Staying on your customer's friends list

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Many of us strive to be No. 1, but when it comes to social circles, the first task is to make it into the 150.

Solar powered QR codes help Korean retailer increase sales

May 25, 2012

Korean discount retailer Emart recently placed 3D QR code sculptures throughout Seoul that could only be scanned between noon and 1 p.m., which are slow…

Commentary: Building a proximity marketing strategy that protects customers

Consumers are wary, rightly so, of any attempt to use their personal information to gather data and sell products.

The spectacular marketing fail of JC Penney

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

Ron Johnson, Penney's CEO, said last week that "coupons were a drug."

Target kickin' it with Shopkick

May 24, 2012

Target has partnered with shopkick, an app that allows consumers to earn points for shopping (at participating stores) that can then be redeemed for a variety…

Government-controlled pricing

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

A May 7, 2012 article in the Bankgok Post, "The price of ignorance can be high," highlights the folly of government interference in pricing. Why are…

Brick-and-mortar retailers fighting back

May 22, 2012

Brick-and-mortar retailers hoping to compete with mobile devices, the Internet and daily deals are getting creative when it comes to in-store offers, according…

Can you steal an experience?

by Mike Wittenstein — Customer Experience and Service Designer, Storyminers

"Stealing an Experience" is completely different at the consumer and professional levels. At the consumer level, it might mean watching two movies on one…

Canadian comm company Rogers redesigns stores

May 17, 2012

Rogers Communications, Canada's largest provider of wireless voice and data communications services, has launched its new retail store concept with the grand…

Despite reboot, JCPenney still struggling

May 17, 2012

It's not looking good for JC Penney despite its new look and goal to turn around sales. The company reported Tuesday that its first quarter loss was bigger…

Why customers seem scarce - part 3

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

In the previous two segments (1, 2) we learned how industry overcapacity, a dying industry and a perception that our competitors' offerings are superior cause…

Q&A with Bryan Pearson, author of 'The Loyalty Leap'

Pearson discusses the importance of relevance when it comes to building a loyalty program that people will care about.

NRF: Retail marks 22 consecutive months of growth

May 15, 2012

Unseasonably warm weather in February and March and an early Easter holiday shifted consumers' spending appetite last month, though retailers in April still…

Is Walmart losing out on deeper loyalty by not offering loyalty cards?

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Walmart remains one of the few giant retailers which does not yet offer a customer loyalty card. In the new book, Walmart: Key Insights and Practical Lessons…

What does Facebook's app store mean for retailers?

The bottom line for retailers is this: Now, the way Facebook works can be customized to lift sales.

Where Best Buy went wrong

Experts discuss why the retail giant is shrinking and whether it can stage a comeback.

Smartphone apps could be retailers' No. 1 ally

May 9, 2012

Smartphone apps could be the magic bullet of marketing for retailers, according to a December 2011 ABI Research survey of U.S. consumers. The study, "Mobile…

Portlogic develops mobile coupon delivery system

May 9, 2012

Portlogic Systems Inc., a mobile and Internet software developer and kiosk solutions provider, has launched its new proximity coupon push system. The…

Two tales of retail showrooming

by Jeff Weidauer — Vice President, Marketing & Strategy, Vestcom International, Inc.

By now most folks have heard about "showrooming," the relatively new activity where consumers visit a brick and mortar store, look at a product they are…

7-Eleven using smartphones to launch interactive campaign

May 7, 2012

Thailand 7-Eleven customers can now use their smartphones to interact in real time with television, online and radio commercials. Powered by technology from…