The importance of social media is not lost on retailers – many businesses are on the sites to promote their products and help consumers resolve their service issues. Another component that these online platforms can provide for merchants is increasing customer engagement, which leads to more retention and loyalty for brands. However, implementing a successful social media strategy requires work and determination. If done right, companies can see boosts in shopper satisfaction, both in-store and online, as well as higher revenues.

Top Twitter exec gives his opinion
The National Retail Federation decided to go straight to a social media expert to explain how retailers can use the networks to better connect with shoppers and increase engagement. The source spoke with Richard Alfonsi, the global vice president of Small Business Sales for Twitter, and he stated that social platforms can bring retailers closer to their customers. Additionally, businesses can also use social media to drive more traffic at their brick-and-mortar locations. Alfonsi says this can be accomplished by posting updates to social sites about special deals and promotions taking place in stores, then create a hashtag that shoppers can use to receive discounts.

When retailers first take to social platforms, Alfonsi advises they will want to create pages and accounts in their own voice. This can help them stand out from competition and create more personal interactions with customers. Also, brands will want to be authentic by having natural and engaging conversations with shoppers. Merchants can promote their presence on social media by word-of-mouth, fliers in stores and emails sent out to consumer lists. This can drive more traffic to social accounts and ultimately retail stores.

Big brands using social media
Retailers of all sizes can effectively use social media sites for customer engagement, from local merchants to big-name brands. One example is retail giant Wal-Mart, which took to Facebook to allow customers to vote on toy products that could receive a discount, and then be purchased in stores for the reduced price.

Macy's is another brand that has been using Facebook to interact with consumers and then implement shoppers' preferences in their stores. The department store chain used the social site to ask consumers which line of jeans they would like to see in Macy's locations. Once the voting was over, the company began carrying the brand.

By asking customers what their preferences are and then promising to sell their favorite products, retailers can easily bring in additional traffic in their storefronts.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, January 4th, 2013 at 10:10 am .

There are a variety of ways consumers browse for and purchase retail products, and recent technological advances are helping to make the shopping experience easier for customers. Smartphones are giving people tools in the palms of their hands to compare and buy the items they are looking for from retailers regardless of their location. For this reason, merchants may want to be begin implementing mobile strategies and options for these consumers, if they haven't already. Putting more focus on smartphones can help businesses draw in more device-carrying shoppers, both in their stores and on their websites.

Smartphones increasingly used for retail purposes
When it comes to internet retailing, there are still many consumers who prefer to use computers and laptops to browse merchants' sites and purchase their products through the online channels. However, smartphones are increasingly being used for these tasks as well, as they give shoppers more flexibility to research and buy items from anywhere and at anytime. According to The Harris Poll, 81 percent of respondents stated they use computers to look up information about goods and services, and 78 percent said they purchase them using the devices. But when it comes to smartphones, 45 percent use their gadgets to browse wanted products, and 23 percent make payment transactions through the mobile channels. These elements provide more information for shoppers as well as faster payment transactions.

Smartphones can also be used in retail stores
The Harris Poll findings highlight the growing use of smartphones for ecommerce retail purposes, but the devices are also being at brick-and-mortar locations. Internet Retailer reports that a recent study by ad agency Moosylvania revealed that many consumers who own smartphones want more in-store options for using their devices. Shoppers are increasingly using their phones to research items in storefronts, and they also use them to compare prices with other retailers.

Additionally, smartphone owners want access to things like mobile coupons, applications, QR codes and mobile display ads. Many customers also have no hesitance when it comes to making larger purchases on their phones, meaning that retailers can see big revenues by accomodating smartphone owning consumers.

"When it comes to buying most goods and services, speed is beyond the essence," says Norty Cohen, founder and CEO of Moosylvania. "They are researching reviews, comparing prices, photo sharing and making purchases in seconds, and prefer doing so equally online and in-store."

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, January 4th, 2013 at 4:10 am .

When running an ecommerce website, there are many rules and regulations that internet retailers must follow. Whether a business operates solely online or has a website in conjunction with brick-and-mortar locations, merchants want to ensure they remain compliant with all federal laws.

There are new regulations that ecommerce retailers need to be prepared to implement. According to Internet Retailer, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently approved amendments that require internet merchants to display either EnergyGuide, Lighting Facts or an FTC-provided icon that shows online consumers the full energy disclosure information for a variety of products, including refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers, heat pumps and service lamps, among other related items.

Additionally, the FTC amendment states that these icons will need to be displayed in an easy-to-see location on webpages near the products' prices.

"Nobody should have to wade through a labyrinth of links and tabs to find out how much extra they'll have to pay to use a product or what its environmental impact will be," Jon Wiener, associate attorney for law firm Earthjustice, told the source. "The commission's decision ensures that online consumers will have access to the same information as shoppers at brick-and-mortar stores."

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, January 3rd, 2013 at 11:37 am .

Retailers throughout the country saw an influx in the number of consumers hitting their stores and websites over the past few months. However, there are signs that sales during the holiday season were not as strong as were hoped for, although no official numbers have been released.

Fox Business reports that according to the latest Johnson Redbook Index, retail sales increased by 0.1 percent on December from the previous month. Analysts had forecasted a 0.2 percent rise. Additionally, the seasonally adjusted sales rose by 2.5 percent from the same time last year, and it was expected that figure would be 2.6 percent.

Despite these positive numbers, retailers nationwide are not optimistic about the outcome of 2012's holiday season sales. Retail Metrics reports that the decrease in confidence could be due to American consumers being concerned about the fiscal cliff negotiations that were still in the process of being determined over the past few weeks. Also, colder weather and a lack of effective marketing campaigns could lead to dismal sales. If the sales figures are less than were expected, retailers could see one of the weakest holiday seasons since 2008.
 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, January 3rd, 2013 at 7:00 am .

There is a new purchasing trend that consumers are taking to when it comes to retail shopping – mobile commerce. This holiday season, customers used their smartphones and tablets to browse for and buy products, highlighting the growing importance of the channel.

A study by Payvia revealed that more than half of consumers surveyed (55 percent) stated they planned to purchase items from retailers in 2012 by using a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet. When it comes to browsing merchants' websites on these gadgets, in 2011, only 18.1 percent of shoppers did so. This year, that figure is forecasted to climb to 28 percent. For the holiday season, Payvia' research expects that one in five purchases will be made through smartphones or tablets.

These numbers highlight the increasing use of mobile for retail shopping, meaning that businesses may want to incorporate the technology to accommodate device-carrying consumers. Payvia suggests that to see success from mobile, companies need to focus on promoting the option to customers. Additionally, providing fast and secure transactions will increase mobile purchasing.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, December 31st, 2012 at 11:01 am .

Although it can sometimes be pushed to the wayside when determining how to connect with customers and reach new markets, email is making a comeback with retailers as a marketing tool. Businesses of all sizes are using the method to promote their products and interact with shoppers.

Bloomberg News reports that many companies have taken to tailoring the emails they send out, as this provides more personalized experiences for consumers and entices them to purchase items from retailers. Email has come back to the forefront of marketing initiatives, as most shoppers now carry smartphones or other devices with them all the time. This gives businesses the ability to reach target audiences at any time and any place. For many retailers, they can include links in their emails, which then directs consumers to merchants' websites and allows them to browse items, the news source writes.

Of course, the messages sent out by businesses need to contain information that is relevant to shoppers' preferences, states WARC. This content can be generated from individual customers' previous purchases, and emails can list a variety of products that may interest readers. Also, timing is important, as emails sent during working hours are more likely to be read than those sent in the middle of the night or early morning, the source notes.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, December 31st, 2012 at 10:45 am .

The past few months have been difficult for retailers in the United Kingdom, as retail sales have taken a dip, which has had a negative impact on the country' economy. However, many businesses – and consumers for that matter – are hoping that online purchases will help conditions get back on track.

According to research from Capgemini and IMRG, U.K. ecommerce sales for November jumped by 18 percent from the same time last year, Internet Retailers reports. Last month's total online retail sales were also a 25 percent increase from the previous month.

"Eretail continues to be the growth engine of an otherwise struggling retail sector and as online spending exceeds 8 billion pounds in one month, we can see just how integral the online and mobile channels have become to the shopping experience," says Chris Webster, head of retail consulting and technology at Capgemini.

When it comes to the U.K. economy, things are not as positive. Bloomberg reports that for November, total retail sales were flat with October, which saw a 0.7 decrease from the month prior. If consumers keep taking to retail websites, it could spell good news for the nation, but that is still yet to be seen.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, December 31st, 2012 at 6:13 am .

There is no doubting the growing importance of websites for retailers. Whether merchants maintain a site on top of their in-store operations or if they prefer to operate solely online, having an internet platform significantly boost sales and customer retention.

So what can retailers do to bring in more traffic on their sites? Business 2 Community offers some suggestions, one of which is having industry-relevant content uploaded frequently. Including a calendar of upcoming sales and business events will keep potential shoppers informed of what companies are doing. In addition, the source recommends that retailers put existing customer testimonials online, as this will give target audiences an inside look on how merchants operate.

It's also essential that retailers ensure their websites process transactions quickly and securely, according to Computer Business Review. If online platforms are running slow, this can result in lost sales. Also, not having effective security measures in place may give customers the impression that their valuable financial data can be compromised. Therefore, having tools available to prevent web theft and dropped transactions can boost revenues.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, December 28th, 2012 at 11:14 am .

There are many ways that customers can review businesses they have visited in the past – whether through written feedback or online surveys. Video is fast becoming a preferred channel for shoppers to share their thoughts and experiences with retailers.

Research by EXPO has revealed that many consumers are now preferring to view videos made by customers testing out products and analyzing them. Of the shoppers surveyed, 98 percent stated that user-generated video reviews have been helpful for them during the holiday season and their gift purchasing decisions.

"Shoppers are increasingly engaging with their favorite brands digitally, and we're finding that video can have a very powerful effect on how others perceive the brand or product," stated Jessica Thorpe, vice president of marketing at EXPO. "This research confirms that consumers are more receptive to the opinions of people who appear to be just like them than to more traditional marketing strategies, therefore it's a growing imperative for brands and manufacturers to leverage their customers' stories to tell their messages effectively."

Retailers should also make an effort to gather shopper reviews on their own so that they can improve their operations and offerings. National Clothesline writes that obtaining feedback effectively can be done by providing incentives and making surveys easy for customers, perhaps through email.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, December 28th, 2012 at 9:46 am .

Consumers are increasingly using smartphones and tablets for a variety of daily tasks, and they are now starting to browse for and purchase items from retailers through the devices. This means that businesses may want to start thinking about offering mobile shopping options to accommodate the growing number of customers preferring the channel.

CMS Wire cites research from Latitude, which found that of the smartphone and tablet owners who have shopped using their devices, 63 percent stated they plan to do more over the coming years as the purchasing method becomes more prevalent. The most common place to use mobile devices for retail shopping is at home, but daily commutes also give consumers the time to browse and buy, the source notes.

So what can retailers do to ensure they are following the growing mobile trend? Mashable recommends that businesses promote the option within their mobile marketing, which will generate more attention about the offering. Making sure websites are mobile-optimized is another thing that companies need to do if they want to capitalize on the channel's growth.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, December 28th, 2012 at 7:55 am .