Once you are logged in, they probably know more about you (from personal data and buying habits) than any other retailer. This occurs if a retailer offers different prices depending on information they have collected about that customer. Firstly, retailers can collect details of a customer's previous purchases made on the website. The regulator says that there is no evidence, but a lot of concern, that this information allows retailers to charge a higher price to certain customers." Both marketers and retailers are going to have to take the lead here. MORE >>

Apple's announcement this morning of a Mac App Store , part of OS X 10.7 users as soon as 90 days from now, spells another nail in the coffin for the retail box model of software discovery, purchase and installation. Just as iTunes, Napster and the many other Web-based entertainment delivery models dramatically impacted the retail experience of physically purchasing (or renting) CDs and DVDs, so too will the software industry be impacted by an increased emphasis on Web delivery of applications. Just don't make me buy them at retail on a spinning disk. MORE >>

Being a retail creature of habit, I realize how bad this is for the retailer, but the truth is that reading, buying and storing my books in the cloud trumps all. Retail is going to have to change. Amazon just released a new mobile app called, Price Check , that allows consumers at the retail level to use barcode scanning, their camera or speech to text search to price check and compare with Amazon (and their merchants). Once again, Amazon is changing not only online shopping but the entire retail experience. apple. retail. retail experience. MORE >>

Motorola Solutions has recently produced a survey identifying the future trends for the retail sector. 66 percent of retail respondents are interested in mobile Point-Of-Sale (POS), while 42 percent are currently piloting or starting trails within the next 36 months. Many retailers such as Bass Pro, Sephora and Eastern Mountain Sports have already turned to mobile POS, with a view to improving the quality of customer service and increase consumer loyalty. However, many respondents have not yet taken the critical first step. SOURCE: [link]. million in 2011. SOURCE: [link]. MORE >>

Overall, Samsung and Apple now account for half of the smartphone unit share and 90 percent of the profit share. And finally — another survey report that confirms mobile marketing goes a long way toward increasing revenue in the retailing sector. According to ABI Research’s Technology Barometer: 45 percent of smartphone users with a retailer-branded app visit the retailer’s store more often. But only 25 percent of the respondents had downloaded a retailer-branded app. Total global mobile revenues are forecast to hit $1.5 SOURCE: [link]. ” In the U.S., MORE >>