Ellison, who is responsible for directing sales efforts, acknowledges that the biggest challenge retailers are facing right now is, “finding a way to adjust to the customer’s buying patters and to adjust to the natural trend of people spending less.”  The article goes on to focus on the value of the retail experience and equipping sales personnel with the tools to deliver a stand out experience.

Ellison says, “You’re not going to improve staffing on Monday and improve your financial results on Tuesday. But it’s something that you have to be committed to.” Many times we’ve discussed the question of whether or not current spending habits will be sustained after the economy recovers. It seems retailers are understanding that while the question is not easily answered, only positive results can come from investing in the store experience and maximizing each shopper interaction no matter what happens.

Click here to read the entire article.

 Study: Stores Not Doing Enough to Sell Green

Looks like Walmart Stores’ recent plan to develop a sustainbility index that clikcs with consumers will arrive in the nick of time: A new study finds that when it comes to giving information about green purchases, consumers give retailers a D-.

Last week, Walmart announced plans to develop a worldwide sustainable product index with 1,500 suppliers, which will establish a single source of data. “Customers want products that are most efficient, that last longer and perform better,” Mike Duke, Walmart’s president and CEO, said in making the announcement. 

60 minutes did an interesting piece this past weekend on neuroscience. Lesley Stahl examines the many interesting applications of what is essentially mind reading. Through various sophisticated technologies, scientists are devising ways to perceive a person’s brain activity remotely. Theoretically, if a marketer can identify which images and advertising stimulate the shopper’s brain, they’ve got ‘em! They then know how to better induce shoppers to purchase their chocolate chip cookies versus say, the store brand.

All of this is theoretical at this point, however, one company, Neurosense, profiled on the segment, rambles off an impressive list of CPG manufacturers and entertainment companies who are investing in researching this technology.  Watch the entire 60 minutes segment below.

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What is also noteworthy is that all of these retailers are focused on the customer first. The products involve a personal experience where the customer is either involved in the creation of the product or gets distinctly personal service when shopping. Click here to read the full story.

The winners are:

The Blue Jeans Bar, San Francisco, CA

Edward Beiner, Miami, FL

Fashionology, Beverly Hills, CA

OrangeCup, San Antonio, TX

While Microsoft definitely has the money to drive a successful retail strategy, analysts question whether they have the products to sustain it.  Allan B. Krans with Technology Business Research was quoted in the LA Times saying, “Microsoft is putting the cart before the horse. Stores do not draw customers to products; innovative products bring customers to stores.” 

Krans makes a valid point but there is something to be said for the store experience.  The Apple store experience has been described as “magical” and while the products are the draw, the store brings the personality of the product to life. Apple products have become representative of a lifestyle that is encapsulated in the store experience. The store has become such an experience that many people who are not Mac fanatics, have visited the store just to see what all the talk is about. And chances are, once they got inside the store, they got it.  Properly executed, the store is the connector between the product and the consumer.  Apple is a perfect example.  The biggest challenge for Microsoft may not be retailing in this economy, it may be defining a personality intriguing enough to capture in a store environment.