News

Moving Customer Engagement Forward
Chain Store Age recently spoke with Jason Miller, chief commerce strategist of Akamai Technologies, about how mobile technology can serve as a key component of omnichannel customer engagement strategies.
Study: Holidays may be merry, but not mobile
Consumers may make merry during the upcoming holiday season, but mobile devices may be less a part of the action than retailers like.

According to a new survey from marketing automation platform provider Bronto Software, only 19% of holiday shoppers plan to purchase from a tablet, and 22% from a smartphone.

Consumers will use mobile devices to search for the best deal: 65% will look for promotions and coupons, 63% will check prices on that store's website and 61% will search for lower prices at another store or site.

The Politics of Overtime

In the two months since the Department of Labor announced its proposed new overtime standards, much has been written about what it may mean for employers big and small.
YouTube shows new sales potential

Videos just became more valuable to retailers. YouTube is releasing Shopping ads, a new advertising format that lets viewers click and buy products directly from videos.
SPECS Profile

The first in a series of interviews with retail executives who attend SPECS, Chain Store Age’s annual store planning conference.
Report: Amazon finds affordable tech help—in Detroit

Detroit’s fledging reputation as a Midwest Silicon Valley took took a big step forward with the news that Amazon is creating a tech hub in the Motor City.

“Michigan is a rapidly growing technology corridor and we’re eager to bring the incredible local Detroit talent to Amazon,” Peter Faricy, VP for Amazon Marketplace, told the Detroit. Free Press.
8 changes that will impact the retail real estate industry

The retail real industry has experienced its share of changes over the years, but nothing comes close to the transformation that it is currently undergoing.

As the industry undergoes what the International Council of Shopping Centers calls one of the “most profound transformations” in its 60-year year history, the association has releases its Envision 2020 report, a collaborative initiative that outlines where the industry will be in five years according to leaders from around the globe.
True Religion believes in omnichannel

Specialty apparel retailer True Religion has found something to connect the physical to the virtual. The Manhattan Beach, California-based chain, which operates about 900 stores globally, has launched an e-commerce site that links its customer experience across channels.
Old Navy exec sets sail for Ralph Lauren

Jill Stanton was named interim president of Old Navy after the top executive at Gap Inc.’s fastest growing division left the company to become CEO of Ralph Lauren.
Report: Online returns are a big problem

Retailers wondering how much of an issue e-commerce returns are may not like the answer.

According to a new infographic from returns management software provider TrueShip, E-commerce returns are both prevalent and frequently the fault of the retailer.

TrueShip data shows that about one-third of all products purchased online are returned by consumers. Of these returns, almost one-quarter (23%) are due to the wrong item being shipped. Another 22% of e-commerce returns results from a product looking and appearing different when it arrives than it did online.