Retail Stores

Urban Outfitters Takes its Shop on the Road
October 5, 2011

On Oct. 6, Urban Outfitters will officially kick off its Store on Tour in Columbia, S.C. The company got its hands on two refurbished shipping trucks and will be selling its gear on the road, along with some friends. Dockers helped curate a gallery of artwork made out of Dockers' khakis, Tortoise & Blonde will be hawking indie eyewear, and Dry Soda Co. will be handling the refreshments, some of which will be free.

Nordstrom and Saks Top Luxury Customer Experience Index
October 5, 2011

The e-tailing group's inaugural luxury market mystery shopping study titled Champagne Tastes and Caviar Dreams: A Global Look at Luxury, provides an overview of how the luxury market is using the internet and mobile devices for branding and selling with guidelines to help merchants deliver a sophisticated digital experience that drives engagement.

After Missoni Success, Target Announces Next Collaboration
October 4, 2011

Its wildly successful Missoni line is still in stores, but Target is already looking ahead. The discount chain announced that it will next collaborate with fashion designer Jason Wu, who shot to fame after First Lady Michelle Obama wore one of his dresses to the 2009 Inaugural Ball.

This Holiday Season Could Be a Heyday for Layaway
October 4, 2011

With the holiday season approaching and consumers’ budgets tighter than ever, many major retailers are bringing back layaway as a payment option for customers. Will many shoppers consider layaway as a payment choice for the holidays? 

Hold the (Window) Dressing
October 3, 2011

The world of shopping and shoppers is neatly divided into haves and have-nots. While the recovery of the luxury retail business, due largely to its successful globalization efforts, has been in the forefront of the news a lot lately, at the opposite end of the spectrum another equally strong and important movement is underway.

Michelle Obama Shops at Target, Causes Stir
October 3, 2011

Photos of first lady Michelle Obama strolling away from the checkout counter at a Target store in Alexandria, Va. circled the globe Sept 30. The images were unusual and striking, depicting the elegant first lady in an unglamorous disguise shopping at a discount store familiar to millions of Americans.

H&M Speeds Up Expansion Despite Drop in Q3 Profits
October 3, 2011

Hennes & Mauritz accelerated its expansion plan and said it's gaining market share as it delivered a fall in third-quarter profits that was smaller than feared. The fashion retailer suffered a 15 percent drop in third-quarter profit, hit by costs such as higher cotton prices. 

Google Opens First Retail Store
October 3, 2011

Google has opened its first physical shop. The Chromezone is a shop within a branch of Currys and PC World on London’s Tottenham Court Road, and is being used by Google to trial a new way of selling its own Chromebook laptops.

2 Great Insights From Shop.org
October 1, 2011

The Shop.org Annual Summit is consistently one of my favorite conferences of the year. Held in late summer, the event provides me with a burst of inspiration that I tap into throughout the rest of the year. This year's conference, held in Boston from Sept. 12 - 14, was no exception. Here are two insights I learned there that I'd like to share with you:

Philip Stein Halts E-Commerce in Effort to Support Retail Partners
September 30, 2011

In an effort to help its retail partners create an ideal shopping experience on behalf of Philip Stein, the brand is halting all online watch sales on its website. “A positive retail experience is a vital part of the Philip Stein mission to make their customers their number one priority”, says Will Stein, president of Philip Stein watches. “The best way to do that is by providing the service and attention that only a retail environment can provide.”