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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
SXSW: How can we reboot the beacon to serve, not assault?
MediaPost hosted a notable “OMMA @ SXSW” event in which the topic “Beacons, M-Pay and The Great Shopper Reboot” was covered. A key theme to the panel was how technologies…
Beyond the box: Relationship marketing as loyalty
Traditionally, loyalty has fit in a nice little box. But loyalty should evolve beyond the box — to blur the line between loyalty vs. relationship marketing, and acquisition vs. customer…
Retailers struggle with personal e-mails
According to a study last December by The Relevancy Group, via eMarketer, segmentation and targeting top the e-mail marketing priority lists of marketers in 2015. That is hopeful news, because…
Consumers depend on ratings and reviews
With ratings and reviews proving to be essential to online shopping, retailers are taking different approaches to the practice based on their target customers, their overall brand image and the…
Will a men’s line help Target burnish its TarJay image?
The fashion buzz at Target has always circled around its collaborations with designers for women’s clothing. Now, Target is looking to burnish its fashion image, but this time with a…
Elton John wants to put Dolce & Gabbana out of business
“I’m Still Standing” was a hit for Elton John back in the eighties. The question today is whether Dolce & Gabbana will remain standing after the rock star called for…
Facebook acquires shopping search site
Facebook has acquired TheFind, a sophisticated e-commerce search app. The acquisition is said to be less about online selling and more about improving the relevance of the social network’s advertising…
Retail deals with its circular problem
With digital coupons continuing to underwhelm and newspaper readership shrinking, retail continues to have a circular problem. A Wall Street Journal article last week chronicled the many challenges facing digital…
Drugstores take on the (property) taxman
Retailers pay property taxes that generate a sizable amount of revenue for municipalities. Some drug stores have been arguing a tax strategy in courts around the country that, when successful,…
How is omnichannel raising customer service expectations?
Adding a myriad of devices and resources to their unique shopping experiences, omnichannel consumers are expecting more out of service experiences — from initial engagement with a brand or retailer…
Retailers get the couponing bug
Coupons have low redemption rates. They contribute to diminished brand equity and accelerate the price race to the bottom. But there is something else coupons do — drive sales. How…
Online videos power customer engagement
Sharing knowledge, if you’re a retailer, can be a powerful way to connect with consumers and ultimately drive sales. Yesterday, arts and crafts retailer Michaels announced the launch of online…
Does retail need to get back to measuring and rewarding associates?
Consumers are no longer driven to go to stores to conduct research or save money — they can do both online, often more efficiently. And highly informed omnichannel shoppers who…
L.L. Bean’s future will be built with bricks and clicks
L.L. Bean thinks it can drive more business by opening stores, and deliver an L.L. Bean customer experience as great in-person as it is online and in print. Will opening…
Amazon’s new store is all about exclusives
Yesterday, Amazon.com announced the launch Amazon Exclusives, a new online store that gives consumers access to innovative, new “up-and-coming” products featured on television and Kickstarter campaigns. What do you see…
Amazon ponders ninth generation fulfillment center design
You know a company is a little different when it talks about what generation it is on for its distribution center design, like a Boeing aircraft or something. But that…
Retailers to Congress: Pass the Marketplace Fairness Act
There were very few people who thought the Marketplace Fairness Act had any chance of being revived when Republicans won majorities in Congress in last November’s elections. While the future…
Do fast feeders need a sugar rush for success?
Modern fast food restaurant menus, broadly speaking, tend to fall into two camps: those that offer nutritious fare and those that make an appeal strictly on taste. Recent news from…
Will Apple get us to buy a Watch we don’t need?
Apple officially unveiled its Watch yesterday and here’s some of what we know: Besides telling time, it receives e-mail, tracks fitness activity, plays music, enables purchases using Apple Pay and…
Aldi engages in shuttle diplomacy with college kids
What are college kids to do when they need some groceries and the nearest store is beyond walking distance, especially when returning while loaded down with purchases? One option, being…
Cinderella extends movie tie-in possibilities
While movie tie-ins often include toys, Halloween costumes and video games, “Cinderella” appears to be a rare movie that extends its merchandising across a wide range of fashion categories. Is…
