Content about Opinion

As of this writing, the first of hundreds of new gTLDs — the suffixes to the right of the dot in domain names — have begun to be approved for release on the Internet. In an international move that hasn’t been widely publicized in the U.S., ICANN has been sifting through some 2,000 applications for new domain name suffixes, alternatives to the dozen or so we’ve all become familiar with, such as .com, .net and .gov.

In the 18 months since I joined the National Retail Federation, I’ve been struck repeatedly by how rapidly our industry continues to evolve. As we all know, retail has always changed and adapted — and in just the past 20 years we’ve advanced from then-radical game changer Amazon.com to more recent models like Hointer, which boasts what amounts to online shopping in a store. 

Sustainability is often confused with “going green,” but while environmental improvement is part of the picture, sustainability is bigger than that. It’s a strategy for individuals and organizations to thrive for the long term. Operating sustainably ensures an efficient, resilient and innovative organization that not only does less harm to people and the environment, but also does more good and makes a profit in the process. Because as many have pointed out, a business that loses money won’t be around to do anything very long.

Retail innovation cycles last approximately 20 years. As we take a look at retail history, this cycle becomes self-evident. From the general store to department stores to discount stores and so forth, each variety has their day in the sun as the leading channel for most purchases. Today, we’re lucky enough to be living within two powerful cycles simultaneously. But the fun will soon come to an end.

With nearly two out of three* consumers using mobile devices to research products and make purchases, the adaptation to this ever changing consumer shopping behavior is more crucial than ever. 

Developments in portable technologies of all kinds have created an increasingly connected world. Aside from the obvious ubiquity of mobile phones (there are nearly six billion of them in use today), everyday objects from pedometers to thermostats are being infused with digital technologies, and networked to one another.

BrandMasters is the name of a new experiential marketing agency created by Crossmark, one of the companies that executes in store activities at Walmart under the Shopper Events banner.

By Bruce Jones

The 2012 holiday shopping season featured stores opening earlier on Thanksgiving, extended hours shopping marathons, and, according to the National Retail Federation, an additional 585,000 to 625,000 seasonal retail workers.

By Joe Erdeman

This holiday season promises to be the most digital of all time with forecasts calling for e-commerce growth to handily outpace overall industry sales. At UPS, the multi-channel movement is a trend we have watched intensify and helped facilitate during the past decade. Chances are good one of our delivery vehicles will visit your home or that of a family member this Christmas.

In today’s connected world, complex technologies are creating richer consumer experiences, but are also creating greater expectations. With the explosion of connected and mobile devices in recent years, consumers now have better control of their interactions with the companies whom they choose to do business with than ever before. This is good news for the consumer electronics industry as it represents an excellent opportunity to engage with customers on a more regular basis.

Many retailers have been slow to embrace technology in their broader operations, technology that has already changed the retail landscape forever – namely by empowering shoppers who are now more tech savvy than the retailers who are trying to catch up. What today’s retailers need to provide is what we at Manhattan Associates refer to as a “Zero Disappointment Experience.” In other words, ensuring that your brand delivers the same experience to shoppers regardless of their choice of engagement.