Grabbing shoppers by the nose

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Intentional use of scents can profoundly impact the customer experience.

U.S. retailers just beginning to understand customer experience, report says

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

February 27, 2008

Forrester Research has published "The State of Experience-Based Differentiation," a summary of its recent survey of 287 customer experience decision-makers…

Opinion: the shopping experience can be more important than the product

February 24, 2008

Advertising Age: Nordstrom executives long have made it their business to do whatever is necessary to please the consumer — everything from stocking every…

Blog: recession will be helped by 'reproduction mania'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

February 21, 2008

Heather Strang, blogger for Retail Design Diva, isn't particularly worried about the effect a possible recession would have on retail. No, she says, there are…

Customer satisfaction down overall, up online

February 19, 2008

Medill Reports: Another explanation for lackluster consumer spending emerged Tuesday when the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index…

Software-as-a-service for in-store digital signage

February 11, 2008

The distribution model is one of the most important aspects to investigate when selecting digital signage software.

Inserts more influential than TV ads

February 11, 2008

BALTIMORE — Vertis Communications announced the tenth anniversary of its proprietary Vertis Customer Focus study, which has been analyzing the key trends…

More companies realize customer experience will be critical in 2008

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

February 11, 2008

Forrester Research has just published "Obstacles to Customer Experience Success, 2008," which distills the results of a survey of 287 customer experience…

Adidas unveils new store design

February 10, 2008

DNR: Adidas unveiled a new store design for its Adidas Originals boutique in Soho on Feb. 2. The refashioned store also serves as the U.S. launch pad for the…

Putting the 'world' in Wincor World

by Tracy Kitten — Editor, AMC

Steady growth, innovation mark German firm's annual self-service show.

Old Navy recasts image, aims younger

January 31, 2008

Advertising Age: Old Navy, a division of the struggling Gap Inc., is trying to shake off its traditional discount image with a new logo and marketing campaign…

Shoe stores need new format to compete, says study

January 29, 2008

Design Week: Footwear retailers are suffering from high levels of competition from clothing chains, and should develop new store formats to catch up with…

Brand-sponsored events boost purchase intent

January 28, 2008

BrandWeek: A new survey shows in-person events can boost purchase intent by as much as 52 percent. According to the report, released this month by the…

Interactivity 'the future of customer service'

January 22, 2008

Nikki Baird with Retail Systems Research identified three areas of investment that retailers have eyes on for the coming year: cross-channel care, mobility and…

NRF 08: emphasis on 'green'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Retail's Big Show saw a major emphasis on the environment.

German retailer testing RFID for apparel sales

January 20, 2008

New York Times: In the men's department of a Galeria Kaufhof department store in Essen, Germany, every clothing item except the shoes — about 30,000 in all …

Ben Stein speaks at NRF

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Actor/economist gives state-of-the-economy address to retailers.

NRF board calls for economic stimulus

January 15, 2008

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The National Retail Federation Board of Directors has called on Congress and President Bush to enact legislation to stimulate the nation's…

Study: Pricey products trigger happy responses in consumers

January 15, 2008

MSNBC: The more we believe an item is worth, the happier we are with our purchase — at least for a short time, says a study released in Proceedings of the…

L.L. Bean No. 1 in customer service, according to NRF

January 15, 2008

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Satisfaction guaranteed is a mantra many companies live by, but customers say that none demonstrate that practice more than specialty retailer…