 22, 2010

CrowdStar and Sibblingz, which provide platforms for building social games, today announced the launch of an in-game Old Navy branded virtual store for the…

Nine in ten retailers planning Cyber Monday promotions

November 21, 2010

Five years after the phrase "Cyber Monday" was coined, retailers have even bigger plans for the Monday after Thanksgiving. According to Shop.org’s eHoliday…

Express Scripts' Prescription...

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

 ...for using technology to irritate it’s customers.

Citi partners with retail loyalty solution provider rDialogue

November 18, 2010

Citi Retail Partner Cards announced it has entered into an agreement with rDialogue, a customer loyalty and relationship marketing firm, to provide customized…

Research shows U.K. shoppers lack brand loyalty to retailers

November 18, 2010

Fifty-nine percent of U.K. shoppers have not decided on the brand they will purchase before researching or buying a product online. Consumers are also…

Black Friday estimate: 138 million shoppers, up from 2009

November 17, 2010

Talk of discounted toys, e-readers, appliances and even HDTVs has millions of Americans already mapping out their Black Friday plans and filling out their wish…

SWOT Pricing

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

 Is SWOT analysis helpful in setting prices?

More evidence of rewards just for stopping by

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

“Checking in” at a retailer or service provider is getting more valuable than ever, with more companies rewarding customers who do no more than simply walk…

Holiday e-commerce spending: $38.5 billion in 2010

More online deals means more shoppers will stay home on Black Friday, according to report.

An independent retailer's viral plea for business

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Here in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, one of the most iconic fixtures of the local retail scene for the past 25 years has been the music store Ear…

Target is testing shopkick

November 15, 2010

Target today became the first mass-discount retailer to make the shopkick mobile application available to its guests. Users of the app will receive points and…

Driven by social networking, retailers' 'owned media' set to rival paid media for primacy

November 14, 2010

Media Logic has published the results of a two-month study tracking the social media- marketing efforts of 100-national retailers. The study offers concrete…

J.C. Penney unveils two new brands

November 11, 2010

J.C. Penney Co. has launched the Growth Brands, a division that will pursue high-potential opportunities in the retail sector. Growth Brands' initiatives will…

Sears, Kmart unveil Facebook e-gift program for holidays

November 10, 2010

Giving the gift of a Sears or Kmart gift card has gone social as the retailers announced the introduction of eGifting on Facebook. The new Sears and Kmart…

Three-quarters of consumers plan to shop on Black Friday

Nearly two-thirds plan to make online purchases on Cyber Monday.

Target Marketing Hits Home With CoupSmart

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Marketers spend a lot of money tracking what we buy so they can tailor promotions to our specific needs. Now, we consumers can take that tracking into our…

Digby, Invodo partnership brings e-commerce video to smartphones

November 9, 2010

Invodo, a full-service e-commerce video partner for online retailers, and mobile commerce provider Digby announced that they have formed a partnership.

Kenneth Cole launches 'digital wish list'

November 9, 2010

Kenneth Cole is celebrating this holiday season with his "BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR" campaign, kicking off the brand's first ever digital "Wish List" and…