Study: Online holiday spend will beat in-store spend this year

November 1, 2017

For the first time ever, online holiday shopping spend will beat in-store retail spend, according to a new Deloitte study.

Outdoors retailer shuttering doors on Black Friday

October 31, 2017

For the third year in a row, outdoors retailer REI won't be open on Black Friday.

Price not the only focus for consumers these days

October 25, 2017

While the price point will always be a top consideration for the consumer, other factors, from in-store events to great service, are also top of mind…

Brick-and-mortar retailers' secret weapon: Conversion rate optimization

Mark Ryski, CEO and founder of HeadCount Corp., wonders why conversion rate optimization isn't a retail obsession given the difficult business conditions…

Why personalization is key for retail customer experiences

Jim Dicso, CEO of SundaySky, explores how retailers can personalize engagement in an entertaining, valuable and non-creepy way and create superior customer…

Smart store tech is a revenue booster, reveals report

October 17, 2017

A new Juniper Research report reveals smart store technologies will spur over $78 billion in annual transaction revenue in the next five years.

Impulse service on steroids

by Chip Bell — Customer Loyalty Consultant/Author, Chip Bell Group

Chip Bell explains how products involved in an impulse buy usually have some "eye catching" feature and are smartly positioned where a roving eye cannot miss.

Meal kit industry keeps expanding

October 10, 2017

Baldor Specialty Foods, an East Coast foodservice distributor, is the newest player to jump into the $1 billion meal kit industry, according to a New York Post…

Alibaba one-ups Amazon by building a mall for retailers

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

Chris Petersen writes on how Amazon and Alibaba, two great disruptors of traditional bricks and mortar retail, are focused on creating new models that will…

Why B2C marketers must strike a better balance between customer acquisition and retention

Eric Keating, vice president of marketing at Zaius, explains why ecommerce retail marketers should spend more time and resources turning existing customers…

Take your workforce off a 'lean' diet with better management practices

John Orr, senior vice president of retail at Ceridian, believes employees are at the core of delivering a good customer experience and achieving profitability…

5 lessons restaurants can learn from Uber, Amazon

by Shyam Rao

Uber and Amazon have bridged the gap between digital and physical experiences in a way that has reset consumer expectations for how they interact with all…

Cyber Monday will overtake Black Friday as consumer favorite, reveals study

September 28, 2017

Tired of crowds, long lines and seeking more convenience, consumers are expected to shop more on Cyber Monday this holiday season than on Black Friday.

Halloween spend may hit $9B record

September 28, 2017

Retailers selling Halloween candy, costumes and pumpkins are likely to see a lot of consumer activity this year as shoppers are predicted to spend $9.…

What retailers need to know in the wake of the Equifax breach

Jason Tan, CEO of Sift Science, explains what retailers need to keep an eye out for in the wake of the Equifax breach. Last year 48 percent of online…

Consumers more comfortable with nonfinancial providers for bill pay, money transfers

September 26, 2017

A substantial number of consumers are comfortable using nonfinancial providers for essential activities such as paying bills, transferring money to others and…

US retail sales dip for second time in three months

September 20, 2017

Americans are pulling back on spending when it comes to electronics and clothes, and the trend is cited as a reason why U.S. retail sales dropped in August …

A shopper marketing conundrum: Providing a personalized mobile experience at scale

Matt McGinty, chief revenue officer, Fiksu DSP, provides insight on why targeting shoppers via mobile, based on their shopping habits, can improve the…

A retailer's guide to driving modern customer experiences

Antoine Rizk, vice president of go-to-market programs at Axway, provides insight on how the customer journey is transforming into a cross-platform experience…

Making retail work for every generation - not just millennials

Bob Feher, an expert in analyst relations and market intelligence at NCR Corp., provides insight on why retailers which are striving to keep up with millennial…