Influencer marketing isn't new; using celebrities to sell products is an age-old practice. However, a new type of influencer marketing — using regular customers as brand spokespeople — is on the rise. Highlighted in a National Retail Federation (NRF) article, “Customers Are the New Celebrities,” this trend of curating a group of select social media…
Off the Retail Record
For a while now, retailers have been betting big on bits and bytes as they invest in retail technology. Overall, retailer IT spend was estimated at $60 billion in 2013. Although e-commerce platform spending gets much of the press, it’s only a small portion, $1.2 billion, of the overall retail tech budget. So where's the…
One thing retailers can count on in January is innovation. Each year, retailers across the globe gather for Retail’s BIG Show hosted by the National Retail Federation (NRF). This year’s event covered the usual topics, such as payment technologies and improving the customer experience, but also demonstrated that there’s a big shift affecting the retail…
The end goal of all retail companies is to hear the cha-ching of the cash register. But getting there is rarely an easy path. Retailers must make a series of decisions before the cash register rings, and one misstep along that decision path can cost them big. In fact, these missteps equate to $1.1 trillion…
Consumers are getting comfy. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a shift in how consumers dress for both work and play. From casual tennis shoes and T-shirts at work to yoga pants at the local watering hole, fitness wear is moving beyond the gym and hitting the streets. According to NPD Group, "athleisure" clothing…
One of the worst feelings a retailer can have is when a customer is ready to buy a product, but you don't have it in stock. Yes, they can be directed to a sister store or check online, but today's shoppers can easily take their dollars elsewhere. Another real problem is the overbuying of product,…