Omnichannel

Sears must have had some success with the QR codes in its 2010 holiday catalog, as the department store chain's new tools catalog has been populated with QR codes as well. The QR codes typically resolve to videos showing the various tools in use which is a great idea, every tool catalog should be like this.

When it comes to the e-wallet market, only one name really holds weight: PayPal. American Express hopes to change all that with its new service, Serve. A digital payment and commerce platform, Serve will give consumers the ability to spend, send, and receive money on the internet just like PayPal.

The traditional definition of convergence has evolved to mean something much more than the ability to view media across three screens (computer, mobile, television). The term now represents the blurring of the lines between media delivery, social interaction, mobile experiences, and even the physical and digital worlds. Here are nine things that happened in the last year to bring convergence into focus:

Best Buy announced it will be partnering with open wireless broadband network provider LightSquared to enter the wireless industry by becoming a mobile virtual network operator selling mobile broadband access.

For years marketers have cited the success of 2-D barcodes overseas and eagerly waited (and waited) for them to take hold in the U.S. Thanks to prominent endorsements from Target, Best Buy, Macy's and Post Cereals, that day might finally be nearing.

Starting out on mobile can be overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you prepare for your first campaign? These are questions that we hear every day. This is the first in a series of posts on establishing your presence on the mobile web — before you even start your first advertising campaign.

Lingerie and apparel company Frederick's of Hollywood is taking a new tack on consumer outreach with the launch of its first magalog — a more editorially-driven catalog that showcases the label as a lifestyle brand.

In part one of this series appearing in yesterday's ROI Report, I discussed best practices around four retail trends heavily discussed at this week's INNOVATE 2011, the Retail Innovation and Marketing Conference sponsored by the National Retail Federation. Here are four more:

A 2011 report from the Aberdeen Group, Next Generation Customer Loyalty: The Evolution of the Digital Customer, has found that retailers who have adopted a centralized cross-channel loyalty platform are reporting significant benefits.

The growing number of cross-channel shoppers, an increase in location-based services and the rise of virtual goods incentives are just three of eight retail trends addressed during sessions I attended this week at INNOVATE 2011, the Retail Innovation and Marketing Conference sponsored by the National Retail Federation. Here's part one of a two-part series providing you with eight best practices surrounding these trends that I've learned from retailers, analysts and retail consultants this week in San Francisco: