Omnichannel

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation on Monday urged Congress to take a comprehensive approach as it contemplates a national response to criminal cyber attacks in which millions of consumers’ credit and debit card numbers were stolen. NRF said retailers are willing to do their part to improve security, but that banks and card companies must also take major steps to shore up the current fraud-prone payments system.

Online premium-candy marketer Sugarfina has opened its first retail location, in Beverly Hills, Calif. The 1,400-sq.-ft. space is designed as a luxury candy boutique, with a large glass skylight and airy bubble chandeliers that hang like clouds in the sky. Sugarfina candy in hundreds of colors line the walls on thin floating shelves — the candy appears to be floating.
   

Our industry has talked so much about omnichannel that it seems only the “aha” gets our attention anymore. Here’s the problem: Our talk is well ahead of our ability to execute. And execution is what matters.

Omnichannel isn’t sexy. It’s not about “Wow.” It’s about making it easier for people accustomed to an anything-anytime-anywhere world to do business with us. That’s primarily a question of organization, commitment and execution, for manufacturers as well as retailers.

Fort Worth, Texas - RadioShack is opening its first custom concept store in New York on Saturday, Feb. 1. Situated steps from Grand Central terminal, this location and its design evoke a sleek 1960s-retro feel, paired with a modern product assortment.

Interactive areas throughout the store encourage shoppers to discover personalized solutions, connect with sales associates and realize the unlimited potential of technology. All RadioShack concept stores showcase an upgraded shopping experience with:

Seattle – The price of subscribing the Amazon Prime preferred shipping program will reportedly increase. According to the Huffington Post, Tom Szkutak, CFO of Amazon, said on a Jan. 30 investors call that the company is considering raising the current $79 yearly fee for Amazon Prime, which includes free two-day shipping, by $20 to $40 in the U.S.

Jacksonville, Fla. - Shoppers are increasing eating out by actually eating in as they take advantage of ready-to-eat foods and meal solution offerings from grocery stores, quick-serve restaurants, food delivery and take away. A new study from AMG Strategic Advisors, “The Why? Behind the Buy,” shows that Millennials are most likely to use prepared food for meal solutions, but overall, 77% of total U.S. shoppers reported eating out in the past month.

When it comes to meeting consumer expectations, the stakes for retailers have never been higher. Digital age consumers are more discerning, have high expectations for the quality of product information and use technology in a variety of ways to make educated purchasing decisions. They use search engines to get more information about a product or brand. They comparison-shop online. They visit manufacturers’ websites. They read online endorsements, reviews and recommendations.

New York – Facebook had a notable influence on holiday shoppers, especially those using mobile devices. According to a new study from Millward Brown Digital, 83% of 500 consumers surveyed who follow a retailer or consumer product on Facebook found their posts to be somewhat to very valuable when preparing for holiday shopping.