Texting has taken the retail world by storm, with 37 percent of U.S. retailers sending texts and emails to customers in-store, according to Retail Systems Research. In fact, 66 percent of people worldwide use texting to engage with their favorite brands. If you're texting customers, you’ve made an excellent step toward offering more convenient, personalized…
Tara Kelly
Spring is here, lockdowns are a fading memory and the economic outlook is brighter. Although uncertainty abounds and wallets remain tight, we may be in for a softer landing than previously thought. You can celebrate the good news by looking for creative ways to earn wallet share when online and in-store traffic are more blended…
Whether you sell online, from a physical store, or both, there are probably people communicating with your customers on your brand’s behalf who are not on your payroll. It could be a delivery partner, a warranty or call center, an app that provides automated shipping updates, or a partner that provides online chat services. Each…
The path to retail success sounds simple in theory: build loyalty and create sustainable growth by delivering a great customer experience. By doing this, first-time customers become repeat buyers and stick with your brand long term, allowing you to maximize their lifetime value as customers. But this strategy isn't as simple as it seems once you unpack the “customer” part of the formula. It’s especially…
It’s crunch time for retailers. A recent UBS report predicts that 80,000 retail stores will close over the next five years as the huge upswing in online shopping due to the pandemic becomes a more permanent consumer buying pattern. UBS also expects the e-commerce share of total retail sales to grow from 18 percent in…
By now you should have your logistical ducks in a row — fulfillment and shipping processes in place, seasonal help on board, forklift drivers ready to roll, etc. (If not, bookmark this page, go do that now, then come back!) But are you ready to survive “shipageddon,” the combination of the expected massive increase in…
Online shopping’s share of the retail market has been growing ever since Amazon.com and eBay first came on the scene more than two decades ago. The astonishingly fast worldwide adoption of mobile devices created another e-commerce portal, allowing people to make purchases using their phones from anywhere with a connection. Retail branded apps and the…
A recent Deloitte survey on consumer holiday shopping plans contained some interesting news for brick-and-mortar retailers. While online purchases continue to nibble away at in-person shopping margins, consumers are seeking the best of both worlds. In greater numbers, they’re visiting stores to check out products before purchasing online, or purchasing online and picking items up…
