Luxury retail at a crossroads

Shattered by heavy discounting, luxury retailers now need to focus on two distinct customer types - those looking for branded items at a lower price, and the…

Discounting while preserving the brand

Why retailers need to focus on intelligent promotions, rather than across-the-board discounts.

London retailer puts shoplifter photos on its web site

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 16, 2009

Home Bargains, which operates 190 discount stores throughout the United Kingdom, is taking a rather drastic step in combating theft: it is uploading CCTV…

Breaking retail's addiction to discounting

When retailers emphasize price above all else, everybody loses. Author Kate Newlin offers some alternatives to "okay, available and cheap."

Thomas Pink, Warehouse merge channels with BT

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 12, 2009

British luxury shirt maker Thomas Pink and high-street retailer Warehouse have implemented the BT Expedite multi-channel solution to link their online and…

Thinking beyond traditional retail packaging

How retailers are mixing packaging with interactive technology to connect with consumers.

Hilo Hattie goes live with MICROS-Retail POS/merchandising solution

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 12, 2009

Hilo Hattie Fashion Centers, a Hawaiian retailer of apparel and merchandise, announced that it has completed roll-out of an end-to-end POS and merchandising…

Why good customer service is like billiards

Retail Doc Bob Phibbs explains why customer service staff need to scatter around the customer, like pool balls reacting to the cue.

Luxury retailers expanding the reach of their 'secret sales'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 2, 2009

The New York Times reports on the growing incidence of luxury retailers taking their "secret sales" and making them not-so-secret, in order to actually move…

Opinion: Why customer satisfaction surveys don't work

With 95 percent of our cognitive processing handled by the subconscious, how much value is there in surveys that probe the other five percent?

New Christopher & Banks prototype celebrates 'women of all sizes'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 26, 2009

Minneapolis-based apparel retailer Christopher & Banks announced it will open a new prototype store in Moosic, Penn., and it will be branded with the…

Retailers taking 'Christmas in July' more seriously this year

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 15, 2009

The concept of "Christmas in July" is more than 100 years old, but this year especially it looks like retailers are using the poor economy to suggest to…

Retailers can weather economy by focusing on basics

Trusted brands and an enlarged pool of skilled workers provide leverage.

Eight tips for better retail brand messaging

A New York City ad agency lays out a process to ensure retail communications reach their full potential.

New research dissects what makes a 'wow experience'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 8, 2009

A new survey from The Verde Group and the Retail Council of Canada says that most shoppers — just slightly more than 50 percent — have had a great retail…

Retailers upgrading POS, focusing on its marketing capabilities

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 8, 2009

Aberdeen Group reports that 73 percent of retailers rate themselves as sub-par when it comes to keeping their POS systems up to date technologically. And…

Opinion: Retailers need to cut their SKUs

Increasingly, less is more. Here are some tips on shaving your product assortment down to a more manageable, profitable size.

Retailers localizing discounts

July 6, 2009

The Wall Street Journal: Retailers such as Walmart and Home Depot have taken on or expanded some form of "localized markdowns," rather than slash prices the…

Despite economy, largest retailers remain power players

June 30, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In spite of economic uncertainties, many of the nation's largest retailers held onto their coveted spots at the top of the retail ladder…

Urban Outfitters expands mobile marketing efforts

June 29, 2009

GREENBELT, Md. — Urban Outfitters announced it has selected Acuity Mobile as its mobile marketing provider to extend its experience into the mobile world.