Customer Retention

Returns cost retailers hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Return rates continue to rise each year as a result of online shopping, customer-centric return policies and, now, COVID-19. Since the onset of the pandemic, consumers are avoiding stores and shopping online even more than before. In fact, eMarketer predicted online sales to grow by…

Communication drives conversion. It moves customers from browsers to buyers, delighting them through each step of the purchase journey when done correctly. In a retail operation, these conversations lead to satisfied customers, those that begin to expect a level of excellence that only you can offer. Communication, though, isn’t always accessible. It takes focus and…

Chances are you belong to a customer loyalty program. A recent Mintel report shows that 90 percent of U.S. adults have at least one loyalty membership. But here’s the question: Have you ever used the program or benefited from membership? If your answer is a hard no, you're not alone. The average consumer belongs to…

The world of commerce is continually changing and evolving as a direct impact of technological advances. In 2020, we learned how much technology can shape our experiences and how important it is to use it correctly to make customer journeys frictionless. Consumer expectations shift quickly, and everything in retail changes rapidly. In fact, I would…

A lot has changed since the marketplace was visited by the coronavirus. Businesses closed down. Schools closed down. Restaurants closed down. Retailers were forced to close down, too. At last count, since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, 22 retailers have filed for Chapter 11. That makes a total of 42 retailers this year, and…

The pandemic has changed everything in retail — and it’s not ending anytime soon. Just as stores started to adjust to the “new normal” of frequent disinfection and face masks, the spread of the virus is picking back up in regions across the country, forcing many retailers to close their doors to the public again.…

Many of us crave the coming of Jan. 1 as a symbol of a fresh, new year dangling its promise of being oh so much better than the last. On many fronts, particularly humanitarian, we're anxious to move past the fear, upheaval and political angst of 2020. On the flip side, 2020 was an unprecedented…

Walking into a brick-and-mortar store today feels a bit apocalyptic. Employees now don gloves, facemasks and even the occasional face shield for added protection. There are stickers meticulously placed at six-foot intervals in front of checkout counters to help consumers abide by social distancing rules. Plexiglass shields now act as a protective barrier between cashiers…

Loyalty programs can help online retailers improve customer retention, increase cross-sell and upsell opportunities, and expand margins and revenues. However, poor user experiences can impair customer satisfaction and hamper loyalty programs. Today’s consumers expect fast, friction-free and secure interactions from any device. To unleash the full potential of their loyalty program, retailers need to accelerate…

Amazon.com is big. Powerful, too. The vision of Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is remarkable. It's astounding to consider Amazon’s ascension began just 26 years ago in 1994. While I don’t always agree with Amazon’s practices, I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Bezos as an entrepreneur, a visionary, and for the brand…