Deena M. Amato-McCoy

Articles by this author:

  • Focus on: Loss Prevention (In This Issue)
    Thu, 12/27/2012 - 1:32pm

    Total losses attributed to retail shrinkage hit $34.5 billion last year, “positioning retail crime as the largest form of property crime,” according to Dr. Richard Hollinger, professor of criminology, law and society, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla. And it shows no signs of easing anytime soon. Indeed, the rate of shrink remains on a five-year climb, according to the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC), Gainesville, Fla.

  • Multichannel Growth (In This Issue)
    Thu, 12/27/2012 - 1:29pm

    When UGG Australia began evaluating how shoppers wanted to engage with its brand, the footwear company — best known for its popular sheepskin boots — decided to augment its wholesale channel and digital presence with freestanding brick-and-mortar stores.

    “Retail [freestanding stores] allows Deckers to showcase the UGG product in ways that many of our partners may be unable [to do],” said Yul Vanek, VP information technology for Deckers Outdoor, the Goleta, Calif.-based parent of UGG, Teva and other banners.

  • IT Hot Buttons (In This Issue)
    Thu, 12/27/2012 - 1:25pm

    From mobile payments to mining big data for customer insights, savvy retailers are using all the tools at their disposal to engage and connect with shoppers and provide relevant, convenient and personalized shopping experiences across all channels.

    As retailers competitively position themselves for growth in 2013 and beyond, there are a number of hot buttons or key considerations that will be driving their strategies. Here is a look at some of the top ones:

    Marketing and IT collaboration

  • What the C-suite Needs to Know About … Cloud Computing (In This Issue)
    Thu, 12/27/2012 - 1:23pm

    Retail chains are keeping a sharp eye on IT solutions that will deliver a fast return on investment and streamline business operations. A step in the right direction is to transition a legacy-based applications to the cloud, but a lack of understanding among the corporate hierarchy can slow efforts.

  • The BIG Show Is Back (In This Issue)
    Tue, 11/27/2012 - 11:47am

    With an eye on expansion, both from customer engagement and operational perspectives, retailers are eager to revitalize their brands and overall shopping experiences, according to industry experts. The upcoming 102nd annual NRF Convention & EXPO, produced by The National Retail Federation, Washington, D.C., promises to educate attendees on these and other business strategies.

  • Building Relationships (In This Issue)
    Tue, 11/27/2012 - 11:46am

    Loyalty programs may be commonplace across the retail industry, but few are capable of rewarding members on a personal level. Société de transport de Montréal (STM) may not be a retailer, but retail chains can learn a valuable lesson from how the transportation company rewards individual consumers for their loyalty.

  • Focus on: Mobile Retailing (In This Issue)
    Tue, 11/27/2012 - 11:39am

    By many accounts, Walgreens is already a mobile retailing veteran. But eager to keep its service exciting and valuable, the drug store chain recently added a new product-mapping service within its mobile strategy.

    Walgreens began its mobile journey in September 2009, when it launched an app designed to “improve the way our customers interact with us,” explained Tim McCauley, senior director, mobile commerce for Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens.

  • Perfect Timing (In This Issue)
    Thu, 10/25/2012 - 2:17pm

    With approximately 95% of retail purchases still occurring in physical stores (according to the National Retail Federation), it has never been more important to find new ways to engage, and connect with, in-store shoppers. For The Finish Line, mobile point-of-sale was a critical component in its drive to enhance the customer’s shopping experience.

  • The Right Fit (In This Issue)
    Thu, 10/25/2012 - 2:16pm

    One of the biggest problems for retailers is ensuring they have the right sizes and styles available in the correct stores. Retailers that have trouble planning localized assortments are at an additional disadvantage.

    Town Shoes knows this challenge firsthand. The 60-year-old company relied on spreadsheets to create assortments, making targeted or clustered store assortments nearly impossible.

  • Focus on: Next-Generation Business Intelligence (In This Issue)
    Thu, 10/25/2012 - 2:15pm

    Eager to make more effective business decisions, many retailers are reevaluating their business intelligence strategies. With a renewed focus on breaking down enterprise-wide silos, retailers are making a move to the next generation of BI, which includes giving line and store managers access to predictive analytics tools and multifunctional views of data.

© 2013