Consumers show love for Apple devices during holiday season

December 30, 2015

Phablets made a big comeback in the gift giving season which proved lucrative for Apple as the year comes to an end.

Retailers, online and off, enjoy robust holiday shopping experiences

December 29, 2015

The retail holiday sweet spot was furniture purchases as consumers were in a jolly mood to shop, with overall spending jumping 7.9 percent over last year and…

The changing franchise landscape, and why Incorporation matters more than ever

It is more important than ever for franchisees and franchisors to work together and remain a united front. There are many ways to achieve this, of course, but…

Click and collect: A hat trick retailers can't pull off?

by Chris Petersen — Owner, IMS

'Sort of works' is not acceptable for today's omnichannel consumers.

Dear Santa: All I want for Christmas is equal product pricing across genders

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

From razors and clothing to toys and adult diapers, women are likely always paying more for a product than men.

Holiday time getting more digital and what it means for retailers

December 24, 2015

If you whip out your smartphone during the holiday meals at least half the table will likely be annoyed unless you're doing photo snapping.

Mitigating cybersecurity threats to ensure customer experience is a safe one

Although the nationwide rollout of EMV technology is beginning to eliminate some security concerns, experts expect to see an increase in online fraud as…

Study: Gift card popularity remains high, consumers eager for mobile storage

December 23, 2015

Gift cards are a popular retail consumer focus this holiday season but they’re also a last-minute gift purchase before the big day.

Federal regulators reject latest Staples-Office Depot merger proposal

December 22, 2015

Staples isn’t likely to get the gift it was hoping for this holiday season: federal approval of its move to merge with competitor Office Depot.

Amazon grabs early online holiday sales share

December 22, 2015

Amazon takes top rank in early holiday consumer spending.

Year in Review: 5 insights on why data will remain critical in 2016

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Data, specifically given the looming Internet of Things technology ahead, will prove even more critical for retailers in 2016.

Retail hours for Christmas Eve aim to provide late shoppers a reprieve

December 21, 2015

The retail segment is hoping more than a few procrastinators will be out and about Christmas Eve and expanding hours to accommodate the last-minute consumer…

Small craft brewery demand spurs hop production upward

December 21, 2015

Increasing demand from the craft brewing retail segment is driving U.S. hop production upward.

Warm holiday temps present a cold front for retail sales

December 18, 2015

The warmer than usual temperatures during the holiday season isn't likely making retailers very jolly.

Retailers embracing Free Shipping Friday

December 18, 2015

Whether free shipping offers a competitive edge for retailers is a bit murky as the incentive is now pretty much an expected consumer benefit.

Year in Review: Top mobile news, strategy insight of 2015

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

There were two big 'm' words for the small and big retailer in 2015: millennial and mobile. Both factored big in strategy, merchandising, reassessing payment…

Speed, convenience are tops for retail consumers reveals new research

December 17, 2015

Retail consumers aren't very patient with slow loading online stores and are using their smartphones more than tablets this year when it comes to online…

Report: Big sales days reflect big smartphone, mobile consumer use

December 17, 2015

The top retail sales days of the holiday season reflect increasing consumer adoption and reliance on smartphone and mobile device use, according to a new…

Insight on kicking a 2016 retail strategy off on solid ground

by Ethan Whitehill — CEO, two west inc

It's a good idea to review consumer patterns and data from the past year to make sure retail strategy plans for the new year are on track from the start.

Webinar: Expert insight on how retailers can connect with the millennial consumer

December 16, 2015

One big buzz word in retail customer experience this year is the term ‘millennial’ and a big industry trend is the focus retailers are engaging to capture the…