Customer Retention

A collection of the top tips featured in Total Retail’s magazine and e-newsletters this year, from content marketing to inventory management to merchandising, and much more.

Now that we’re well into the second half of the year, many retailers are beginning to formulate their marketing plans for 2018. In particular, I’ve observed two approaches take shape that I think retailers can immediately act on that will have a major impact in retail marketing next year. First, in a time of stagnating app usage, it’s critical that retailers implement more of a cross-channel mobile marketing approach to engage customers. Second, the ability to use big data to improve customer experiences is finally close to becoming reality. However, brands must achieve the right balance in what data they request from customers and the enriched experiences they offer in return.

The fourth quarter of 2017 may generate the biggest sales yet for e-commerce retail, at least according to a new CPC Strategy report that features the results of a survey of 1,500 U.S. consumers about their holiday shopping plans. One key statistic from the report: 88.1 percent of shoppers surveyed plan to spend about the…

Amazon.com is attempting to attract more more students into its lucrative Prime loyalty program. The retailer announced a new offer for college students: $5.49 monthly subscription plan bundled into a free six-month trial offer. So essentially anyone with an .edu email address can get Amazon Prime free for six months, after which they can elect…

In episode 113 of Total Retail Talks, recorded at Shop.org last month in Los Angeles, DSW's CEO, Roger Rawlins, and CFO, Jared Poff, discuss the footwear retailer's new brand mission, which is focused on building engaging customer experiences, distorting traditional assortment, enabling associate product knowledge, and improving operational execution. Rawlins and Poff provide details on…

In this brand new version of "The Nordstrom Way," co-authors Robert Spector and breAnne O. Reeves examine in-depth the values by which Nordstrom has survived and thrived for more than 116 years. One of those values is the combination of “communication and collaboration,” which is essential for every organization to succeed. This is an excerpt from the book.

In the back corner of my desk drawer is a stack of dusty, neglected loyalty program membership cards. They're tokens that demonstrate that each company once offered me something that convinced me to sign up for their loyalty program. Some are also reminders that those companies have failed to provide me with compelling benefits since.…

In their scramble to reach customers, many business leaders start acquiring mass amounts of data. Others create incredibly complex analytics. Some think the answers come from the top. What's often lost in this quest to innovate is the very thing we claim to value: the customer. Customer centricity might sound like just another buzzword, but it creates the framework required for customers to fall in love with your brand. The strategy? A dynamic and powerful partnership across IT, analytics and busines — between the Geeks, the Nerds and the Suits. This book exposes the most common hurdles companies face in becoming customer-centric, and shares insight on how Geeks, Nerds and Suits can play their part in overcoming them. It not only demonstrates how to create effective collaboration between your teams to solve problems, it shows you how to create a business atmosphere that runs itself and clears the path for innovation.

While the digital world continues to evolve, subscription-based online retail services are growing and becoming highly competitive and lucrative. This opportunity, however, isn't free of challenges, especially when it comes to acquiring and retaining subscribers. Often, online retailers make the strategic mistake of putting greater emphasis on attaining new subscribers over retaining existing ones —…

With reports swirling about the uncertain future of the retail industry, retailers are working to stand out in a highly competitive market, deciphering what customers really want from the brands they interact with, and delivering those things in a timely manner. While determining what consumers want may seem daunting to retailers, according to a recent…