Retail Industry

The ultra-competitive retail industry is constantly finding new ways to measure itself and create comparisons between retail and restaurant chains in order to identify "the best." But the only "best" opinions that really matter are the opinions of the customers themselves, who have the ability to vote for the best with their dollars every day.

So, the 2012 About.com Readers Choice Awards give the power to the people to decide which retail and restaurant chains are truly the best in nine different categories. Currently in the nomination phase, customers have the ability to submit their choice for these bests:

• Best Retail Shopping Website
• Best Retail Facebook Page
• Best Retail Mobile App
• Best Retail Company to Work For
• Best Retail Chain Customer Service
• Best Long-Term Retail Stock Investment
• Restaurant Chain with the Best Atmosphere
• Restaurant Chain with the Best Menu and Food
• Restaurant Chain With the Best Customer Service

Along with their nominations, customers are asked to state the reasons for their "best" choice. The retail and restaurant chains that receive the most nominations and the most compelling endorsements will be chosen as finalists. Open customer voting will then determine the winners of the 2012 Retail Industry Readers Choice Awards.

Retail customers who have a favorite can submit their nomination today before the nomination process closes. All nominations and votes in the 2012 Readers Choice Awards are anonymous.

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook

Valentine's Day is a big retail holiday and happy U.S. retailers will have something to celebrate if Valentine's Day spending predictions continue their upward trend. With Valentine's Day 2012 falling on a regular all-stores-open shopping day, retailers are preparing for an intense one-day spending surge with Valentine's Day deals, unique gift ideas, and last-minute gift offerings to lure lovers to keep spending until the bittersweet end.

If the Valentine's Day consumer spending predictions from the National Retail Federation (NRF) come true this year, one third of all adults in America will be dining in restaurants on Valentine's night. Generally locally-owned restaurants score a big portion of those Valentine's dining dollars, but the largest restaurant chains have worked hard to craft their own Valentine's Day special menus and dining deals. From heart-shaped breakfast fare to five-course dinners, a wide range of restaurants like Dairy Queen, Denny's, Ruby Tuesday and Fleming's Prime Steak House are ready to treat those who are ready to treat themselves on Valentine's Day.

Nearly 60% of all American consumers are predicted to participate in Valentine's Day in some way tomorrow and the retailers that are prepared with unique gift ideas and last-minute gift giving options to help the Valentine's procrastinators among us will be the retailers that finish strong on Valentine's Day.

Most of the most unique and best last-minute Valentine's gift ideas and options are available online. For instance, Panty of the Month, Bacon of the Month, and Jerky of the Month Clubs can be ordered online just minutes before you walk out the door to meet your Valentine. Where there's an obsession, there's surely a Gift of the Month Club that will cater to that obsession every four weeks until next Valentine's Day.

Since Valentine's Day is the most personal of the retail holidays, retailers are looking to niche gifts to be as popular this year as they are every year. In this growing age of digital retailing personalized niche gifting becomes even more attractive when it's combined with instant online ordering and delivery. There are last-minute gifts for e-book lovers, cat-lovers, travel lovers, fitness lovers, and lovers of anything weird, wild, and wacky.

Click here for a complete list of unique and very last-minute online Valentine's Day gift options >>

One of the most popular gift options for last-minute Christmas shoppers is also big with last-minute Valentine's Day Shoppers - e-gift cards and e-gift certificates. Just about every major retail chain has an e-gift card option that can be e-purchased and e-delivered via e-mail e-mmediately. As with other niche gift options, if chosen carefully, the right e-gift card can seem more like a thoughtful choice than an afterthought.

Last-minute Valentine's Day shoppers may never be motivated to change their risky shopping ways as long as retailers keep coming up with ways to make procrastination look good.

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook

> Click for Complete Rankings of the Best and the Worst of Car Company and Retail Super Bowl XLVI Car Company Commercials >>

Nielsen pollsters are telling us that 51% of the viewers of Super Bowl XLVI will like the Super Bowl commercials better than the Super Bowl game. If that's really true, then let's hope that those Super Bowl commercial enthusiasts are car lovers, since car company ads will have a dominant presence on the Super Bowl XLVI commercial lineup.

During Super Bowl XLV, Super Bowl commercial fans were treated to more than $70 million of car company commercials. During Super Bowl XLVI, more than one-third of the commercials will be advertising cars, and paying dearly for the privilege.

The car companies that are reportedly paying $3.5 million for 30 seconds of exposure to more than 100 million Super Bowl XLVI viewers are:

• Acura
• Audi
• Cadillac
• Cars.com
• Chevolet
• Chrysler
• Fiat
• Honda
• Hyundai
• Kia
• Lexus
• Suzuki
• Toyota
• Volkswagen

Which auto companies and auto brands will get the best return on the $116,000 per second they're paying for Super Bowl advertising exposure? According to Kelley Blue Book, the Chevrolet Sonic will be the big Super Bowl commercial website traffic winner since the model is new and the car is a subcompact, and the Super Bowl exposure should pique interest in both. But the challenge to all auto Super Bowl advertisers is to stand out from all the other auto ads, which, by the end of the game, are all part of a Super Bowl car commercial blur.

According to a highly scientific Super Bowl XLV Commercials poll, the auto brand that made the biggest impression was also Chevrolet. Although an even more scientific study by marketing firm Zeta Interactive declared Volkswagen the biggest buzz winner amongst the Super Bowl auto advertisers with its Star Wars inspired commercial called "The Force."

There are those who will be interested in the winner of the Super Bowl Car vs. Car advertising game, and those who will be interested in the outcome of the actual New vs. New Super Bowl football game. For both groups, the competition promises to be super.

Click here to take the Super Bowl Super Commercial Super Trivia Quiz >>

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook

Analysts and investors were greatly disappointed to learn that the fourth quarter revenue of Amazon.com (AMZN) was up, but profits were down. The conclusion by the Wall Street Journal and others after hearing the news about Amazon's disappointing profit numbers was that Amazon is spending faster than it is earning, and therefore is not a very good investment. This reaction says a lot about short-sighted investment profiteers and nothing about the business savvy of the retail industry leader who has defined Internet retailing.

When Amazon deliberately shrinks its profit margins on electronics by cutting prices so low that offline electronics retailers have difficulty competing, retail leaders at specialty stores like Best Buy (BBY), and Radio Shack (RSH) are forced to change their product mix and business model to stay alive. With every sale of an unprofitable Amazon Kindle, Amazon.com not only ensures unlimited future digital business, it also steals future digital business away from the rival Barnes and Noble (BKS) Nook, and sends one of the last standing retail bookstore chains shopping for a Nook business line buyer. When Amazon shows signs of getting into the Sporting Goods business, Dick's (DKS), Cabela's (CAB), and Sports Authority start shaking in their brick and mortar boots.

If Amazon can make any profit at all while pinning major competitors against the retail ropes at the same time, the Internet retail company is to be commended, not condemned. Those who think that Amazon's spend-now-profit-later strategy is not sound obviously don't know Jeff Bezos at all. Present-day actions which eventually result in future profits is what Jeff Bezos is all about.

Personally I applaud the decision of Amazon's leaders to forego present-day profits in order to ensure future success. And not just because I'm a big Jeff Bezos fan (which I am), and not just because I own shares of Amazon stock (which I do), but because solid long-term business strategies are abandoned all too often in the pursuit of the approval of short-term Wall Street profiteers.

it's not just nice to see Jeff Bezos doing business in a different way. It's nice to see him succeeding in a different way.

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook

When Wal-Mart (WMT) announced that it would be repositioning its legendary Wal-Mart greeters away from the front of the store and station them instead in high-traffic areas inside the store, retail industry and customer service experts immediately took it as a sign that Wal-Mart was abandoning its customer service values, and the Wal-Mart customer experience would become one of a cold, big box store without a soul. The power that critics have assigned to one employee to set the tone in a a store the size of a typical Wal-Mart filled with the number of employees on duty in a typical Wal-mart is as laughable as the notion that Wal-Mart is anything besides a cold, big box store anyway.

Wal-Mart's company mission statement makes it clear that it has one primary focus - money. And the Wal-Mart mission statement also infers that its target customer base is comprised of people who share one primary focus - money. It's not that Wal-Mart's focus is changing, it's that the frivolous, smiley Wal-Mart non-revenue producing Wal-Mart greeter can't be justified within the framework of the company's saving money focus.

In their new high-traffic location, Wal-Mart greeters have the opportunity to assist in the sales process, and therefore prove their value. In essence, Wal-Mart greeters will become mobile help desks, easily accessible to customers who need real assistance to make real purchases. To me, that is much more of an asset to the Wal-Mart customer experience than the fleeting greeting at the front door.

Disney (DIS) is also a company that is legendary for its greeters, posting a person outside of almost every attraction and near the front of every retail store to interact with guests and create some interpersonal magic. But even Disney knew that these greeters could multi-task for the good of the operation too. So Disney greeters are also responsible for direction-giving, queue-moving, trash removal and stroller parking. The presence was still felt and appreciated by the guests, but the extra services rendered also had a positive impact on the overall guest experience. (I say all of this in the present tense, assuming that Disney greeters still exist in Disney theme parks and Disney stores.)

So the hubbub about the repositioning of the Wal-Mart greeter is not more than just something to talk about. I can't imagine anybody ever chose to shop at Wal-Mart just because there was a senior citizen greeter standing outside saying hello. And I can't imagine anybody is going to not shop at Wal-Mart because they have to retrieve their own shopping cart without the assistance of a cart-handling greeter person.

Greeter or no greeter is just not that important. The real challenge with the sales struggles that Wal-Mart has been having is connected to their price-centric mission statement. If your brand essence is about low prices, then your clientele is going to be price motivated. But price-motivated consumers do not make loyal customers because they can be easily lured away by competitors dangling even lower prices in their faces.

Given a choice between the low prices with a greeter and low prices without a greeter, most price-sensitive shoppers are going to make their purchase decisions based on the lowness of the low prices. Unless there's a greeter at the door handing out something free. That would be motivating.

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook

With high retail space vacancy rates, low commercial real estate prices, and the promise of economic recovery, store openings were the name of the retail game for the U.S. retail industry in 2011. (Click here for a complete list of 2011 store openings.) The predictions for the coming year, however, include economic uncertainty, political tension, and spend-wary consumers. So it's a wonder that any U.S. retail chain is brave enough to invest in any new store opening in 2012.

Whether they're brave, shrewd, or just delusional, there are plenty of U.S. retail chains that have announced plans to expand and open new stores in 2012. So far Wal-Mart tops the 2012 Store Openings List, with O'Reilly Auto Parts and Advance Auto Parts not far behind with triple-digit store openings planned in 2012. Apparently there is a belief that there will be a lot more car fixing than there is car trading and car buying in the future for Americans.

So far, there are plenty of retail chains that seem to have no plans to open new stores in 2012. But the year is young and the Store Opening announcements usually come along with the year-end reporting in January and February, so undoubtedly the list will grow.

For a complete roundup of 2012 Store Opening announcements and predictions for 2012, click here >>

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook

When retail companies want to build their Facebook audience, a good bribe will usually do the trick. But when people declare they like a retail company only if there's a coupon, freebie, or special discount given in return, how much do those likers really "like" you? Actually they like you quite a bit, according to a recent survey by ComScore.

A notable percentage of the likers of retail Facebook pages such as Wal-Mart (WMT), Target (TGT), and Best Buy (BBY) are more likely to make purchases from these retailers when compared with non-likers. Surprisingly, a notable percentage of the friends of Facebook likers will also make a purchase from these retail chains as well. There's no indication if the friends are influenced by cyber endorsements of their acquaintances or if it's simply a matter of Wal-Mart shoppers of a feather use Facebook together. Nonetheless, the cyber connection is clear, according to ComScore.

So, which members of the U.S. retail industry are the most "liked" on Facebook? Nine companies with significant retail operations had a top twenty most-liked Facebook page at the beginning of 2012. Surprisingly - or not - the largest U.S. retail companies do not also have the largest Facebook audiences. Rather, it seems that the retailers with the strongest connection to their target markets are the ones which now have direct access to them at any time.

Click here for the complete list of the 2012 Most Liked Retail Companies on Facebook >>

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook

After picking up a to-go meal at a Chili's (EAT) restaurant in Texas, I went online and filled out the customer feedback survey that I had been directed to by my Chili's restaurant receipt. The gist of my feedback was "Who spilled the salt shaker?" I expressed great dissatisfaction at the meal that was salty to the point of being inedible to anyone who was not a deer. I also answered affirmatively that my bad Chili's experience would have a negative influence on my decision to dine at a Chili's in the future.

At the end of the customer feedback survey when I was asked if I'd like to be contacted by a manager about my experience, I answered "yes." I always answer "yes" to this question because I'm curious about whether I will actually get a call, and if so, what the nature of that call would be. I've never received one of those requested manager calls, even though I have requested them more than 100 times from every type of business imaginable.

About a week later, I couldn't have been more surprised to answer the phone and hear the Chili's manager Jennifer introducing herself. She had read my feedback, she was dismayed by my feedback, she wanted to respond to my feedback. That, in and of itself makes for a great service recovery moment. You noticed, you cared, you took action - that's all that most customers want when they experience a service failure.

Jennifer went a little further in offering me a free meal. My response to that was, "That's nice and i appreciate it. But the next time I come to Chili's is everything going to be as salty as it was last week? Because if so, I don't need a free meal because I won't use it." Jennifer then promised me that if I would ask for a manager at that particular Chili's location, whoever was on duty would make sure that I got a meal with a reasonably seasoned meal.

"Except for the onion straws," Jennifer said. "The batter is pre-made and people complain all the time about how salty it is."

I appreciated Jennifer's candor, I appreciated her willingness, and I appreciated that she seemed genuinely interested in providing me with a better Chili's experience. From a managerial perspective Jennifer gets kudos for her service recovery skills. And she gets extra bonus points because she was the first manager who ever followed up with me about a feedback form.

Overall, Chili's delivered a positive customer service recovery experience. From my perspective, however, there seems to be one fatal flaw in the Chili's service recovery system. That is, the service recovery doesn't go full circle in order to eliminate the root cause of the service failure for the future.

It's nice that the management team at one particular Chili's location is willing to personally ensure that I not receive a salt lick supper. But it shouldn't take managerial intervention to create an edible meal. And it's nice that Jennifer warned me about the sodium-rich onion straw batter, but if Chili's diners complain about that "all the time," wouldn't it be a good idea to change the batter altogether?

The purpose of customer feedback should not just be to identify individual problems and individually compensate for those problems. The purpose of customer feedback forms should also be to identify global sitewide or system-wide challenges so that the root cause of those challenges can be eliminated. It's good to say you're sorry. But it's even better to get rid of things that you need to be sorry about.

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook

If Oprah Winfrey opened her OWN retail operations (perhaps a chain of cute little "Favorite Things boutiques?") there's little doubt that it would be big, it would be successful, and it would quickly be global. But Oprah doesn't have her own chain of retail stores (yet). And Oprah has never been the CEO of a global retail organization (yet). So why would a retail industry leader care what Oprah had to say about anything?

One thing Oprah does know is leadership. She managed to lead her television show into global success. She managed to lead her production company into multi-billion dollar success. She managed to lead herself onto just about every most list ever created - Most Influential, Most Powerful, Most Admired, Most Loved, Most Shoes. Oprah managed, she led, she created, she succeeded.

So when Oprah talks about business and success, retail leaders listen - or at least they should be listening if they're interested in the point of view of a woman with a clear view from the top of Success Mountain. Click here for quotable quotes about business and success from Oprah Winfrey >>

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook

It's no surprise that customer satisfaction with Amazon.com (AMZN) is high. It's also no surprise that when asked to score the largest online Internet retail shopping websites, customers gave the highest marks to Amazon.com based on their Internet shopping experiences during the 2011 holiday shopping season.

There were very few surprises in the annual 2011 Holiday E-Retail Satisfaction Index published by research firm Foresee. Besides Amazon, the Internet shopping websites of jcpenney (JCP), Apple (AAPL), Barnes and Noble (BKS) and Victoria's Secret ranked high. These companies have a good reputation for customer relationships to begin with, and they've just extended their customer satisfaction acumen to a virtual platform.

Of course for every "best" ranking, there are corresponding "worst" rankings. According to the Internet shopping customers surveyed, Target (TGT), Blockbuster (BBI), Sears (SHLD), and The Gap (GPS) provided the worst online retail customer dissatisfaction during the 2011 holiday shopping season. Not surprisingly, these "worst" Internet retailers have also had a fair bit of trouble with customer satisfaction in their physical store as well in 2011.

The exception to the expected worst rankings is Target, which is generally known for having good customer relationships. Targets website challenges in 2011 were mostly functional, or more accurately, dysfunctional. When blockbuster marketing results drove more traffic to the Target.com website than it could handle, highly publicized complete crashes of its retail website occurred.

The first full site Target.com crash actually created a "Wow!" response. The second crash created more of a "Huh?" response. And subsequent website dysfunctions drew more of a "Grrrr" response from customers. The second-to-last reputation that an Internet shopping website wants to get is "unstable" (which is just slightly better than the reputation of "untrustworthy"). So it seems fairly obvious that stability is priority #1 for the Target e-commerce team in 2012.

To see the best of the best and the worst of the worst rankings for Internet shopping websites, click here. To BE the best of the best of Internet shopping websites (or at least not among the worst of the worst), read the full Foresee Customer Satisfaction Index report here.

Trending Retail Topics | Weekly Retail Newsletter | Follow on Twitter | "Like" on Facebook