What to take away from the 2013 back-to-school season

Sales data can show how successful your back-to-school season was, but numbers don’t reveal the reasons why.

Toys 'R' Us UK pledges to end gender marketing

September 11, 2013

The U.K.-based grassroots organization Let Toys Be Toys announced that Toys "R" Us stores across the country have committed to ending gender marketing of…

Walmart rebranding?

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

Are Walmart's steak ads early signs of a rebranding? I've been a long-time critic of Walmart's low-price strategy so it's only fair that I recognize them for…

Retailers resort to deep discounts this back-to-school season

September 6, 2013

Back-to-school spending was up slightly this year over last, but it came at a steep price for retailers, who resorted to deep discounting in order to move…

'Idea brands’ will win big with Millennials: Here's how to attract them

by Jeff Fromm — Executive Vice President, Barkley

Millennials want to change the world. Who doesn't? However, this generation born from 1977 to 2000 is often accused of passive insensitivity caused by their…

The loyalty lie

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Loyalty is an increasingly fleeting thing. In fact, the average Gen Y mother now defines "brand loyalty" as a window of allegiance lasting 6-12 months before…

UNIQLO to revamp website and interactive app ahead of 10 store openings

September 4, 2013

Clothing retailer UNIQLO has announced the fall opening dates for its ten new mall stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California — strategically…

Cellum trials object-recognition function for mobile purchases

September 3, 2013

Seeking to take greater advantage of smartphone technology, Cellum Global Corp., a provider of mobile payment solutions, is working on a new solution that may…

Should marketers trust their gut or their data?

According to a recent study, 80 percent of marketers are making decisions based on their gut instincts.

Retailer loyalty programs copycat airline industry

August 29, 2013

Retailers may be crafting their loyalty programs to reflect the airline industry — with elite levels and extra perks for shoppers who spend the most money…

Mercent intros service that brings product info, price to Pinterest pins

August 26, 2013

A new service from Seattle-based Mercent is aiming to strengthen the relationship between retailers and Pinterest.

ConnectQuest expands location-based rewards app

August 23, 2013

ConnectQuest, a location-based shopping application, has added a new loyalty program feature to the ConnectQuest application software, the company announced.

Toys 'R' Us expands price-match policy

August 22, 2013

Toys "R" Us announced today that it will now match online prices from its major competitors, including Walmart, Best Buy, Kmart, Sears and Amazon. The…

RCEES: How to keep your brand message burning when traditional marketing fades

by Natalie Gagliordi — Editor of KioskMarketplace.com, Networld Media Group

With a focus on humans and the right customer service, brands can sidestep the dangers of ineffective marketing.

AT&T retail chief explains 'The Store of the Future'

by Carmine Gallo — President, GCG

As consumers shift many of their purchases online, will physical retail stores even have a reason to exist? That’s the difficult question AT&T retail…

RCEES: Retail's refocus on customer service

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Creating a customer-centric environment is key to a successful business.

Report: Even the wealthy love loyalty programs

August 14, 2013

In a new survey of affluent consumers by the Luxury Institute, wealthy shoppers earning at least $150,000 a year share detailed observations and evaluations of…

How to optimize your store for summer

by Gary Edwards — Chief Customer Officer, Emathica

Now that summer is well underway, it’s time for retailers to turn up the heat. After spending prolonged time indoors during the cold weather, customers are…

Logic vs. emotion in retail pricing

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

My thanks to Paula Jones, Craft and Hobby Assn. Canada, for sending me this January 22, 2013 Forbes article, Postscript On Retail Pricing: Avoiding the "Race…

Harrods draws customers in-store with Fragrace Explosion

July 31, 2013

The London department store Harrods is enticing fragrance enthusiasts with its month-long "Meet the Perfumers" experience, Luxury Daily reported.