L.L. Bean Looks to Update Free Shipping, Returns Policies

| Mike O'Brien

In an effort to remain competitive and cut costs, iconic brand L.L. Bean is considering changes to its famous free shipping and returns. This follows policy changes instituted last year by Nordstrom, another brand famous for its generous returns policy.

Same Day Delivery An Opportunity Area for Retailers vs. Amazon

| Mike O'Brien

Same day delivery represents an opportunity area for retailers as delivery partners can make it a reality across a wider swath of the country than Amazon, which covers 27 U.S. markets at present, according to a new report from L2. See what other insights the report uncovered, including consumer expectations for fast shipping and how one major retailer is pivoting to the new reality.

Achieving the Perfect Customer Order: Where Does It Begin?

| Allison Manetakis

Critical to meeting customer expectations is delivering on the perfect customer order: the right product at the best price, when and where they want it. Find out what the key components are to making this happen, delighting customers consistently and driving loyalty while maintaining operational efficiency.

Kohl’s Using Technology to Transform the Customer Experience

| Mike O'Brien

Retailers need to focus less on the “shiny new objects” and instead focus on systems and solutions that actually move the needle, Ratnakar Lavu, Chief Technology Officer for Kohl’s said at NRF’s Big Show. See what tech tricks the company has up its sleeve, which are coming down the road and how they’re boosting loyalty and engagement.

What Shoppers Thought of the 2016 Holiday Delivery Experience

| MCM staff

How did shoppers react to their holiday delivery experience in 2016, and what were the weak and strong spots for retailers? What kind of complaints did they have, and what areas do retailers need to shore up to improve their performance in 2017? This infographic from Convey provides some insights and tips on how to improve the experience in 2017.

mobile commerce, retail geo-targeting, social media marketing, customer reviews

Retailers Continue Omnichannel Pivot as Stores Struggle

| Mike O'Brien

Major retailers including Macy’s, JC Penney and Nordstrom are placing larger bets on omnichannel as the future of retail, amid hundreds of store closings and even a chain shuttering in the wake of a tough holiday season for brick-and-mortar sales. See what moves the chains are making to counter Amazon’s incursions.

4 Steps To Defend Your Brand Against Porch Pirates

| Rob Taylor

Porch pirates might not wear eyepatches, have a parrot and say “shiver me timbers,” but they have proven to be a growing menace – and all your customer knows is her package didn’t arrive. While you can’t totally avoid this scourge of ecommerce, these 4 steps will help you defend your reputation by ensuring the safe delivery of packages.

An Omnichannel Mixed Bag, Delivered in a Box

| Mike O'Brien

As someone who lives, eats, sleeps and often writes about omnichannel, it’s always interesting to be a participant in the “anytime, anywhere, anyhow” dynamic. See how Bob’s Stores got my experience exactly right, but fell down in terms of fulfillment efficiency.