Sales & Marketing

Websites with technical difficulties do more than frustrate shoppers — they damage a brand’s reputation.   This was according to a new survey from QualiTest Group. The report, which was conducted with Google Consumer Surveys in June 2017, was based on a sample of more than 1,000 respondents from the United States between the ages of 18 and 54.  

Consumers shopping for others bring different expectations and needs than those shopping for themselves. Until now, retailers have turned a blind eye to the enormous sales opportunities in digital gifting, which is estimated to represent $200 billion-300 billion in sales annually.  Leading retailers and brands such as Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Coach, Lilly Pulitzer, Vera Bradley, and others have begun to embrace innovative, new digital gifting solutions and monetize the emerging digital gifting category.   

Sephora continues to experiment with store formats, and this time it's going smaller.  

Subway is more accurately planning new locations.   The fast-causal restaurant chain is partnering with location intelligence provider SiteZues, to augment its development strategy. The company’s data-driven solution will combine advanced geospatial technology and visualization with Subway’s market data. The result will be more thorough and accurate insights — the foundation Subway needs to plan and expand its market growth.   

Abercrombie & Fitch is setting its sights on Chinese teens in a new partnership with China's online giant.   The retailer will start selling its namesake brand and Abercrombie kids line on Alibaba Group's Tmall website, starting on July 26. Tmall, which is China's largest consumer website for brands and retailers, has carried Abercrombie's Hollister brand since 2014.  

More Walmart stores are adding those massive vending machines that cater to online order in-store pickup.    The retailing giant will expand its automated online order pickup kiosks to 80 more locations across the country over the next several months, according to Business Insider. The pickup vending machine, which was introduced in a single store in Bentonville, Arkansas last year, is currently available in 20 stores,   

The largest restaurant chain in the world has unveiled a tech-savvy, makeover that seeks to reinvent its customer experience for a digital age.