Omnichannel
March 22, 2017 at 4:12 pm
As we head into Q2, most HR teams are thinking about the performance review process and the resultant discussion around past year performance in a difficult cycle. It's time to assess organizational and individual performance and make talent decisions for the near and long term. However, the best chief human resource officers (CHROs) are thinking…
March 22, 2017 at 1:33 pm
In an interview yesterday with Sucharita Mulpuru at Shoptalk in Las Vegas, Kohl's Chairman, CEO and President Kevin Mansell discussed the future of the struggling retailer, including the role of brick-and-mortar, how the department store will leverage technology, how it views Amazon.com, and the potential impact of the proposed border adjustment tax
March 22, 2017 at 9:09 am
We’ve all heard talk about the pending death of brick-and-mortar in the digital age. We’re certainly seeing declines in an overpopulated retail marketplace as consumers grow more comfortable shopping online. In fact, in the fourth quarter of 2016, about 9.5 percent of all retail sales were transacted online. However, rather than experiencing a full-fledged extinction…
March 21, 2017 at 1:47 pm
Calvin McDonald, president and CEO, Sephora Americas, opened his keynote presentation yesterday at Shoptalk in Las Vegas with a simple question for the audience: Can a retailer truly be experiential? During the next 20 minutes, McDonald proceeded to answer that question in the affirmative, unsurprisingly naming Sephora as a brand that has become experiential for…
March 20, 2017 at 11:27 am
HHGregg Inc. disclosed late Thursday that its proposed purchase by an anonymous buyer has fallen through and that it now is considering the sale of some or all the business to other possible suitors. The struggling company, which filed for Chapter 11 reorganization March 6, said at that time that it had reached an agreement to sell the business…
March 20, 2017 at 10:26 am
If you were to Google "hot topics in retail," you’d get a long list of articles outlining how to engage customers with mobile optimization, social media, omnichannel, loyalty programs and the Internet of Things. While no one disputes these are very important aspects of today’s retail businesses, a recent study from Market Force Information reminds…
March 15, 2017 at 12:04 pm
The retail consumer now exists in the age of instant gratification. When 50 percent of commerce sites are getting less than 15 seconds of attention, and visitors are abandoning pages after just two seconds, brands are more hard-pressed than ever to develop creative and innovative experiences for their customers. It's up to marketers to leverage…
March 15, 2017 at 10:37 am
The term “omnichannel” has become so ubiquitous in marketing circles that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when this term took hold. The general consensus is that omnichannel emerged in 2007, with the introduction of the iPhone. However, Retail Systems Research proposes that the roots of omnichannel lie in the idea of “customer centricity,” which retailers were…
March 13, 2017 at 10:58 am
Several Wal-Mart stores in Texas are testing touchscreens in the toy aisle that allow shoppers to browse inventory that's available to order beyond what the store currently has in stock. In addition, the screens can suggest items for shoppers, guiding them to best-selling products based on a description of who the toy is for. Customers can…
March 13, 2017 at 9:19 am
There was a time when the merchandise within the four walls of a retail store dictated what shoppers could buy. Those four walls have come down. Digitally enabled shopping — from mobile comparison shopping to social recommendations — has launched a feverish quest to serve the new battleground of customer expectations by delivering shopping experiences…
