Loyalty programs and brand loyalty

Branded goods, and stores themselves, need to find new ways to engage and connect with shoppers.

Stores offer alcohol, movies to keep men shopping

April 2, 2009

The Wall Street Journal: On a recent afternoon, customers at Lost Boys in Washington, D.C., sipped cold beers and watched "Casino Royale" on a giant…

The retail power of suggestion

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

A carefully worded farewell can often subliminally impact shoppers into coming back for more.

NRF: Easter retail sales expected to fall 14 percent

March 22, 2009

Bizjournals.com: Expect consumers to spend less on the Easter holiday this year. The National Retail Federation, in its 2009 Easter Consumer Intentions and…

Circuit City: What went wrong?

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

As the once-great electronics retailer winds down, experts weigh in on what mistakes were made.

The psychology of color at retail

Cultural, demographic differences play crucial roles in color design for the retail environment.

Basket-at-once scanning technology exists, but retailers aren't biting

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

RFID-based scanners can massively speed up checkout and cut wait times, but supply chain challenges have prevented adoption.

Opinion: 12 ways to maximize the customer during a recession

The author of Retail Business Kit for Dummies weighs in with tips on how to get more out of each customer interaction and drive repeat business.

Tough times drive retailers back to basics

The economy is prompting a number of retailers to drop their experimentation with millennial marketing.

ShopYourWay merges Sears, Kmart multichannel experiences

March 15, 2009

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings Corp. announced the unification of its multichannel services under an initiative dubbed ShopYourWay. Both Sears and…

Queue management targets the last stage of the purchasing process

Discipline blends design, engineering and technology to maximize efficiency and reduce walk-aways.

Jeweler lets shoppers share their personal stories online

March 9, 2009

AUSTIN, Texas — Bazaarvoice, provider of hosted social commerce applications, today announced that Zale Corp., a leading specialty retailer of fine jewelry in…

iCongo version 8 adds dynamic catalog creation, enhanced merchandising

March 4, 2009

MONTREAL — iCongo, provider of e-commerce and cross-channel systems, today announced a set of new features to its retail e-commerce and cross-channel system.

Store closings spell big opportunities for the survivors

March 4, 2009

The Associated Press: Retailers left standing amid the carcasses of their competitors are going after orphaned customers. They're using aggressive mailers…

Order online, pickup in-store boosts sales

March 1, 2009

Internet Retailer: As competition for retail sales increases, in-store pickup of online orders is emerging as a more important opportunity for multi-channel…

Discounters snag upscale customers, but do they build loyalty?

Newly frugal shoppers may love the savings at discount stores, but they're not loving the experience.

PRN, Retail Entertainment Design announce alliance

February 25, 2009

LAS VEGAS — Premier Retail Networks Inc. (PRN), provider of digital media solutions at retail, and Retail Entertainment Design (R-E-D), an award-winning…

Research: Mobile retail apps have massive growth potential

A new survey reveals that while most online shoppers have mobile phones, only a fraction have used them while shopping.

Phone company upgrades in-store experience with interactivity, signage

February 22, 2009

JEEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — When 200 of retail's top designers, editors and vendors cast their votes for the most influential store designs of 2008, Mobily's use…

Putting your best customers to work for you

The best retailers don't just serve their customers — they put them to work, on behalf of the organization.