Target

In the wake of a massive data breach, Target suffered reduced customer traffic over one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year,  The Wall Street Journal reported. The number of transactions at Target fell 3 percent to 4 percent compared with last year's final weekend before Christmas, while transactions at other retailers were strong, the Journal said, citing estimates by retail consultancy Customer Growth Partners LLC.

Potential victims of credit card fraud tied to Target's security breach said they had trouble contacting the retailer through its website and call centers. Angry Target customers expressed their displeasure in comments on the company's Facebook page. Some even threatened to stop shopping at the store. Target apologized on Facebook and said it's working hard to resolve the problem and is adding more workers to field calls and help solve website issues.

Target says that its stores have been hit by a major credit card attack involving up to 40 million accounts. Chief Executive Officer Greg Steinhafel confirmed Thursday morning earlier reports that a brazen data breach had taken place. In a statement, Steinhafel said: "Target is working closely with law enforcement and financial institutions, and has identified and resolved the issue." The retailer said that the unlawful access to customer information took place between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15. Earlier, the Secret Service confirmed to USA TODAY that it's investigating the massive data violation involving shoppers’ personal credit card information.

While Beyonce's new fast-selling self-titled album is sure to be on many Christmas wish lists, there's at least one major retailer that's opting not to sell the album: Target. "At Target we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, and when a new album is available digitally before it is available physically, it impacts demand and sales projections," Target Spokesperson Erica Julkowski tells Billboard. 

Marketers have made their lists and they're checking them twice, sometimes even three times. If the conversion needle isn't moving, you might need to rethink your digital strategy. To avoid any holiday hiccups, here are 12 tips on how your content management and personalization strategies can boost conversions, foster brand loyalty and keep customers returning year-round:

The holiday shopping season is here. And I'm not just talking about those obnoxious pre-Thanksgiving Christmas decorations. I'm talking about your customers, who are flocking to the visual web (see Pinterest and Instagram) to prep holiday season wish lists and find gift inspiration. Have you made your list of how to best optimize your digital efforts for those customers, but not yet checked it twice? Don't worry, there's still time! Here are three ways retailers can visually ensure their products are at the top of consumers’ wish lists during this holiday season:

Customer benefits are what it's all about. What makes your brand best for your customers needs to be woven throughout all your editorial, product copy, page heads, design and photography. First, define what makes you the best at XYZ. Second, define how to make it clear to your customer. It's not just about design differences. If you can make a true case for how you're different and why that's good for your customers, that's what no competitor can copy.

Plenty of retailers have leveraged user-generated content (e.g., customer photos and videos) from contests and promotions in branded marketing campaigns before, but not quite like Sears just did. The company's Startup + Developer Challenge, held this past summer, was a "code-a-thon" designed to find the best and brightest minds in the tech community of Silicon Valley — and then use those minds to Sears' benefit.

As the year comes to a close, it's time for my annual roundup of omnichannel retail predictions for the year ahead. I'm focusing on a few interesting trends I saw come to light in 2013 that I believe will become even more widespread next year. Enjoy!

Target has long looked to India to fuel its software applications and back-office projects. Now, the Minneapolis-based retailer is doubling down on the country's tech potential. Come January 2014, Target is planning to launch the Target Accelerator Program, a corporate incubator — complete with funding, and possibly equity stakes in the cohorts — that it hopes will help it tap into the country's startup culture and engineering talent to better compete against other retail heavyweights Wal-Mart and Amazon.com. The selected startups will receive up to $30,000 in funding as part of the program.