04/06/2009

A Loyalty Card That Keeps On Giving

TOP Food & Drug is promoting its TOP Connection loyalty card program in Washington State with a fresh idea for the grocery trade. The stores guarantee cardholders that if they buy an item, then it goes on a sale advertised in flyers, the company will automatically credit their accounts with the difference in price plus 1%. Credits accumulate monthly and can be applied to future purchases. The program covers most everything in the store, from groceries to health and beauty to deli to household goods. Software from Accelitec, a CRM specialist for retail, powers the TOP Connection system. --Jeff B. Copeland, Content Product Manager

03/16/2009

Mall Landlords: Can We Talk?

Retail landlords know they're in a tough market and, if you're a mall tenant, you may be hearing from yours soon with some interesting proposals. A newsletter for members of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) suggests that shopping centers work with tenants to collectively reduce operating hours, saving overhead costs for all. Malls might also provide pooled accounting and other back-end services or organize auctions for tenants, the ICSC says. With some tenants citing lease "co-tenancy" clauses (which allow an out if the mall's anchor stores close) to argue for rent reductions, the ICSC suggests making the argument that it's the mass of stores, not the big ones, that's the draw, and asking retailers for help in filling the mall with stores. -- Jeff B. Copeland, Content Product Manager

03/16/2009

License to Scan

If you sell liquor or tobacco, you must check driver licenses -- and you may be letting some valuable data slip through your fingers. Datalogic Scanning's line of driver license scanners decode the bar code on the backs of licenses and give you an instant read on the holder's age. Plus, the company's new driver license parsing package populates a database with the personal information on the license to help you keep track of your clientele. Motorola makes a competing product. But scanner beware: It's illegal to sell information extracted from drivers licenses and some states prohibit even saving the data after scanning. -- Jeff B. Copeland, Content Product Manager

03/16/2009

Signs of the Times

Digital signage is a good way to update your customers on what's new at your store -- and update your image. But if you think the big-screen TVs flashing changing messages and the software to run them are beyond the reach of your small business, take a look at a new package announced by HP at the recent Digital Signage Expo: a 42-inch high def signage monitor plus software offered at favorable financing through HP's Total Care program. Or check out the new Digital Dynamic Signage package from Scala Software and FASTSIGNS sign stores, also aimed at small and medium businesses, a plug-and-play system oriented toward newbies. -- Jeff B. Copeland, Content Product Manager

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A Loyalty Card That Keeps On Giving

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License to Scan

Signs of the Times

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