Target giving free shipping to its cardholders

November 6, 2011

Target today announced that it is giving free shipping for all orders placed at Target.com when shoppers use their branded REDcard. The company also announced…

Covert loyalty: Treat, or trick?

by Phaedra Hise — Senior Editor, COLLOQUY

Last week I received an invitation to join Zappo's VIP loyalty program. Of course I knew it existed. I had heard that it was a model of customer service and…

Why it is time for retailers to quit discounting, start rewarding

Promos mainly appeal to shoppers that only buy on discount without the intent to repurchase.

Amazon opens Kindle Owners' Lending Library

by James Bickers

November 2, 2011

Amazon's quest to make its Kindle the "one media device to rule them all" got a little bit more aggressive today: It opened its Kindle Owners' Lending Library…

Social media doesn't suck (but your marketing might)

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

Hardly a day goes by that I don't read at least one article that debates the inherent value of social media. The marketing community continues to hunt for the…

Transition-driven marketing should be done at local level

November 1, 2011

Cardlytics is deploying transaction-marketing specialists nationwide to work directly with leading local retailers.

Digby demonstrates its In-Store Mobile app

Digby mobilizes retailers by helping them take a strategic approach to in-store mobile engagement and mobile commerce, delivering a unique retail branded…

Bank of America's pricing woes

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

It seems that every time Bank of America tries to raise fees it gets hammered in the press. Why is this? More importantly, what can you learn from their…

Juniper Research predicts $43B mobile coupon market by 2016

October 31, 2011

U.K. analyst firm Juniper Research has a released a new report that forecasts that the total redemption value of mobile coupons worldwide will be more than $4…

Some stats about Halloween

by Jim Joseph — President, Lippe Taylor

As we prepare for the what some consider to be the 4th biggest holiday in America (after "December", Thanksgiving, and 4th of July), I thought I'd share some…

Are you getting your additional 13 percent?

by Doug Fleener — President and Managing Partner, Dynamic Experiences Group, LLC

The 2011 American Express Global Customer Service Barometer finds that 70% of American consumers are willing to spend an average of 13% more with companies…

Survey: Online and mobile sales will make this a positive holiday season for retail

October 27, 2011

The sluggish economy and rising household expenses are casting a chill over consumer confidence, but not enough to bring back the ghost of recessions past…

Michigan retailers expect good holiday sales

October 27, 2011

Nearly nine of 10 Michigan retailers expect a holiday season as good as or better than last year, with more than one in three projecting their sales will rise…

What terrible advertising looks like

by Paul Flanigan — Founder, The Preset Group

One of the key changes with advertising is that the customer has two things that, in previous decades, were never even considered:

AT&T's 'clever' new ad

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

"I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying." - Oscar Wilde

Online retailers preparing for promotion-heavy holiday season

October 24, 2011

Online retailers have plenty to be joyous about this holiday season as new research shows companies are adjusting their holiday plans based on expected growth…

Commentary: Why low prices kill brand loyalty

Are low prices to blame for disappearing brands?

Desperate times, desperate measures?

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

Earlier this year, Kristy Reynolds, marketing professor at the University of Alabama's Culverhouse College of Commerce, indicated that methodical shopping, or…

How Foursquare can help you unlock a new customer experience

With 35,000 new users every day, foursquare is emerging as a powerful marketing tool for retailers.

Hyundai's Buyer Safety Net: Real protection, or another marketing gimmick?

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

Hyundai recently announced a trade-in guarantee. Buyers of a new Hyundai will know immediately what trade-in value they'll receive on their next purchase.