Alison Chaltas

A team approach is critical, particular in mass market retail where most employees are part-time and turnover is high -- and many are very young. Yes, we should raise the bar on in-store service, but keep our expectations achievable.

Retail associates should be trained in all of the above...

As email and social media communications consume so much more of our marketing energy and budgets, good old fashioned direct mail can make real impact. There is less of it, less frequently, so we actually read it more. Funny world where good old fashioned "junk" mail clears though the...

Showrooming is real. This is a perfect example of the collision between being a supplier and a competitor. Technology is making the world more incestuous every day. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

IKEA is the perfect example of a retailer who struck a winning proposition and has stuck with it. That $3 frying pan is a perfect fit with their no nonsense, high-choice kitchen design. And yes, it beefs up the market basket, a little. But the intent is more to...

The learning from Apple is simple: Live the brand in store. It took a technology company with the luxury of building stores from scratch to develop today's best practices in Shopper Marketing.

No doubt P&G has discovered the power of engaging the shopper where and when she wants to shop, personalizing her brand experience, and making it easy for her to buy at a good value. In typical P&G fashion, they are methodically attacking the opportunities social media presents, and leveraging...

Further adding to the challenge of managing trade promotion in today's environment is the growth of shopper marketing as a discipline--with often blurry lines between the two. No longer can manufacturers compartmentalize activities into those that build awareness and brand equity and those that drive volume. Importantly manufacturers must...

"Lower" gas prices is certainly a relative statement. Anything over $3 a gallon makes a big impact on driving behavior. Staycations are sure to be the norm this summer and shopping trips will continue to be fewer, closer to home. Convenience retailers will have to get very creative to...

How refreshing in today's world to treat others the way you'd want to be treated! So often customers and clients treat vendor suppliers as outsiders and commodities. In today's world where intellectual capital is so critical, the smart organizations from retailers to agencies to manufacturers to, yes, consulting firms,...

Scent is a very important part of our sensory experience in any environment. Just think about how you feel when you want by a custom coffee roaster or fabulous bread bakery. Olfactory glands set off the rest of our desire to buy and can be a powerful retail tool.

The...