Consumer Analytics

The physical store remains the centerpiece of the purchase journey, according to a study by PwC. The report, "Demystifying the Online Shopper," addresses myths about multichannel retailing and offers some ideas to help retailers keep up with their customers. Here's a recap:

Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM on Thursday announced the creation of the IBM Customer Experience Lab, dedicated to helping business leaders transform the way customers experience their products, services and brands through the use of mobile, social, cloud and advanced analytics technologies.

The IBM Customer Experience Lab will provide CEOs, CMOs, CFOs, heads of sales and other C-suite executives direct access to a virtual team of 100 researchers, supported by the expertise of thousands of IBM business consultants addressing the opportunities of the digital front office.

Waban, Mass. -- Chick-fil-A, Dunkin' Donuts, Sonic Drive-In, and Little Caesar's earned the top spots in the fast food sector of the 2013 Temkin Experience Ratings. At the other end of the spectrum, KFC and McDonalds were the lowest-rated fast food restaurants. The fast food industry earned the second highest average rating out of 19 industries, falling only behind the grocery sector.

DENVER — PaySimple, the cloud-based platform for managing and growing small businesses, has launched a redesigned mobile payment and business management iOS application accompanied by a new mobile credit card reader. The updated Run-Your-Business App offers service-based business owners the flexibility they need to operate their companies from anywhere and from a range of devices.

By Theresa Wabler, [email protected]

As retailers and manufacturers settle into the reality of the “new normal” of shoppers who  will continue their frugal consumption habits amidst recession or not, it’s crucial to employ promotional tactics that generate significant, lasting value, not just a flash in the pan. As marketers consider their options, one tried and true promotional tactic should be included to yield definite results: rebates.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. said it has completed the sale of its entire consumer credit card portfolio to TD Bank Group for $5.7 billion, the gross value of the outstanding receivables at the time of closing.
 

AUSTIN — Catalina has unveiled BuyerVision Mobile, the mobile ad solution for CPG brands with the ability to deliver personalized media based on in-store purchase history. Already influencing more than 230 million shoppers through the leading in-store media network, Catalina’s new offering delivers personalized mobile advertising to 70 million households.

NEW YORK — Saks Fifth Avenue has redesigned the Saks.com homepage to include a longer, more fluid layout that more prominently highlights seasonal trends and most-wanted designers. 

The new site now features larg-scale photography, improved navigation, easier access to magazine-style features and enhanced product detail pages.

Saks.com was last refreshed in July 2010 and the last complete redesign was in September 2007.