No, Your Customer Can't Put Off the Purchase!

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

If you can't find the energy to explain why waiting is not an option, you'll never make a sale in this economy. And the more expensive the item is that you…

Ready for the hook plus line and sinker in the store?

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

I needed to buy a down pillow. That’s how it started. I needed something softer than the hard, bouncy pillow I’d been sleeping on for months, so I thought…

The Moment of Truth: The 4 P's of Retail

by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

All retailers use vast amounts of data to make decisions – whom to target, how to target, when to target, what to sell, how to sell, where to sell, etc.  But…

Making Retail Work: What To Say Before They Go Out The Door

by Bob Phibbs — CEO, The Retail Doctor

Giving thought to what employees should say as customers leave is something most of us never consider when trying to build sales. I'm reminded of my first…

Home Depot spending $60 million on handheld devices

January 20, 2010

DIY retailer Home Depot is spending big bucks this year to help its staffers improve the in-store experience: According to BusinessWeek, the retailer announced…

Retailers tackling 'mountains of data'

January 3, 2010

A new report in the New York Times discusses the "mountains of data and whiz-bang technology" that today's retailers are wrestling with, in their ongoing…

7 keys to customer experience in 2010

True dedication to the voice of the customer will be pivotal for retailers looking to improve their customer experience in the coming year.

The 5 biggest retail customer experience stories of 2009

Faced with a tough economy and shaky consumer confidence, retailers innovated when it came to customer experience this year.

How consumers killed customer service

Demand for low prices has driven down the value of customer service. Here's how retailers can drive it back up.

Study: Promotional bundles devalue products, reduce long-term profit

December 16, 2009

The best things in life aren't free, especially for companies trying to lure customers by offering sweet deals on two complementary products.

NRF survey: Most consumers are less than halfway done with holiday shopping

December 16, 2009

Though the Christmas countdown is in its final stages, it seems shoppers still have plenty of shopping left to do. According to NRF's 2009 Holiday Consumer…

How mobile is set to impact the 2009 holiday retail season

In what is another challenging holiday season for retailers, mobile marketing and advertising provide a very welcome bright spot.

Cegid to unveil retail management tool at NRF Big Show

December 9, 2009

Software solutions company Cegid announced that it will unveil its latest retail planning, merchandising and store management application at the NRF EXPO…

Survey: Retail employees not giving good customer service, despite tough job market

December 7, 2009

Despite working in a sector that has suffered job losses averaging roughly 50,000 per month since the start of the recession, retail employees are not…

How discounting is hurting retailers

When retailers lower prices without asking customers to give up something in return, confusion results and sales are negatively impacted.

RetailWire Discussion: Localization and limited buys

The pendulum has swung away from generalization and back toward localization, but retailers and brands are learning how to execute locally through their…

Report: Consumer definition of value is changing

December 2, 2009

The shopper experience study underway by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research reveals that electronics and department stores continue to see the largest…

Black Friday verdict: Number of shoppers up, average spending down

A National Retail Federation survey conducted over the weekend confirms the expected: more people spent less.

Shifting retailers respond to new 'season of discontent'

Smart retailers are combating the tough times with an organizational shift to a customer-centric focus.

Report: Gift card spending to drop slightly

November 18, 2009

While they remain the most requested holiday item, shoppers are expected to pull back on buying gift cards again this year. According to NRF's 2009 Holiday…