Omnichannel

With the news that Wal-Mart will acquire mobile and social commerce firm Kosmix, the big-box retailer became the latest of several large brands last week demonstrating a healthy commitment to the mobile space by investing heavily in related acquisitions or new business.

Endcap touchscreen digital signage displays are now in nearly every Target store in the country thanks to Possible WorldWide's idea to increase in-store sales of video games and accessories. The international marketing agency recommended placing interactive touchscreens on the aisle endcaps in the video games section to allow guests to quickly and easily locate products.

Luxury lifestyle brand Tory Burch has officially relaunched toryburch.com on the Demandware Commerce platform. Combining e-commerce with its editorial content and social media, the new site reflects the style and personality of its CEO and founder, Tory Burch, while enhancing its customers’ online shopping experience.

According to Nordstrom's blog, the retailer's Seattle flagship store is featuring an interactive window display using Microsoft's hands-free Kinect controller for Xbox 360 to let passers-by "light write" on the glass. 

Omaha Steaks announced the launch of its new mobile website. Developed in-house, the new mobile site is designed to make it convenient for users to shop Omaha Steaks from a variety of mobile devices including the iPhone, Droid and BlackBerry operating systems.

Every retailer understands that direct mail can't do it all. Any campaign needs the other channels to work together, to some extent — and ideally on the same page. While the closely coordinated direct mail and email campaigns are both popular and successful today, perhaps the most effective demonstration of the offline-online marriage are personalized URL (PURL) campaigns.

In a recent session at GlobalShop: The Retail Solutions Event in Las Vegas, the CEO of a retail branding firm predicted the future of retail will be "smaller, flexible, personal and intensely linked."

When one thinks of the most connected, Foursquare-loving urban hipsters or text-obsessive teens spring to mind. Moms, not so much. But according to Babycenter's 2011 Mobile Mom Report, moms with smartphones like the iPhone spend more time with the mobile web (6.1 hours a day) than the PC-based web (4.1 hours).

Tikatok, an online application allowing parents and children to publish original stories into professional-quality hardcover and paperback books, has teamed with HP to create interactive kiosks in Barnes & Noble stores.

Data, data everywhere. No wonder retail marketers are overwhelmed with the volume of data available in today's marketplace. But what to do with it all? With this enormous volume of data comes not only opportunity, but also responsibility. No longer can retailers simply get by on marketing what they want. They must now listen to the voice of the consumer, and market how the consumer wants.