Customer Retention

With customer acquisition costs (CACs) increasing, brands are investing more than ever into marketing and advertising to get shoppers into stores and clicking on "buy" buttons. Yet this focus on the top of the funnel means brands are neglecting some of the most crucial moments in the customer journey. Specifically, those that happen post-purchase, when…

As consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands and retailers strive to strengthen their relationship with the consumer, particularly in a retail climate increasingly affected by inflation and supply chain issues, there are two converging trends to consider — enriching the omnichannel shopping experience and meeting specific consumer need states in new ways.  These aren’t new trends, but…

Almost everyone has made a purchase they weren’t happy with, but for some, the stress of returning an item just might not be worth their time, effort and frustration. There’s always someone who opts to keep that product instead of returning it, even though they’re unhappy with their purchase. In fact, studies show the frustration…

Consumer anxiety persists amid soaring inflation. Consumer confidence slid in July to its lowest level since February 2021. According to the latest survey from the Conference Board, fewer Americans think conditions will improve over the next several months and more were pessimistic about their own financial prospects for the short term. To add to consumer…

Leatherman, a multitool manufacturer based in Portland, Ore., started its business with a prototype and a Cabela’s order for 500 of its multipurpose tool products. Since that original sale in 1983, Leatherman has expanded its reputation and brand among tinkerers and problem-solvers globally, developing recognition for quality products among a very loyal customer following. While…

Years ago, brand loyalty was built on the quality of goods or services. Retailers could focus their attention inward and rely almost exclusively on offering the “best of the best” — or “the best of the best for the price.” Changes in consumer preferences have made this model nearly obsolete. Of course, quality and price are still…

Online commerce experienced massive growth during the COVID pandemic. Consumers turned to online channels for just about every kind of purchase — from groceries to cars. From 2020 to 2022, consumers spent a total of $1.7 trillion online, an increase of $609 billion (61 percent) compared to the two prior years. U.S. ecommerce sales jumped…

Returns have been hitting the headlines lately, with around 16 percent of all merchandise bought in 2021 returned by shoppers. In Europe we’ve seen retailers, including Zara, move from free online returns to charging consumers to send back items. Fast-fashion favorite Asos.com has also recently warned its revenues are being hit by rising costs and…

Retailers know the pandemic transformed e-commerce with a flood of orders from existing customers, brand-new online shoppers, and consumers from other countries. Of course, order volume and customer profiles aren’t the only e-commerce changes since March 2020. Understanding the nuances of those changes is critical for online retail success now. To get a clearer picture…

Technology has been woven into the fabric of our daily lives, with consumers banking, communicating and shopping online. However, the convenience of e-commerce can come at an expense. As consumers have moved deeper toward a digital-first world, questions and concerns about data privacy have grown exponentially. Under increasing pressure, Google recently announced that it will…