Customer Retention

In its 50-year history, Costco has never seen such demand for gas. Many of its stations have been so overwhelmed that they've had to call in tanker trucks multiple times a day to avoid running dry, Costco said this week during its quarterly earnings call. As prices have surged above $4 nationwide — and above…

Anyone who operates a loyalty program knows that they’re designed to influence buying behavior ...  human buying behavior. A customer remembers their points balance, activates an offer, and checks the app before checkout. That model is showing its age. Artificial intelligence agents are actively making real purchase decisions on behalf of consumers, both within the…

Retailers have spent the last decade racing toward speed. Faster checkouts. Faster deliveries. Automated personalization. Shoppers want it, and retailers have been more than happy to oblige. For years, that speed helped build loyalty. Brands could keep up with consumer expectations while rewarding customers with convenience they could count on. But it’s no longer enough:…

Retailers have long allowed customers to trade old devices for credit toward new purchases; it’s a well-established industry practice. And yet, most retailers still don’t treat it as a core sales driver. With consumer interest in trade-ins growing, now is the time for retailers to examine how they structure and market their programs. Currently, there’s…

The most important moment in retail no longer happens in a store aisle or even on a single promotional day. It happens across screens, in notifications, in checkout flows, and in the quiet spaces between purchases. As e-commerce and digital-first journeys become the default, the traditional retail calendar has begun to lose its grip. There…

For decades, retailers have invested heavily in owning the customer relationship. Loyalty programs, first-party data, and personalization engines were all designed to ensure brands, not intermediaries, understand their customers best. That foundation is now at risk of slipping away as artificial intelligence-powered platforms increasingly take over the shopping experience. As consumers increasingly discover and purchase…

Inflation eased in 2025, but cost pressure for e-commerce sellers remained high. Acquisition costs climbed, margins stayed tight, and growth became harder to earn. That makes one thing clear: sellers cannot afford to lose the customers acquired during the holiday shopping season. In 2026, retention is the growth strategy. Retaining holiday customers is often overlooked…

At the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York City earlier this month, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan spoke with Mark Barrocas, CEO of SharkNinja, a global product design and technology company known for its two $2 billion-plus brands, Shark ($2.6 billion) and Ninja ($2.9 billion). In the interview, Barrocas emphasizes SharkNinja's consumer obsession and shares…

For two decades, Amazon.com has been the gold standard for “effortless shopping.” One-click checkout, simple returns, and friction-free buying built a habit that reshaped consumer expectations. The magic wasn’t just about speed — it was certainty. You knew you could return anything. You knew checkout wouldn’t make you second-guess. Amazon has redefined what shoppers expect…

For years, Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) have been known for deep discounts and deals. Brands fought to outdo each other with bigger promotions, steeper markdowns, and one-time offers designed to create a frenzy. Shoppers ran to stores and online platforms, treating the weekend as the biggest shopping event of the year. However, the…