Loyalty Marketing

New York -- The hunt is on for a new chief executive at Safeway following the resignation of longtime chairman and CEO Steve Burd.

Burd, 62, is scheduled to retire at the company’s annual stockholders meeting on May 14 and will aid in the search of his successor that is said to include internal and external candidates. Burd joined Safeway in October 1992 as president and was appointed CEO in May of the following year.

More than 2,800 Walmart locations now feature Jackson Hewitt brand tax preparation services and the opportunity to drive big ticket sales once shoppers get their hands on refund checks.

At a time of year when much of the retail news we hear focuses on receipts and holiday sales performance, I can’t help thinking that the notion of value has become synonymous with price — and only price. You can make the argument that price has nearly hijacked the whole definition of value. Why is that, exactly? Should retailers be paying closer and more systematic attention to how they articulate (and how customers perceive) the value of their brand?

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

When it comes to mobile commerce and digital solutions, Sears Holdings has evolved into a best-in-class company, one that has truly embraced the cross-channel shopping experience. Seeking ways to make shopping more convenient for its customers, the chain was among the first to offer visibility to in-store inventory, as well as the ability to buy online and pick up in-store.

By Chris Donnelly, managing director, Accenture Retail

Ahead of the holidays, 56% of U.S. consumers told us that they expected to ‘showroom’ as they bought gifts this year — underlining the threat of online pure play retailers to the success, and even existence, of traditional retailers. However, traditional retailers can compete and even win this battle.

Getting closer to the customer has always been important to retailers, but never more so than it is today. Chain Store Age spoke with SAP’s Lori Mitchell-Keller about the transformational shifts that are shaking up the retail model.

All the buzz today is about how retailers need to get closer to the customer, but what exactly does it mean?

New York City -- Cache said Thursday it has launched a new mobile app shopping experience through its partnership with Usablenet, a mobile and multichannel platform company.

Through the mobile app, customers can now receive relevant content and promotions in a user friendly device. This introduction complements Cache's mobile web store and offers the full range of Cache designs.