Technology

Revolutionizing Customer Service With the Internet of Things
June 30, 2015 at 2:42 pm

The explosive growth of device connectivity, wireless technology, cloud computing and advanced analytics has driven the Internet of Things (IoT) from vision to reality. Devices with embedded sensors are enabling advanced, automated communications for businesses and customers. These connected devices are driving deeper engagement, providing new experiences and opportunities, creating new revenue opportunities, and enablingโ€ฆ

Lessons From Enterprise RFID Deployments
June 29, 2015 at 3:28 pm

The use of handheld RFID readers for retail cycle counting and inventory management is exploding โ€” and for good reason. Theyโ€™re inexpensive, tangible and convenient, and provide a familiar form factor for store associates. However, while handhelds are well suited for initial retail pilots, deploying them in scaled-up enterprise environments requires careful thought and planning.โ€ฆ

3 Must-Haves to Grow Customer Lifetime Value
June 19, 2015 at 5:07 pm

To increase customer lifetime value (CLV), your business needs to be able to meet each customerโ€™s individual expectations over and over again. Those expectations vary widely from one customer to the next, of course. However, when it comes to recurring purchases or usage, customers demand three things in particular: speed, choices and personalization. Delivering onโ€ฆ

Alibaba's Next Bet is Robots
June 19, 2015 at 3:34 pm

Alibaba wants to put a robot, specifically one named Pepper, in your home โ€” or store. The Chinese e-commerce giant and Foxconn Technology Group announced they're each investing $117.8 million in Japanese telecommunications giant SoftBankโ€™s robotics unit, SoftBank Robotics Holding Corp. Softbank will own 60 percent of the joint venture, with Alibaba and Foxconn eachโ€ฆ

7 Things I Learned At the Fashion Tech Forum
June 18, 2015 at 3:37 pm

Missed the Fashion Tech Forum (FTF), which was held last week in New York City? Donโ€™t worry, I was there! Iโ€™ve condensed the day into seven points you need to know. Here goes:

M.Fredric Gains Inventory Control Through New POS System, Part 1
June 16, 2015 at 2:59 pm

M.Fredric is a California-based apparel retailer that sells its products via nine brick-and-mortar stores and an e-commerce website. Like many omnichannel brands, managing inventory levels in real time to prevent out-of-stocks and overstocks was a challenge for M.Fredric. In addition, a lack of real-time sales data meant buying decisions were delayed, a serious inhibitor forโ€ฆ

Top Takeaways From IRCE
June 8, 2015 at 5:02 pm

Working the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition (IRCE) in Chicago is always a snapshot into the state of e-commerce. My first priority each year is to walk the show floor to find out what are the obvious โ€œneedle moversโ€ that need to be part of everyoneโ€™s internet marketing plans. This yearโ€™s list of โ€œduh, of courseโ€ฆ

Technology Helps Chinese Laundry Better Connect With Customers
June 5, 2015 at 3:23 pm

At the Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition (IRCE) in Chicago yesterday, Total Retail's Executive Editor Joe Keenan interviews Scott Cohn, vice president of e-commerce at Chinese Laundry, a women's footwear brand, about the company's move to a

Williams-Sonoma Rolls Out Video Checkout
June 5, 2015 at 3:14 pm

Williams-Sonoma is rolling out a fast, easy and secure way to pay online that brings a whole new meaning to instant gratification. The retailer is teaming up with Visa to launch a marketing campaign and four-part video series called โ€œTime to Savor Summer.โ€ The video series, launched in support of the availability of Visa Checkoutโ€ฆ

How Moda Operandi is Building the Luxury Department Store of the Future
June 5, 2015 at 2:58 pm

When Deborah Nicodemus took over as CEO of online luxury retailer Moda Operandi, she quickly realized that she would need to rebuild the companyโ€™s technology from the ground up. "Our mission is to elevate online shopping so that itโ€™s a luxury experience," she says, "but there were a lot of frailties within the site." Modaโ€™sโ€ฆ