Content about smartphone

NEW YORK — Smartphones may be among retailers’ strongest allies this holiday season, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday survey of consumer spending intentions and trends released Monday.

WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Nordic Naturals on Wednesday announced the launch of its mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android users. 

“Nordic Naturals is an omega-3 industry leader,” stated Joar Opheim, CEO of Nordic Naturals. “We are pleased to lead the way in offering the convenience of a mobile app to consumers.”

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jondo-USA, a maker of personalized photo and decor products, is making it easy for consumers to create and order framed prints from their smartphone and digital camera photos with the new Snapbox framed prints.

SnapBox products will be available for pick-up and pay at 12,000 retail locations, including Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs, with free shipping to those locations.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Kerr Drug has broadened its services with a new mobile pharmacy application.

Powered by mscripts, the solution enables Kerr Drug customers to refill prescriptions, and receive pickup and dosage reminders through the convenience of their mobile phones. Smartphone users can access the store locator, weekly specials and do a quick refill by scanning the QR code on prescription bottles. A text messaging option for non-smartphone users enables patients to receive many of the same benefits.

While CVS/pharmacy’s store clustering initiatives and store brands are fueling front-store profitability, there’s no doubt that its successful, long-standing ExtraCare loyalty program remains a key driver of front-store sales, and it arms the company with a powerful competitive advantage, especially as CVS looks to take the program to new heights. 


I was fortunate. I was born into a wonderful family. Each of my four siblings and I have certainly chosen individual paths, but it is amazing how interconnected we remain and how we can still rely on each other when necessary.

Recent events certainly demonstrated how vital family can be. Several weeks ago, as a result of a massive stroke, my father passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife of 60-plus years and his five children. It was during the days leading up to and following Dad’s death that I realized more than ever that family matters.

What product she wants. Where she wants the product. When she wants the product. Delivering on those promises is what multichannel retailing means to Walgreens. “We believe consumers want choice,” noted Sona Chawla, Walgreens’ president of e-commerce. “People will shop online one day, [and] they’ll shop the store the next day; it depends upon events and what they’re looking for.” 


And it’s through that customer engagement that Walgreens has perhaps most visibly transformed its relationship with its consumer base. 


RESTON, Va. — Four-out-of-every-5 smartphone users — 85.9 million people — accessed retail content on their device in July, according to a study by ComScore.

Amazon led as the top retailer with an audience of 49.6 million visitors, representing 46.6% of smartphone owners, followed by eBay with 32.6 million visitors and Apple with 17.7 million visitors. Walmart had the largest reach among traditional brick-and-mortar retailers with 16.3 million visitors, followed by Target with 10 million visitors and Best Buy with 7.2 million smartphone visitors.

User engagement is critical to driving brand loyalty. Mobile gaming can offer a unique perspective on how consumer packaged goods firms can engage their consumers.

This year’s Olympics coverage on NBC stood in stark contrast to the television network's failed attempt to offer expanded audience choice through their pay-per-view “Triplecast” in 1992. Remember that 20 years ago, NBC aired the Olympics through three pay-per-view channels? Their total number of subscribers, either for a one-day pass or any of the “gold,” “silver” or “bronze” packages probably couldn’t equal even the smallest service area for a major cable company.

SARASOTA, Fla. — A Midwestern hospital system will implement a system in which nurses, physicians and others will use smartphones for communications.

Voalte, which develops a clinical communications system, said the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics would use its system to improve clinical workflow by using iPhones to merge voice, text and alarms, allowing patient care providers to send and receive high-definition voice calls, secure text messages and alarms on one device.