Consumers are more motivated by loyalty programs than ever before

Marketers must evolve and differentiate programs to sustain consumer engagement in a highly competitive loyalty landscape.

Why you should take retail traffic indexes with a grain of salt

Why are there such discrepancies in these indexes ... and whom should you believe?

Capgemini report finds modern loyalty programs insufficient and ineffective

by Bradley Cooper — Editor, Connect Media

March 26, 2015

A report by Capgemini Group, consulting and technology company, has found that most loyalty programs do not meet the needs of customers nor do they actively…

US retailers struggling to meet consumer expectations around mobile, in-store experience

March 25, 2015

Only 42 percent of shoppers found it easy to complete a purchase using a mobile device, and when asked which aspect of the shopping experience is most in need…

Retail of the future: Five insights from SXSW Interactive

by Jeannie Walters — Chief Customer Experience Investigator, 360Connext

In the case of retail tech, the biggest question wasn’t around the technology itself, but how to use it.

Starbucks suspends 'Race Together' campaign amid criticism

by Josh Fischer — Editor, NetWorld

Hoping to encourage a dialogue around race-related issues, the Seattle-based coffee giant devised the now partially dismantled "Race Together" campaign where…

Making a 'lovemark': How Coke and Burberry derive devotion digitally

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

If colas and coats can claim one thing in common it is this: Two of the best-known makers of each are trying to transform the historic into meteoric through…

Amex pushes forward major retail rewards initiative

March 20, 2015

AT&T, ExxonMobil, Macy's, Nationwide, Rite Aid, Direct Energy and Hulu will be initial partners.

Target adds one-year return policy

March 18, 2015

The retailer also rolled out a one-year return guarantee for guests using Target's baby, college or wedding Gift Registry.

Walmart highlighting women-owned brands with logo program

March 13, 2015

The products will be sold in all Walmart stores nationwide and will have a prominent presence on a dedicated section of the retailer's website.

Are your fans mad about your brand?

by Pat Bakey — General Manager Consumer Industries, SAP

With March Madness upon us, here's how retailers can learn from sporting fanatics.

GameStop buying customer gift cards issued by other retailers

March 11, 2015

More than 90 retail branded gift cards are accepted, including Barnes & Noble, Gap, JCPenney and Target.

Edgecase debuts visual shopping for mobile

March 11, 2015

Retailers can now let shoppers tap and swipe their way to a more relevant selection of products to drive new levels of engagement, all within the mobile…

Study says online shoppers want more flexibility

March 9, 2015

Online shoppers around the world want the ability to search and shop on multiple channels and devices, expect to see alternate delivery and payment options…

Jirafe announces predictive commerce intelligence platform Insight

March 6, 2015

With the release, online merchants can get answers about their customer, marketing, and merchandising data and take action on what they learn in seconds.

Report says retailers didn't get much love on Valentine's Day

March 5, 2015

According to the report, traffic declined year-over-year due to harsh weather across much of the country, and storefront conversion was negatively impacted by…

In-mall mobile retail solution StepsAway expands footprint into 10 new malls

March 5, 2015

Major retailers such as GNC and Things Remembered are extending StepsAway engagement to drive more brick-and-mortar transactions.

From stock options to oranges: Whole Foods Rewards is a natural for growth

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Whole Foods is enjoying the fruits of its marketing labor these days, but its long-term success may rely more on its affinity for workers than affinity with…

Playing the JCPenney blame game

by Robert Passikoff — Consultant, Brand Keys

No, it's not a new promotion, but the latest excuse for holiday losses.

The ROI of social engagement

by Scott Slucher — Account Executive, Networld Alliance

Current social media trends put the focus on context.