Opinion: Page 3

The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders


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  • Lessons learned from a trip to Neiman Marcus' Dallas flagship

    Bringing shoppers into stores and converting browsers into buyers is all about being more human in an increasingly inhuman world, writes retail consultant Bob Phibbs.

    Bob Phibbs • April 9, 2019
  • How Target got its 'Tar-jay' back by thinking beyond channels

    The mass merchandiser is cool again thanks to direct to consumer, social and reimagined stores, writes Narvar CEO Amit Sharma.

    Amit Sharma • Feb. 21, 2019
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    The evolution of the 'quick trip to the store'

    Brick-and-mortar brands would be wise to bring the convenience of online shopping to their physical stores, writes Adobe's Michael Klein.

    Michael Klein • Feb. 14, 2019
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    Libreshot
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    Can data insights cure retail's holiday returns headache?

    U.S. retailers grapple with merchandise returns all year, but it gets dramatically worse during the holidays, especially online, writes Signal's Jason Ankeny.

    Jason Ankeny • Dec. 13, 2018
  • Online ripple effects: How digital tech changes shoppers' offline paths

    New digital ways to shop and consume have changed shoppers' offline path, writes Denise Dahlhoff, research director of the Wharton School's Baker Retailing Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

    Denise Dahlhoff • Dec. 6, 2018
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    The last thing a retailer needs is an activist investor

    The downfall of Sears and J.C. Penney was less related to industry upheaval than it was to active disruption — and Starbucks could be next, writes Bob Phibbs, CEO of The Retail Doctor.

    Bob Phibbs • Nov. 29, 2018
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    Get ready for holiday sales: 5 sales tax tips

    Sales tax mistakes that have potentially devastating consequences are avoidable, writes Avalara's Scott Peterson. 

    Scott Peterson • Nov. 16, 2018
  • Holiday season set to cap off strong year for retail

    A seamless partnership between e-commerce and brick-and-mortar will position retailers for the season, writes ICSC president and CEO Tom McGee. 

    Tom McGee • Nov. 9, 2018
  • A customer divided: The love/hate relationship with Walmart

    The retail giant polarizes consumers in a way that Amazon doesn't, writes WD Partner's Lee Peterson.

    Lee Peterson • Nov. 8, 2018
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    Peter Lewicki
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    To thine own selves be true: You have more customers than you think

    Understanding shoppers' specific roles will better position you to give them what they need, writes Michael Solomon, a professor of marketing at Saint Joseph's University.

    Michael Solomon • Nov. 7, 2018
  • Black Friday's best days are behind it

    A 20-year tailwind will fragment Black Friday into multiple mini-shopping frenzies year-round, writes Eddie Yoon, founder of EddieWouldGrow.

    Eddie Yoon • Oct. 26, 2018
  • Low unemployment could hurt the holiday shopping season

    The booming economy might be bad news for holiday shopping, writes Forrest Morgenson, director of research at the American Customer Satisfaction Index. 

    Forrest Morgenson • Oct. 26, 2018
  • Forget customer convenience, Amazon Go is really about customer data

    With each subsequent visit, Amazon will know much more about not only customers' digital shopping habits and preferences, but also brick-and-mortar behaviors, writes Signal's Jason Ankeny.

    Jason Ankeny • Oct. 23, 2018
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    Ramiro Mendes on Unsplash
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    Not your father's POS: What 2019 will bring to payments and mobility

    From "payments anywhere" to mobile receipt printing, retailers are embracing new formats that enable a better customer experience, writes Brad Fick, president, Direct Source. 

    Brad Fick • Sept. 27, 2018
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    3 pillars to building shopper loyalty

    Many retailers are finding that consumers are loyal to the overall shopping experience, writes Sara Gupta, vice president, retail division, Bazaarvoice.

    Sara Gupta • Sept. 6, 2018
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    The critical role of search in the retail revolution

    As data expands and becomes an increasingly valuable commodity, search becomes more important than ever, writes Microsoft's Christi Olson.

    Christi Olson • Aug. 30, 2018
  • Shaping the future of retail through edge IT

    Retail CIOs' dilemma boils down to the age-old 'cost versus innovation' debate. Nick East, CEO of Zynstra asks: how can they optimize their efficiencies while simultaneously delivering innovation? 

    Nick East • Aug. 23, 2018
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    5 trends reshaping retail

    Digital transformation is driving a new breed of retail that will take consumers where they've never been before, writes Christi Olson, head of evangelism for search at Microsoft.    

    Christi Olson • Aug. 9, 2018
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    Amazon's private label push is a signal to brands to focus on experience

    In light of Amazon's recent focus on its brands, retailers need to double down on the one thing that Amazon can't offer — the brand experience, writes Sam Kliger, CEO of KWI.

    Sam Kliger • Aug. 2, 2018
  • Specialty retail vs. Amazon: Is it the same old story?

    Retailers can't compete, especially in apparel, by playing Amazon's game. But it's a lot harder for Amazon to win with data against real innovation, writes Lee Peterson. 

    Lee Peterson • July 16, 2018
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    Laura Heller
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    Walmart's Jetblack tells a lot about the future of e-commerce

    The retail giant's concierge service for upscale shoppers faces significant challenges, but Jetblack could be ushering in an era of more personalized e-commerce, writes Twiggle's Amir Konigsberg.

    Amir Konigsberg • July 5, 2018
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    Brick-and-mortar retail's most important renovation: The workforce

    The key to creating vibrant, experiential store environments is people, writes Marcie Merriman of Ernst & Young.

    Marcie Merriman • July 2, 2018
  • More than a store – retail invests in people

    There are 42 million retail workers in the U.S. and it's time to showcase how the industry fosters growth in the workforce, writes RILA's Evan Armstrong.

    Evan Armstrong • June 18, 2018
  • The good, the bad and the ugly from IRCE 2018

    From classroom style lessons to the looming marketplace dominance, IRCE provided some valuable information, writes Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga.

    Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga • June 11, 2018
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    Convenience vs value: What retailers need to know about the great consumer divide

    The Great Recession may be in the rear-view mirror, but spending habits have been forever changed, writes Scot Wingo. 

    Scot Wingo • June 5, 2018