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Barcode scanning isn't a new retail concept. Traditional, expensive handheld barcode scanners have been used in warehouses to manage inventory, and bulky cash registers with related hardware and basic software have for years been scanning barcodes for purchases. However, smartphones and tablets have opened up a whole new world for retailers when it comes to barcode scanning.

Not long ago, we had little choice but to rely on the last click. We had the motive — demonstrate marketing's ability to drive revenue — but we didn't have the means. The data connecting each touchpoint along a customer's path to purchase wasn't available or reliable. Moreover, the tools for analyzing this type of information were neither sophisticated nor affordable. Spending most of your marketing budget to determine whether marketing was working just didn't add up.

Google has developed a way to match the ads you view online to the purchases you make offline by developing a program that tracks you all the way to the store. The In-Store Attribution Transaction Reporting in AdWorks’ pilot program lets Google tell online advertisers — which spend the majority of their budgets on Google — which digital ad views convert to direct in-store sales. "Clicks are just the beginning, and everyone knows that there's more value to tying ads to purchases," advertising technology company myThings CEO Benny Arbel said in a Wall Street Journal report. 

Recent initiatives by eBay, Google, Wal-Mart and the U.S, Postal Service, coupled with the growth of Amazon Fresh, which boasts "same or next-day delivery of almost everything you want to buy — from fresh produce, meat and seafood to diapers, DVDs and toys," have made it clear that same-day delivery is here to stay. In fact, it's increasingly become an option consumers not only turn to and pay a premium for, but now expect to see. To stay competitive in this new market, here are the seven key steps retailers must take to begin a functional same-day delivery program:

Weighing the revenue generated by subscriptions against the cost of shipping, Amazon.com has clearly lost money on Prime. And let's be honest: Prime isn't about the Kindle lending library or the on-demand videos; it's about the fast, "free" delivery. So it's no surprise that Amazon's recent announcement of a price increase for Prime was welcomed by investors, who foresee improved margins in the coming years. Retailers should treat the announcement as good news too. Why?

Product Listing Ads (PLAs) represented a significant shift for e-commerce pros who had previously been able to promote products through Google Shopping for free. Google has supported this new emphasis with AdWords updates in recent months. By late summer, advertisers will find an even bigger change for PLA campaigns set into place. Those updates will be expanded upon very soon according to Google. February's Google Shopping campaigns and March's API support for AdWords generated "great feedback" according to Inside AdWords, and some new supporting features are on the way.

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only," Coco Chanel once said. "Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." Today, the truth of Chanel's statement is particularly evident in the burgeoning intersection of fashion and technology. What with bras that tweet, Warby Parker-designed Google Glass, and an app that hunts down that cool bag you saw on the subway, the way we shop and dress ourselves increasingly relies on the digital. 

New payment apps are trying to replace your physical wallet with a seamless, Internet-connected experience known as the mobile wallet. But these technologies — from giants like PayPal, Google and Chase as well as upstarts like Venmo and Square — are still in their early stages, and as they vie for attention and users, many consumers are failing to see the point, according to a report released in late March by the Federal

Atop the list of highest rated CEOs for 2014 is Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn with a 100 percent approval rating, and then Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg closes out the top 10 with 93 percent approval rating. There's been some movement since last year's, Top 6 Highest Rated Retail CEOs, with quite a few more retailers finding their way into the rankings, including J.Crew, eBay, Costco and Bath & Body Works. Interestingly, a

With millions of users, retailers simply can't ignore social media. Social media allows you to build relationships with customers, and their feedback will help you build your business. But to do that, it's important to know how each works and what pitfalls to avoid. Be smart about incorporating social media into marketing plans and use your resources wisely.