Content about Retailing

WASHINGTON — Consumers are using Pinterest to engage with retailers more than Facebook or Twitter, according to a survey released Thursday by Shop.org, ComScore and The Partnering Group.

Additionally, the "2012 Social and Mobile Commerce Study" discovered that one-third of smartphone owners who shop online share their location with a retailer.

BOULDER, Colo. — Giant-Landover and ShopRite are shoppers' two favorite supermarkets, according to results of a survey released Tuesday.

For niche brands, getting a foot in the door of mass market retail is no easy feat, and the stakes remain high as retailers have, in recent years, trimmed SKU counts and grown increasingly risk-adverse.

CHICAGO — Merchandisers angling for that impulse purchase take heart: As many as 76% of buying decisions are being made in the store, according to research published Wednesday from Point of Purchase Advertising International. The findings are part of POPAI's "2012 Shopper Engagement Study."

NEW YORK — Are smartphone applications the magic bullet of marketing for retailers? According to a December 2011 ABI Research survey of U.S. consumers, it may be so.

Survey respondents who said they had downloaded a retailer-branded app said the app caused them to visit the store more (45.8%), buy more of the store/brand’s products and services (40.4%), tell a friend about their store shopping experience (35.8%) and encourage friends to visit the store (30.8%).

CHICAGO — Consumers’ confidence in their personal finances is returning to levels seen in first quarter 2011, according to SymphonyIRI Group’s latest MarketPulse survey, released Friday. But while confidence remains high, the same consumers remain frugal.

CHICAGO — Giant Eagle on Thursday announced that the Pittsburgh regional grocer has adopted Galleria Retail Technology Solution's Promotional Display Optimization solution throughout its supermarkets to help create store-specific display plans on a daily basis.

Given all the attention around the hotly contested Express Scripts-Medco merger, Drug Store News thought we’d ask our C2B consumer reporters, if all things were equal and every pharmacy accepted their insurance, what would be the most important factors in choosing a pharmacy? Ninety-four percent said location/convenience, followed by customer service (50%). That's just a taste of what they told us.

Customer loyalty has always been paramount for retailers, but as we wade into 2012 and beyond, it is becoming increasingly evident that retailers have a renewed focus on establishing a strong sense of loyalty and creating an engaging customer experience through cross-channel initiatives that are touching customers both in and — perhaps more importantly — out of the store.


CHICAGO — While consumers will continue to define value based on price, other key trends — including new product development, technology, store layouts and shopping patterns — will drive the market in 2012, according to SymphonyIRI research.

In its latest Times & Trends report, "CPG 2011 Year in Review: The Search for Footing in an Evolving Marketplace," SymphonyIRI said that in order to effectively compete in the market, consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers should take note of the following predictions:

From 2000 to 2010, the U.S. Hispanic population surged 43%, far surpassing U.S. Census estimates.  With a growth rate more than four times that of the entire country, and an expected 2015 purchasing power well in excess of $1.25 trillion, the U.S. Hispanic population is a key market segment for retailers and consumer packaged goods companies seeking to expand their domestic customer base. The most successful companies will be those that can effectively engage these consumers and develop enduring brand loyalty.  

While the in-store experience is still important to many shoppers, greater consumer adoption of emerging technologies is undoubtedly reshaping the retail landscape. Today, stores are just one part of a larger, more connected consumer experience. For retailers, this means they must rethink how they can transform stores, strategies and operating models into a store of the future: Store 3.0.