While big-name retail brands such as Wal-Mart, Macy's and Target are known throughout the world, smaller merchants shouldn't worry about how they can compete with their larger counterparts. Lesser-known retailers contribute their fair share to their local economies, and now thanks to a push to shop local, more developing brands are bringing in new business.

There are a few strategies that small merchants can keep in mind when promoting their products and services, and these methods can go a long way in remaining competitive not only with regional companies but more established brands well. The Financial Post recommended that retailers take a look at their rival businesses and then determine how they can do things differently. Keeping an eye out for details that can make smaller merchants stand out is one way to attract new patrons.

When it comes to selling products, the source suggested that retailers keep in mind that training employees and giving them knowledge about products and services is the best way to close a sale. In addition, letting customers know about a brand's return policy is effective at boosting customer satisfaction and can even lead to repeat sales, the source stated.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 12:06 pm .

Paying bills, checking bank statements and catching up on the latest news – these are all things that people now do online. Shopping for retail products also falls into that category, and as a result, many merchants are putting more focus into offering ecommerce options for their customers. But in order to do this effectively, brands must be sure they have the right solutions and strategies on their side.

This is where Retail Pro E-Commerce can help. This fully-integrated technology platform allows retailers to oversee all aspects of their online shopping methods, whether it's consumers' purchasing patterns, inventory processes or loyalty initiatives, among other factors. For companies interested in learning more about this solution, this Thursday, July 25, is the Retail Pro E-Commerce webinar, taking place from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. PDT. Registration information can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/learning/webinars.php#e-commerce.

The various features, capabilities and benefits of Retail Pro E-Commerce will be covered at the online event by presenter Neil McKeown, the Product Manager for the platform as well as Retail Pro Business Intelligence. By using the solution, merchants can offer better service for shoppers through its customer management system. Brands can also support multiple web stores and develop their own sites, either from scratch or pre-designed templates.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 4:36 am .

Paying bills, checking bank statements and catching up on the latest news – these are all things that people now do online. Shopping for retail products also falls into that category, and as a result, many merchants are putting more focus into offering ecommerce options for their customers. But in order to do this effectively, brands must be sure they have the right solutions and strategies on their side.

This is where Retail Pro E-Commerce can help. This fully-integrated technology platform allows retailers to oversee all aspects of their online shopping methods, whether it's consumers' purchasing patterns, inventory processes or loyalty initiatives, among other factors. For companies interested in learning more about this solution, this Thursday, July 25, is the Retail Pro E-Commerce webinar, taking place from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. PDT. Registration information can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/learning/webinars.php#e-commerce.

The various features, capabilities and benefits of Retail Pro E-Commerce will be covered at the online event by presenter Neil McKeown, the Product Manager for the platform as well as Retail Pro Business Intelligence. By using the solution, merchants can offer better service for shoppers through its customer management system. Brands can also support multiple web stores and develop their own sites, either from scratch or pre-designed templates.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 4:36 am .

Paying bills, checking bank statements and catching up on the latest news – these are all things that people now do online. Shopping for retail products also falls into that category, and as a result, many merchants are putting more focus into offering ecommerce options for their customers. But in order to do this effectively, brands must be sure they have the right solutions and strategies on their side.

This is where Retail Pro E-Commerce can help. This fully-integrated technology platform allows retailers to oversee all aspects of their online shopping methods, whether it's consumers' purchasing patterns, inventory processes or loyalty initiatives, among other factors. For companies interested in learning more about this solution, this Thursday, July 25, is the Retail Pro E-Commerce webinar, taking place from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. PDT. Registration information can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/learning/webinars.php#e-commerce.

The various features, capabilities and benefits of Retail Pro E-Commerce will be covered at the online event by presenter Neil McKeown, the Product Manager for the platform as well as Retail Pro Business Intelligence. By using the solution, merchants can offer better service for shoppers through its customer management system. Brands can also support multiple web stores and develop their own sites, either from scratch or pre-designed templates.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 4:36 am .

Ecommerce is now a staple within the retail industry – most merchants currently operate an online platform to cater to Web consumers, and those that do not have plans to do so in the near future. As shoppers now prefer to browse for and purchase items online, it only makes sense that ecommerce is set to expand significantly in the coming years.

Retailer Customer Experience reported that, according to a study by Frost & Sullivan, Internet retail sales will reach $4.3 trillion worldwide in 2025. This represents 20 percent of all total retail. In more developed markets where online shopping is more prevalent, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the research revealed that ecommerce will account for 25 percent of all retail sales.

"The proliferation of connected devices and the availability of faster Internet speeds have catalyzed a change in shopping behavior and fuelled market expansion," said Frost & Sullivan Visionary Innovation Research Group Analyst Archana Vidyasekar.

So what can merchants do to capitalize on this ecommerce growth? Perhaps one of the best strategies is to invest in a retail management software platform that oversees all operations and gives businesses the necessary insight into their online processes. This way, retailers will be able to develop the most effective methods for boosting their ecommerce sales.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 4:36 am .

Ecommerce is now a staple within the retail industry – most merchants currently operate an online platform to cater to Web consumers, and those that do not have plans to do so in the near future. As shoppers now prefer to browse for and purchase items online, it only makes sense that ecommerce is set to expand significantly in the coming years.

Retailer Customer Experience reported that, according to a study by Frost & Sullivan, Internet retail sales will reach $4.3 trillion worldwide in 2025. This represents 20 percent of all total retail. In more developed markets where online shopping is more prevalent, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the research revealed that ecommerce will account for 25 percent of all retail sales.

"The proliferation of connected devices and the availability of faster Internet speeds have catalyzed a change in shopping behavior and fuelled market expansion," said Frost & Sullivan Visionary Innovation Research Group Analyst Archana Vidyasekar.

So what can merchants do to capitalize on this ecommerce growth? Perhaps one of the best strategies is to invest in a retail management software platform that oversees all operations and gives businesses the necessary insight into their online processes. This way, retailers will be able to develop the most effective methods for boosting their ecommerce sales.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 4:36 am .

Ecommerce is now a staple within the retail industry – most merchants currently operate an online platform to cater to Web consumers, and those that do not have plans to do so in the near future. As shoppers now prefer to browse for and purchase items online, it only makes sense that ecommerce is set to expand significantly in the coming years.

Retailer Customer Experience reported that, according to a study by Frost & Sullivan, Internet retail sales will reach $4.3 trillion worldwide in 2025. This represents 20 percent of all total retail. In more developed markets where online shopping is more prevalent, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the research revealed that ecommerce will account for 25 percent of all retail sales.

"The proliferation of connected devices and the availability of faster Internet speeds have catalyzed a change in shopping behavior and fuelled market expansion," said Frost & Sullivan Visionary Innovation Research Group Analyst Archana Vidyasekar.

So what can merchants do to capitalize on this ecommerce growth? Perhaps one of the best strategies is to invest in a retail management software platform that oversees all operations and gives businesses the necessary insight into their online processes. This way, retailers will be able to develop the most effective methods for boosting their ecommerce sales.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 4:36 am .

For some consumers, visiting a brick-and-mortar location to find the products they are looking for is a fast and easy process. They enter the store, get the item, pay for it and are out the door in minutes, many times without ever talking to a sales associate. For other patrons, however, the in-store experience is something they want to spend more time on, and these individuals often seek out employees to get answers to their questions.

For this reason, retail workers need to be prepared to provide more personalized and detailed interactions with shoppers if they want to boost brand loyalty and revenues. The Sydney Morning Herald noted that in the past, businesses often had a script that employees were encouraged to use when talking to patrons. Now, with the emergence of new channels and changes in consumer demand, retailers need to throw out this script and focus on motivating sales associates to offer more personalized communications, the source asserted.

To do this, brands can follow a few steps. First, the news source recommended that instead of hiring candidates based solely on previous retail experience, companies should also look at how well potential employees interact with others. Next, merchants can keep a constant look out for people who have excellent communications skills, That way, when a job opening arises, they could already have someone in mind.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 4:34 am .

For some consumers, visiting a brick-and-mortar location to find the products they are looking for is a fast and easy process. They enter the store, get the item, pay for it and are out the door in minutes, many times without ever talking to a sales associate. For other patrons, however, the in-store experience is something they want to spend more time on, and these individuals often seek out employees to get answers to their questions.

For this reason, retail workers need to be prepared to provide more personalized and detailed interactions with shoppers if they want to boost brand loyalty and revenues. The Sydney Morning Herald noted that in the past, businesses often had a script that employees were encouraged to use when talking to patrons. Now, with the emergence of new channels and changes in consumer demand, retailers need to throw out this script and focus on motivating sales associates to offer more personalized communications, the source asserted.

To do this, brands can follow a few steps. First, the news source recommended that instead of hiring candidates based solely on previous retail experience, companies should also look at how well potential employees interact with others. Next, merchants can keep a constant look out for people who have excellent communications skills, That way, when a job opening arises, they could already have someone in mind.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 4:34 am .

For some consumers, visiting a brick-and-mortar location to find the products they are looking for is a fast and easy process. They enter the store, get the item, pay for it and are out the door in minutes, many times without ever talking to a sales associate. For other patrons, however, the in-store experience is something they want to spend more time on, and these individuals often seek out employees to get answers to their questions.

For this reason, retail workers need to be prepared to provide more personalized and detailed interactions with shoppers if they want to boost brand loyalty and revenues. The Sydney Morning Herald noted that in the past, businesses often had a script that employees were encouraged to use when talking to patrons. Now, with the emergence of new channels and changes in consumer demand, retailers need to throw out this script and focus on motivating sales associates to offer more personalized communications, the source asserted.

To do this, brands can follow a few steps. First, the news source recommended that instead of hiring candidates based solely on previous retail experience, companies should also look at how well potential employees interact with others. Next, merchants can keep a constant look out for people who have excellent communications skills, That way, when a job opening arises, they could already have someone in mind.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 4:34 am .