Social Media

Now that the smoke has cleared from the initial release of the Apple Watch, retailers can take a more objective look at how this latest innovation in wearable technology might disrupt customer engagement and the overall customer experience. Here are three thoughts on how Apple Watch could shift the retail landscape.

Small Screen, Big Challenge/Opportunity

Chain Store Age recently had the chance to speak with noted consumer trend expert Faith Popcorn, founder and CEO of marketing consulting firm Faith Popcorn’s BrainReserve, about steps McDonald’s can take to reverse its struggling fortunes. Popcorn’s insights come on the heels of McDonald’s reporting a 33% year-over-year drop in profits for first quarter 2015.

Bigger Isn’t Always Better
According to Popcorn, McDonald’s vast size is not necessarily an asset anymore.

HSN Inc. has appointed a new chief marketing officer to drive growth for the $3.6 billion multichannel retailer. 

The company named John Aylward as executive VP and chief marketing officer for HSN.

Hard to believe, eBay has now been in existence as an e-commerce platform for 20 years. Since its launch in September 1995, countless individuals and companies have sold and purchased goods via eBay. In addition, many full-fledged omnichannel retailers have evolved from small-scale efforts to sell merchandise on eBay.

Overwhelming demand for Target's Lily Pulitzer collection caused a shopping frenzy over the weekend both in stores and online. 

Louisville, Ky. – Papa John’s wants to be sure customers know exactly what ingredients go into its pizzas. The quick-service chain is enhancing its social content with a series of Instagram and Vine videos about the ingredients it uses, accompanied by Twitter and Facebook content focusing on each ingredient category.

Distributed across Papa John’s social channels during the next seven weeks, the new content will highlight its core ingredients one-by-one — beginning with dough and ending with cheese.
 

The North Face is celebrating Earth Day by expanding its Clothes the Loop omnichannel initiative, with the goal of recycling more than 100,000 pounds of apparel and footwear this year.

The retailer plans to expand its Clothes The Loop recycling program to all of its retail and outlet stores in the U.S. in tandem with an in-store and social media campaign to encourage consumers to recycle unwanted apparel and footwear from any brand in any condition.

Foot Locker introduced its first smartphone mobile app and a new series of “Shoemoji” emoticons that enable a new type of communication among smartphone users.