September retail sales see modest increases thanks to weather, late back-to-school sales

October 13, 2009

Consumers opened up their wallets last month to treat themselves to new Fall apparel and other discretionary purchases, helping September retail sales see…

Freakonomics co-author to speak at NRF 2010

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Journalist Stephen Dubner has been added to the roster of "retail's big show," taking place this January in New York.

Steve Jobs helping overhaul Disney Stores

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

October 12, 2009

It looks like some of the visionary thinking that went into the Apple Stores is being brought to the retail wing of the Magic Kingdom: The New York Times…

ISME: Design of the Times 2009 award winners announced

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

At this week's In-Store Marketing Expo, a panel of 100 experts picked the year's best retail marketing initiatives in 16 categories.

Target to slash some toy prices by 50 percent for holidays

October 7, 2009

Target has announced that it has cut prices on some popular toy brands, including Barbie brand toys and Fisher Price, by as much as 50 percent as the holidy…

ISME 09: Upstart Play N Trade redesigns its experience, takes aim at GameStop

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Executives from the fastest-growing video game retailer shared details on their store redesign and emphasis on in-store events.

Top 10 brand and marketing trends for 2010

A new definition of value, growing consumer expectations among the things brands and retailers will need to watch for.

Report: Store-based retailers see the most potential in mobile

September 30, 2009

RSR Research's latest report, "Online Commerce in 2009: The Model Has Changed — Have Retailers?" finds that store-based retailers see the greatest…

American shoppers get creative for Halloween

September 28, 2009

One of the spookiest parts of Halloween this year may be the amount people plan to spend on their celebrations. According to the National Retail Federation's…

Opinion: The difference between clerking and selling

The Retail Doc explains why in-store staff should be moved beyond low-hanging fruit and into real selling.

Walmart displays emphasize 'family night'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 13, 2009

Mega-retailer Walmart has already rolled out one recession-driven ad blitz, in which it emphasizes how families can make homemade meals for just a few dollars…

Great customer service: Remembering the little things

Tough times mean retailers need to squeeze all the value they can out of their assets, and that includes the small touches that can make a big difference.

Walmart's 'Project Impact' shoots for cleaner stores, better customer service

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

September 8, 2009

Time is reporting on the real-world impact of Walmart's "Project Impact," a makeover initiative that sees the retailer focusing on cleaner store environments…

Making the case for custom point-of-purchase content

A core factor of the retail customer experience is advertising. But how we speak to a potential customer versus a customer at the point of purchase are not the…

Designing a new experience — and putting fun back into retail

Now is a great time to design and launch a new customer experience — especially for brands feeling the pinch of commoditization.

Driver's license scanning reduces fraud, but may alienate shoppers

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

In an effort to fight return fraud and abuse, a growing number of retailers are using a service that keeps a database of return activity — and feels like an…

Discounting while preserving the brand

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

Hands-on review: Best Buy's Twelpforce

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

The electronics retailer is using Twitter to connect customers to an army of tech experts. How well does it work?

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."

Thinking beyond traditional retail packaging

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