Walmart's think tank lab to thank for recent innovations

October 16, 2012

While Walmart has been making headlines lately with improvements to its technology and Web presence, the force behind the advances is less widely discussed.

RCE Podcast episode 12: How Walmart same-day delivery might impact retail

Walmart announced this week that it is testing same-day delivery in a few select markets. Will this be truly disruptive to other retailers, or is it just a…

Fine jewelry retailer revamps web approach

October 12, 2012

Fine jewelry brand Ritani has a new retail scheme designed to pair the best parts of fine jewelry e-commerce sites and brick-and-mortar stores in the form of…

One iota releases in-store e-commerce solution for retail

October 11, 2012

The cloud-based retail solutions company One iota announced the launch of the SmartPod, a fully integrated self-service kiosk designed to help stores increase…

Your favorite retail 'store' might just be your pickup locker

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

The growth of ecommerce is literally old news. Pure e-tailers and traditional retailers with online sites are increasingly winning the hearts and wallets of…

Target launches QR codes for holiday toy shopping

October 4, 2012

In line with the holiday shopping fervor among retailers, Target announced it is adding QR codes in stores for the season's 20 most popular toys. The Target…

Survey: retail CFOs not concerned with showrooming

October 3, 2012

An annual poll by financial consulting firm BDO shows that the majority of retail CFOs are not concerned with the showrooming phenomenon. 

Hybris study finds consumers prefer to purchase direct from retailer, instead of via social media

October 3, 2012

The communication software provider Hybris announced the results of its U.S. 2012 Social Media and Shopping Survey which analyzed U.S. consumers' attitudes…

Target app to support Passbook in iOS 6

October 2, 2012

Target announced yesterday its support for Passbook in iOS 6 on the iPhone and iPod touch, according to a company press release.

NRF forecasts 4.1 percent growth in holiday sales

October 2, 2012

Tempered by political and fiscal uncertainties but supported by signs of improvement in consumer confidence, holiday sales this year will increase 4.1 percent…

LightSpeed offers retailers omnichanel reach with latest platform

October 1, 2012

The Canadian software company LightSpeed today announced the release of its 3.7 Apple-based core platform. The software enables retailers to interact with…

The iPhone 5: Our best bet for clipping and saving trust?

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

Of the many features the newly released iPhone 5 can offer, one of the most compelling for the consumer is this: It eliminates the clip-and-save.

Survey shows an increase of mobile use in retail

September 25, 2012

With multichannel retail growing in acceptance and significance, many retailers are experimenting with mobile as part of their in-store experience.

Nordstrom VP gives warning at conference

September 20, 2012

Nordstrom VP Jamie Nordstrom spoke last week at the shop.org conference and discussed the evolution of the department store into online sales, according to an…

Walgreens, LoyalBlocks unveil loyalty innovations

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

The Walgreens app lets customers scan their mobile devices to earn points and redeem awards without a physical card.

Retail 'channel surfing' and its implications for sales, customer service and team morale

by Micah Solomon — president, four aces inc

Never forget: Your customers are likely to use the different sales channels you offer in different ways. Some of your customers may buy exclusively over the…

Empowered consumers drive future of retail, study shows

September 18, 2012

This week in London, leading retailers are gathering for the World Retail Congress. At the center of the conversation is how the empowered consumer, or the…

Customer experience management 101: Identifying channels of communication

by Kimberly Nasief — President, Measure Consumer Perspectives

Customer experience management has changed, thanks to the digital age. Social media has changed the way businesses interact with their customers. No matter the…

The new 'super shopper' and the fate of bricks and mortar retail

Despite the mobile boom, 90 percent of consumers still embrace the physical store when making retail purchases.

Charlotte Russe looks to MICROS-Retail to revamp retail strategy

September 11, 2012

MICROS-Retail, a division of MICROS Systems Inc., announced a partnership with Charlotte Russe as part of the retailer's move toward an omni-channel retail…