Retail News Insider

From personalized coupons to self-checkout to mobile wallets, there’s no denying that technology is changing the way consumers shop. But to date, the adoption and buildup of technology amongst grocery, general merchandise and other traditionally “lower-tech” sectors has been somewhat slow. And in many cases, the use of services offered by such retailers has been limited to the more progressive consumer base who actively seeks out such offerings. According to Interactions’ Senior Vice President of Global IT Abhi Beniwal, however, that’s all about to change.

After the mad dash of the holiday shopping season, many consumers feel “all shopped out” and are less eager to try new things. As a result, sales are traditionally lower in January—a natural decline from the November and December highs, which account for up to 40 percent of yearly retail sales, according to the National Retail Federation. But they don’t have to come to a screeching halt. There’s a lot Sales Advisors can do to help overcome shoppers’ reluctance and drive sales despite the post-holiday slowdown.

Many have identified Millennials (consumers in their teens through early 30s) as the “me” generation, always looking for what benefits them personally in a particular situation. But when it comes to shopping, consumers of all generations look for the “what’s in it for me” reason to buy any new product. According to Sales Advisor Roberta Brunson, recognizing shoppers’ needs and wants can help you highlight just the right details to encourage sales.

Think retail grand openings are little more than a few balloons and some samples or coupons? Think again. Interactions is taking grand openings to a whole new level for retailers—offering fully customized event planning and execution with services such as promotional street teams, live music, professional entertainers, games and more. Thanks to their commitment to […]

The concept of international cuisine may not exactly be new to supermarkets. But the standard shelves stocked with typical Mexican, Italian and Asian fare are quickly expanding into full aisles, with added offerings from other regions of the world. Experts are predicting those aisles—and consumers’ cravings for all things ethnic—will explode in 2014, as flavors […]

Brett Barcelona, President and General Manager Retail Services A Relentless Pursuit of Excellence Happy New Year! I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday season and are ready for a great year ahead. This marks my first letter in Retail News Insider and I’m excited to be able to connect with our associates […]

I am proud to say we are now entering our fourth year of Retail News Insider. We’ve evolved and expanded over the years, and with every change I hope we continue to provide you valuable content about our company and our industry. This month we debut a new feature called Knowledge Portal where we go […]