Customer Data

Around the world, the view of the “typical” consumer is being turned upside down as the first wave of millennials begin to reach their peak buying power. Millennials are a significant demographic cohort in almost every global market, and in the United States they already account for an estimated $1.3 trillion in annual spending. This…

Everyone in the TV industry knows about the overnights. Such Nielsen ratings let executives know which shows are taking off and which aren’t.  Perhaps that’s why TV is such a vibrant business. Some 65 percent of new shows are canceled every season, according to one estimate. Other industries haven’t had this luxury. In particular, retailers often have…

Retail giant Amazon.com recently expanded its new Handmade marketplace, similar to Etsy, where artisans can sell handcrafted goods. Considering Amazon’s scale and widespread consumer audience, other online marketplaces have reason to be concerned. With its one-hour delivery rolling out across the U.S. and rumors of its own delivery service emerging, Amazon has perfected supply chain logistics. Unlike many companies, it…

The customer expectation is changing and developing lasting relationships with clients is only getting harder. Much is being written about customer loyalty, but many programs are still missing the mark. Until now, customer experience best practices have focused on product differentiation, special offers and customer service. However, most of these practices don't change or adjust…

Big data-driven technology will continue to transform business processes in 2016 and beyond. For web-only and e-commerce marketing and management teams, the growing challenge is how to properly leverage all of the available data. The sheer volume of information can be overwhelming and creates a bit of a quandary where the data can improve efficiency…

With more and more brands selling their products on Amazon.com, there's increasing discussion about the pros and cons of doing so. Selling on Amazon makes sense because that’s where consumers are. However, listing on the marketplace can decrease the number of visitors to a brand's e-commerce site, where they're better able to convert traffic to sales. The…

Some eBay users got a surprise when they discovered that PayPal was making charitable contributions — with the users’ money.

Data is the most powerful tool a retailer can wield. If aggregated and used correctly, data can position your company ahead of the pack and grow your customer base exponentially. However, choose the wrong data or misinterpret its meaning and you’ve wasted your biggest asset. With the overabundance of data at retailers’ fingertips, it’s imperative…

Find out what major retailers took the pledge to close the gender wage gap; which e-tailer Bed Bath & Beyond just acquired; how Office Depot and Staples are stepping up their back-to-school fight; and how Facebook is entering the brick-and-mortar space.

Just as this joke has no well-designed conclusion, the controversy around EMV conversion protocol seems like it will never end. And as fortune would have it, the three subjects in the title are at the heart of the most recent debate. Senator Dick Durbin, somewhat of a merchant ambassador on Capitol Hill, is once again…