Dan Berthiaume

Online reviews are undermining customer trust in store associates, but it was never strong to begin with. Most customers realize store associates are expected to help sell as much merchandise as possible, not give honest opinions about products.

Daily deals are evolving like any other new technology -- there were dozens and dozens of US car manufacturers in the first half of the 20th century, which shrunk to 3 by the 1980s. The same Darwinian process is occurring in the daily deals market, at a much faster...

Mobile will become the primary means of consumer online access within 5-10 years. The over thinking is that retailers approach mobile commerce as a "gee whiz" phenomenon, when actually it will be an ordinary part of daily life.

If a store does not want to reimburse employees for purchasing their clothes, they should provide "uniforms" of that clothing which the employees change into and out of before and after shift. Considering how little the average store associate earns, it's only fair. I might make an exception for...

With social media and tools for sorting through "Big Data," retailers and their partners can get more insight into consumer preferences quicker than ever before. The supply chain must become leaner and meaner; perhaps this will be the catalyst that finally moves RFID into the place everyone has been...

I remember seeing the "Soda/Pet Food City" store in Hadley, MA when I went to college in neighboring Amherst and always thought it was a very funny product combination, but that is probably a large part of the appeal. Indies definitely can provide much better and more personalized customer...

As a marketing move, this is pure genius. They will mostly receive horrible product ideas but there is always the chance a few people will have worthwhile products. Regardless, the publicity and consumer engagement alone make this contest a win for Walmart.

Salaries that are not far above the poverty line are not going to attract top-level people to retail sales positions. Since it is not realistic to pay the average retail sales associate much more than they currently make, retailers should investigate customer-facing technologies that are more cost-effective in the...

Conscious capitalism is probably most realistic for retailers who already have a brand image and customer base geared toward "doing good" -- i.e., verticals such as organic food, outdoor equipment, youth-oriented apparel/accessories. Although Walmart has had success improving its image through its sustainability program, it is much harder for...

Retailers should aim for one seamless experience that touches the customer at all contact points. This experience should encompass developing technologies like mobile and social media, so of course in-store social media should be actively pursued.