HeadCount News Features

Starbucks CEO Demonstrating Why C-Suite Needs To Leave The C-Suite

"Having executives get first-hand experience by working a shift is not new, but it never goes out of style. All executives should commit to spending some time working the front lines so that they can truly understand the employees’ and customers’ experience," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount.Read More

Culture Is The Who And How We Work; Strategy Is What We Do

“Target continues to set the standard for driving up worker pay. I can only believe there is one key reason why—because a well-compensated, appreciated, happy workforce delivers better results. Imagine how it must feel to work for a company like Target that continues to look for ways to enrich employees," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount.  Read More

A Marriott executive for an athletic apparel brand?

Under Armour’s six-month search for its third-ever CEO ended last month with a surprise move. The Baltimore-based brand bypassed leaders in sports apparel and retail and instead tapped a veteran of the hospitality industry. “Under Armour has been in a slump for more than five years, and re-playing old playbooks is not likely going to lead to a significant change in trajectory,” says Mark Ryski, a retail analytics expert and CEO of HeadCount Corp.  Read the articleRead More

Gap’s Amazon Deal Can Be Desperate And Smart At The Same Time

“It’s clear that Gap needs to drive sales, and so broadening distribution to Amazon is one way to get it," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount. "But I’d argue that selling on Amazon also carries with it the down side of loss of control of their brand. I can’t blame Gap management for looking for new sales, but I do question whether this is the best way to do it.”Read More

Why retailers need a conversion rate optimization program

Retailers seeking to drive sales and boost customer loyalty need an effective conversion rate optimization program for both physical and online stores. It can prove strategic given the upcoming holiday sales season, says Mark Ryski, CEO & Founder of HeadCount. Read More

Turning retail shoppers into buyers via conversion rate optimization

Shoppers are flowing back into retail stores after two years of COVID-19 and the quest is on to convert shoppers into buyers as well as engaged and loyal customers.  One proven approach is developing an effective conversion rate optimization (CRO) program and taking a deep dive into store traffic to determine where conversion is lacking as well as identifying "super converters. These are stores that benchmark "what's possible" and likely hold the secret to unlocking chainwide conversion rate improvement, says Mark Ryski Founder & CEO of HeadCount. Read More

H&M Case Shows How Greenwashing Breaks Brand Promise

“While the financial calculation of merely greenwashing away environmental issues may seem acceptable, this is a real threat to the long term success of companies like H&M who target a younger consumer,” says Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. “I believe that H&M has already sustained brand damage as a result of their past greenwashing activities.” Read More

Retail Experts: Kohl’s Should Look Elsewhere For A Buyer

“I don’t see how Franchise Group can add a lot of value to Kohl’s business and the financing approach is concerning," says Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. “I understand that Kohl’s management needs to review every bona fide offer, but it seems to me that there are other opportunities for Kohl’s that present a more encouraging outcome. And notwithstanding poorer sales results, Kohl’s is not a distressed retailer and they don’t need to do a deal — they can bide their time for better/different offers.” Read More

Retail Experts: Kohl’s Should Look Elsewhere For A Buyer

“I don’t see how Franchise Group can add a lot of value to Kohl’s business and the financing approach is concerning," says Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. “I understand that Kohl’s management needs to review every bona fide offer, but it seems to me that there are other opportunities for Kohl’s that present a more encouraging outcome. And notwithstanding poorer sales results, Kohl’s is not a distressed retailer and they don’t need to do a deal — they can bide their time for better/different offers.” Read More

Out of stock: When it helps — and hurts — a brand

Retailers and brands have struggled to manage stock levels during the pandemic. But out of stock can sometimes represent good news. “Out of stock is more dangerous in the times we live in now with the rise of the secondhand market," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "They offer luxury, with proof of authenticity, delivered online. It strikes at the heart of what luxury brands are truly all about.” Read More

Data literacy is a key skill in an ever-expanding digital universe

Data literacy can be a tough sell for executives who speak of profits and losses but don't know how to dig into underlying causes such as a misalignment between foot traffic and staffing. But, data is pervasive. "Think of any kind of company, every department is grappling with data," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. Data needs people who can make sense of it all, which is the goal of a new program launching at NAIT.  Read More

Being Dumped By Nike Might Do Some Retailers Some Good

Amid Nike’s moves to consolidate wholesale accounts, a few affected retailers are expressing confidence they’ll be able to shift to other vendors to fill the void.“The bigger retailers are putting on a brave face, but Nike is a powerful brand and the loss will be felt for many of these retailers,” says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. Read More

Will PacSun Hopes To Burn Brighter With Two CEOs

PacSun announced a leadership transition that will see Alfred Chang, the teen chain’s president, and Mike Relich, interim CEO of PSEB Group, share the chief executive role. “In this case, two heads are not always better than one,” says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. “I’m not a fan of co-CEOs because of the potential for mixed messages or misalignments on vision."  Read More

Protecting Retailers and a Lifestyle

Discussion initiated by RetailWire with commentary by retail experts debated whether or not retailers should continue to require associates and customers to wear masks. "I would urge frontline retail workers to continue to follow current safety protocols," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "No doubt these workers are tired of wearing masks and the other hygiene protocols, but health/safety is still the most important issue. The lifting mask requirements, while welcome by all, will make it virtually impossible for retailers to enforce any kind of mask regulation, since it will be impossible to police or verify if shoppers have been vaccinated. This is also why frontline workers should still wear masks." Read More

Payless Reboot Needs More Than Just A Celeb Endorsement

Two years after declaring bankruptcy and closing its operations, Payless is returning to the world of brick-and-mortar retail and a former member of the Miami Heat and current basketball executive is considering a partnership with the chain. “Payless is a significantly diminished brand and it will take more than an NBA star to change it,” says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder Mark Ryski.  Read More

Those techniques for detailing store traffic statistics

【摘要】数据分析公司HeadCount Corp.的创始人Mark Ryski在《转换：最后一个零售指标》一书中指出：客流统计数据已经成为商场经营决策中越来越不可缺少的重要内容。 门店销售额的计算公式为：门店销售额=客流量×成交率×客单价。 当前，大多数零售商仍然使用交易量（即客流量×成交率）作为门店KPI的衡量标准。然而，正如Ryski在书中指出的，成交率高度依赖于劳动力、库存、客户服务和结账队.Read More

Growth marketing y experimentación: Herramientas clave para el nuevo gerente de marketing

Con el growth marketing la gerencia del área se convierte en un verdadero laboratorio para testear iniciativas. "Mantener a los usuarios interesados durante todo el proceso de compra online y evitar el abandono del carro de compra es una tarea casi titánica," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation.  Read More

Why Amazon Grocery Catapulted To The Top Of America’s Favorites List

A recent survey finds that Amazon has become the preferred source of groceries for the largest number of Americans. “Amazon is a formidable competitor in virtually any category it pursues and I expect that it will build on the momentum from 2020 and continue to become an even bigger player in grocery,” says Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation and a member of the RetailWire Braintrust.  Read More

Walmart+ Is Getting Into Prime Position To Take On Amazon

Walmart announced that members of its Walmart+ subscription plan will no longer be required to make a $35 minimum purchase to qualify for free next-day and two-day shipping on online orders.  “Removing the minimum will help Walmart add new customers without a doubt,” says  Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. “The battle for consumers is a slugfest and the removal of the minimum order is part of this. This latest move will create even further distance between Walmart, Amazon, Target and virtually everyone else.” Read More

Amazon: The COVID grocer

This week the supermarket world was struck by the news that the market research firm dunnhumby ranked Amazon BB #:283186 as number one in its 2020 retail preference index. “Amazon is a formidable competitor in virtually any category it pursues, and I expect that it will build on the momentum from 2020 and continue to become an even bigger player in grocery,” says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation.  Read More

Amazon Prime Killer? How Is Walmart+ Doing So Far? Tough to Say.

Back in September, following a few months of pandemic-related delays, Walmart finally unveiled Walmart+, the retail giant’s answer to Amazon Prime. In December, meanwhile, Walmart announced that it was dropping the requirement for a $35 minimum purchase for free next-day and two-day shipping on online orders." “Removing the minimum will help Walmart add new customers without a doubt,”  says Mark Ryski, the CEO of HeadCount Corporation. “The battle for consumers is a slugfest and the removal of the minimum order is part of this. This latest move will create even further distance between Walmart, Amazon, Target and virtually everyone else.”  Read More

Is Walmart’s new last-mile delivery program brilliant — or a disaster in the making?

The Uber-like program will have store associates delivering packages on their way home from work. Will it work for Walmart? "Full points to Walmart for thinking about the delivery challenge in a completely new way," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "One of the big benefits is in providing employees an opportunity to earn additional income — essentially “Uberizing” employees’ commute home". Read More

Private shopping, online sales and face masks: Black Friday in a pandemic

Social distancing markers and face masks will be as customary as doorbuster deals this Black Friday, as retailers in Delaware look to salvage some holiday business while keeping their customers and employees safe. "It's as striking as it appears," Mark Ryski, founder and CEO of Headcount Corp., a company that analyzes retail traffic, said last month. "What we're seeing is a dramatic acceleration of trends that were substantially already underway....If you're now just figuring out how to do it, you're so far behind the curve, you're going to struggle like hell." Read More

商店关闭令零售成为投资热点

有关商店倒闭和破产的故事掩盖了一个事实，即零售业是活跃的投资热点，现金流，首次公开发行(IPO)蓬勃发展，并且机会激增。这是总结。在关于RetailWire上的《华尔街日报》文章的讨论中，HeadCount首席执行官Mark Ryski正确地指出：“当我们看到商店急剧减少时，通常是更大的财务失败的先兆。”换句话说，零售商在决定关闭商店之前管理不善。GlobalData董事总经理Neil Saunders指出“美国市场存在产能过剩”，“零售空间比其他国家还多。”该评论指出，首先扩展到不良位置是决策不力的征兆。Read More

Chipotle’s Digital-Only Location Anticipates New Era For Quick-Serve Restaurants

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced plans last week to open its first “digital-only restaurant” – The Chipotle Digital Kitchen. The chain said that the new concept will provide the option of having restaurants in urban areas that don’t have the space to accommodate full-size format units. “I have no doubt that the pandemic is causing many of the fast causal restaurants — if not all categories of restaurant — to think creatively about how they approach the dining experience in the future,” says Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation.   Read More

Macy’s Makes Do With Dark Stores For The Holidays

Macy’s has decided that it will convert two of its department stores into dark stores that more easily facilitate in-store and curbside pickup of online orders and product returns. "Many retailers are in survival mode and so this is a reasonable approach under this circumstance. However it’s a short-term survival tactic only," says Mark Ryski, CEO of Headcount Corporation. "Macy’s decision to convert stores into dark locations is a short term tactic to try to serve customers through what will be a brutal holiday season for Macy’s. Using high priced mall real estate for dark store distribution is a losing proposition." Read More

Store Closures Mask Retail as an Investment Hot Spot

Stories about store closures and bankruptcies mask the fact that retail is an active investment hot spot where cash flows, IPOs flourish, and opportunities boom. “When we see a dramatic reduction of stores it’s often a precursor of larger financial failure.” In other words, the retailer was poorly managed before deciding to close stores," says Mark Ryski CEO of HeadCount. Hidden among all the store closings is a healthy, vibrant industry that is attracting huge amounts of investment capital. Read More

Is It Best To Be On Retail’s Cutting Edge? Maybe Not.

Some of the most headline-grabbing retail technology is just the kind of stuff that retailers are hesitating to adopt. But robots, drones, beacons and facial recognition have thus far been adopted by fewer than 10 percent of retailers. “Retailers are wise to be cautious about investing in cutting edge technology,” says Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. “However, at the same time, retailers also need to stay apprised of the latest technology advancements and carefully consider specifically how they might be leveraged to produce better store experiences for shoppers and improved business results for the retailer.” Read More

Is It Best To Be On Retail’s Cutting Edge? Maybe Not.

Some of the most headline-grabbing retail technology is just the kind of stuff that retailers are hesitating to adopt. But robots, drones, beacons and facial recognition have thus far been adopted by fewer than 10 percent of retailers. "Retailers are wise to be cautious about investing in cutting edge technology,” says Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. “However, at the same time, retailers also need to stay apprised of the latest technology advancements and carefully consider specifically how they might be leveraged to produce better store experiences for shoppers and improved business results for the retailer.”  Read the articleRead More

REI Sells Its Headquarters. Others Should Take Notice

REI Co-op has announced plans to sell its newly completed corporate campus in Bellevue, WA. Instead of the central location, the co-op will embrace a new HQ set-up of multiple satellite campuses. Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation, drove home the point that doing this — and doing it right — very well may be a necessity.”All companies need to find ways to cut expenses and operate their businesses — as drastic as this move by REI may seem, we’ll be seeing a lot more of it in the months to come,” wrote Mr. Ryski. “This is far from over.” Read More

Burlington banks on in-store shopping

According to the NRF, the hottest apparel retailers in terms of market share gains are TJX, Ross Stores and Burlington. It might be a coincidence, but these three retailers make little or no use of ecommerce. “While this move may seem counterintuitive in the connected world we live in today, for Burlington it just makes sense. The ‘treasure hunt’ category is one of the truly few concepts that simply doesn’t lend itself well to online shopping,” says Mark Ryski, CEO of retail analytics firm HeadCount Corp. Read More

Social distancing will merge with facial recognition

In Australia, facial recognition is being offered as an enhancement to support contact-free payments, temperature checks, mask-detection and surveillance. “Facial-recognition is a slippery slope, and retailers should be cautious about deploying this type of technology," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "While facial recognition may be helpful during the pandemic, there are other methods for ensuring a safe store environment that don’t rely on facial recognition technology. The pandemic has most certainly accelerated the acceptance of all sorts of new processes and protocols, but I don’t believe the benefits outweigh the potential risks with facial recognition.” Read More

Should Walmart Reinstate In-Store Returns During A Pandemic?

Although public health officials say it’s unlikely COVID-19 infections can be spread by surfaces or physical objects, retailers are being cautious about how they handle returned merchandise. "This is a tricky issue that retailers are going to be grappling with for the foreseeable future. No doubt consumers have become accustomed to 100% returns, no questions asked, for a long time. However, the pandemic has rightly changed that. Retailers have no way of knowing if returned merchandise has been contaminated, and so limiting returns is reasonable," says Mark Ryski, Founder and CEO, HeadCount Corporation.  Read More

Will The Retail Workforce Ever Return To Pre-Pandemic Levels?

The pandemic has hastened the evolution from analog to digital across all types of businesses, and retail is no different. How long will it take for retail employment to return to pre-pandemic levels — if it ever does — and what that means to recruitment and career paths in retail in the years ahead. "The lingering effects of the pandemic will be felt for years as the industry recalibrates. Not only will there be fewer employment opportunities in general (notwithstanding pockets of growth), but working in retail — especially frontline — has become less desirable," says Mark Ryski, Founder, CEO and Author, HeadCount Corp.  Read More

How Macy’s Can Make Christmas Joyful This Year

Macy’s is looking into spreading holiday promotions, extending hours and playing up curbside pickup to better manage crowds this upcoming holiday season. Seasonal success, however, may be in large part out of retailers’ hands this year. "The holiday season will be entirely contingent upon the pandemic," says Mark Ryski, CEO of Headcount Corporation. "If the economy continues to lurch forward and progress is being made on a vaccine or treatments, then I would expect to see a strong holiday season. However, if the virus spread continues unabated and retailers are forced to re-close some locations, then I would expect a weak holiday season." Read More

For Restaurants, Outdoor Dining Merely A Stopgap

As cities begin to open back up in the U.S., social distancing requirements remain in effect in hopes of preventing a rebound of COVID-19 infections. One architect recently created an outdoor dining template for restaurants to make use of the limited street and sidewalk space in New York City.” Outdoor dining will help create more capacity for those restaurants that have the time and money to create suitable outdoor eating space, but it’s not a panacea,” says Mark Ryski, CEO of Headcount Corporation.  Read More

Should Jewelers Require Consumers to Wear Masks?

In some jurisdictions, wearing masks is now mandatory when in public. In others, it isn’t. Some jewelers have been “strongly encouraging” or “politely asking” customers to wear masks. The implication is clear: They want customers to wear them. They don’t want to force them to. "Retailers have an obligation to provide a safe environment for the employees and shoppers, regardless of how politically incorrect that might be. Countries that have had the best results in minimizing spread, such as South Korea, have adopted face masks en masse. If some customers don’t feel comfortable with or don’t agree with face masks, they are free to shop at other stores," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corp. Read More

L.L.Bean CEO Calls On Federal Government To Assist Middle-Market Retailers

Middle-market retailers are under particularly intense pressure from the COVID-19 outbreak — they lack the resources that larger retailers can tap to survive the crisis, and they may not qualify for the same relief being made available to smaller companies. “Virtually every business is being affected by the crisis and can make a strong case for federal government support,” says Mark Ryski, Founder and CEO of HeadCount Corporation. “But the federal government is so preoccupied with life-saving efforts, I just don’t think middle-market retailers are going to hit high on the priority list," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corp.  Read More

Retail: Target trabaja plan para rediseñar 1,000 tiendas para el 2021

Target Corporation, cadena de grandes almacenes, se encuentra en el sexto año de su intento por abrir tiendas más pequeñas.  La compañía probará el 2021 un nuevo formato en áreas urbanas densas que es aproximadamente la mitad del tamaño de sus locales actuales.  “Creo que la aspiración de Target de reducir la fricción del comprador está en el camino correcto”, señaló Mark Ryski, CEO de la firma de análisis de negocios HeadCount.  Read More

Modell’s Needs To Figure Out What It Did Wrong

Family-owned chain Modell’s Sporting Goods, a familiar retailer throughout the northeastern U.S., is preparing to declare bankruptcy. The CEO’s unusual step late in February to keep the company afloat by reaching out publicly to crowdsource funds has proven unsuccessful.  “I don’t recall ever seeing a CEO attempt to appeal to the market in such a candid and vulnerable way,” wrote Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. “And while I give Mitchell Modell credit for trying to leverage social media, his pleas for support makes him and his company appear disturbingly desperate. I don’t think this will help Modell’s situation – in fact, it may make it worse.” Read More

Secondhand Is Hot, But Will Nordstrom Get Burned?

Secondhand clothing has found a home at Nordstrom. The department store retailer has launched a new resale concept — See You Tomorrow — online and at the Nordstrom flagship in New York City. "I really admire Nordstrom’s entry into the secondhand market, especially from an environmental perspective," says Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. "And it may be a way to win younger shoppers who can’t afford new product and are much more open to secondhand merchandise." Read More

New Walmart U.S. CEO Brings Retention Lessons From Sam’s Club

John Furner, Walmart U.S.’s new CEO, said the first step he took to drive employee satisfaction when leading Sam’s Club was to invest significantly in retention, particularly team leaders that guide departments. "Training, work-life balance and recognition are all important elements for retention," wrote Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. "And while it’s hard to say exactly which aspects will have the most impact on retention, the trend is clear: thoughtful retailers are re-investing in their people and they are delivering better business results. I don’t think this is a coincidence." Read More

アメリカで常態化する「購入後の返品」、小売店の対応策は？

今年のクリスマス商戦、小売店はさまざまな意味で、八方ふさがり的な状況にある トラフィックデータ専門企業「ヘッドカウント（HeadCount）」の最高経営責任者（CEO）マーク・リスキ（Mark Ryski）はBrainTrustで、「カテゴリーを問わず、商品を無料で返品できると消費者は考えるようになった。従って、競合他社が進んで返品無料サービスを提供している場合は、この特典を消費者から取り上げる簡単な方法はないと思う」というコメントを投稿している。 Read More

Five Below Ventures North Of $5

Five Below has made the decision to start selling some products for more than $5. The higher prices address rising costs and offer the opportunity to stock costlier items at “extreme value” in the home and tech categories. "This seems to be the awkward discussion all price-point branded retailers find themselves having when prices start to escalate — which they often do," says Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. "Overall, Five Below has established a loyal following of mostly young people who are into cheap stuff...Some people will be offended by the move; others won’t care or will hardly even notice.”  Read More

Furner inherits sound business, faces high expectations

John Furner, the relatively new CEO of Walmart U.S., is a Walmart lifer at 45 years old. He has logged 26 years at the retail giant. Walmart is one of the darlings of Wall Street. Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corp., says Walmart’s impressive results and pursuit of technology and innovation will likely continue under Furner’s leadership. “The greatest challenges Furner faces will be to build on and advance an organization with the size and success of Walmart and continue to battle against Amazon at the same time. I also think that Furner’s history within the organization, starting as an hourly associate and working his way up, gives him a unique perspective on all aspects of the business.” Read More

Is the environment Amazon’s Achilles heel or opportunity?

"It’s undeniable that humanity is creating waste and pollution at unprecedented levels.  Online shopping is a major and accelerating contributor, not only in packaging, but also in the tons of carbon pumped out by the cars, trucks and airplanes that deliver them. While the environmental impact of online shopping is hardly an Amazon-only issue, they are an undisputed leader and they set the standard others follow", says Mark Ryski author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation.    Read More

Mall Traffic Is Rising, but Department Stores May Still Be Doomed

More sales-driving innovation is needed. To its credit, the department store industry is on the right track. Adding restaurants to the mix is a bold step to be sure, as is introducing services like haircuts and styling help. But as HeadCount Corp. CEO Mark Ryski says:"Traffic for the sake of traffic does retailers no good." His prescription for players like Macy's, Penney's and Nordstrom? "Food courts, waterparks and skating rinks are all well and good, but retailers need to provide shoppers with reasons to visit their stores, and not just rely on mall walkers to stumble upon their stores." Read More

Walmart Begins In-home Delivery in Select Markets

Walmart officially began delivering groceries to the inside of customers’ homes and refrigerators this week in Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Vero Beach, Fla., with the potential to serve more than one million customers.Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation said these concerns of privacy will likely stunt adoption. Read More

As Target and Toys R Us Partner Up, Is It a Sign of More to Come?

Toys R Us was taken private in 2005 as a means of saving the organization, but that didn't help; the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017. It never truly solved its debt and growth challenges and opted to call it quits last year.  Mark Ryski, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation says "this sounds like a test drive for an acquisition of some kind by Target of the Tru Kids assets."  Read More

Experts Dispute UBS’s Advice For ‘No-Growth’ Nordstrom

"Discounting to drive traffic may produce a bump in short-term results, but will ultimately exacerbate Nordstrom’s challenges," wrote Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount Corporation. "It’s clear consumers are changing, and so adjusting merchandising mixes to reflect this is what every thoughtful retailer should be doing. Nordstrom’s business model is premium product with premium service – they need to get back to their roots, focus on the market segment that they are great at and stop trying to ‘me too’ with strategies that will please short-sighted Wall Street analysts." Read More

Do You Really Need to Drive More Prospects into Your Store?

The single best opportunity to grow your business is to convert more of your prospects. In Mark Ryski’s excellent book, “Conversion: The Last Great Retail Metric,” he wrote: “Sales results are not a reliable proxy for customer experience, but customer conversion rate is. In fact, conversion rate is an excellent proxy for customer experience.” Read More

Ex-Snapchat And Quidsi Execs Launch Verishop To Bring ‘Joy Back To Shopping’

Verishop, which features curated collections of men’s and women’s clothing, home and beauty products, offers free two-day shipping with no minimum purchase and free returns. “Curation and customer service are hard to scale effectively,” said Mark Ryski, founder and CEO of Headcount Corporation. “The online retail market is enormous and growing, so a solid online offering may gain some traction, but to grow this into something significant requires getting eyeballs to the site. And herein lies the biggest challenge for Verishop — breaking through in an online sea of alternatives.” Read the article Read More

The Flagship Is Sinking: Why Retailers Are Closing More Of Their Priciest Stores

Flagships have long been considered a key part of any retail brand — and the type of offering considered well-equipped to survive the e-commerce blitz. But a series of major closures this year has many grappling with how these costly flagship stores should be reshaped for retail’s new world order. “When these big brands start to close down flagships … it really begs the question of what else what might be going on,” said Author Mark Ryski, the founder and CEO of Headcount Corp., a retail analytics company. “The advantages of having a flagship … is to really put forward to your best offering, your best service experience.” Read More

Lands’ End to take final steps away from Sears

Lands' End to take final steps away from Sears as the apparel retailer exits store-within-a-store locations. "My only question is why it took Lands' End management so long to extricate themselves from Sears," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "Lands' End has a following and still reasonable brand equity, notwithstanding the historical challenges it's faced. Lands' End is on the right track: 1.) get out of Sears, 2.) continue to build out its online business, including third-party marketplaces and 3.) open stores slowly and carefully — don't overbuild." Read More

How to Improve Your Customer Conversion Rate

Just because you have a system to collect traffic data doesn’t mean it gets used or the insights applied in a way that leads to a measurable improvement in business results. "While I’m not suggesting that LP should be responsible for delivering results—clearly this is the domain of store operations—I do believe that LP can play an important role in bringing new ideas to leaders of the teams that do. Customer conversion rate optimization is one of these ideas," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. Read More

Giant Foods Mans Stores With 6-Foot-Tall Robots

Nearly 500 robots will be deployed across the Giant Foods and Stop & Shop chains. "The biggest barrier to seeing robots on the selling floor in the short-term will be the cost to deploy and maintain this equipment," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "This is only the start. Over time, I expect these robots will be used for many other tasks including product location and even basic customer service." Read More

What It Means When Retailers Close Their NYC Flagships

"Notwithstanding the additional value flagships provide, the underlying financial realities of these retailers also needs to be weighed — flagships, by definition, are high value assets and if the flagship store is significantly unprofitable, the motivation to sell these sites and close the stores will be strong," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "Ultimately, I believe that closing a flagship — and especially the stores noted in the article — should be a very last resort. The fact that these retailers have made the decision to do so is very telling of what shape their businesses are actually in." Read More

Is Kroger Following The Sears Recipe For Disaster?

"Sears’ situation is very different," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "As one of the most progressive grocery retailers, Kroger is looking to the future and seeing that digital will be critical to success. It’s not surprising that, in the short-term, this may appear to be myopically focused on digital to the detriment of physical stores, but I doubt that leadership at Kroger is confused about the importance physical stores play in their future." Read the article Read More

Coming to a City Near You: Ikea, New and (maybe) Improved

The furniture retailer is opening 30 small-store concepts in urban areas and refocusing e-commerce and delivery efforts. Will that lure millennials? "Even the most successful retailers need to disrupt themselves occasionally, and Ikea is a good example," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation.  "The move to smaller, city-center stores and focusing on online makes good sense. Ikea’s product offering is very compatible with the urban dweller, so smaller stores where these shoppers live makes good sense." Read More

Should The Outdoor Industry Welcome Selling On Walmart.com?

On August 27, Walmart’s Premium Outdoor Store microsite launched with nearly 50 well-known outdoor brands. “Will it hurt some of the outdoor specialty stores?,” says Mark Ryski, founder and CEO, HeadCount Corp. “Probably, but how is this different than any other category? Ultimately every retailer needs to find their place in the market, and competing against Walmart and Amazon is just part of the market.”  Read More

“Retailers Ready to Fight for Black Friday Customers” — Las Vegas Review Journal

"The sad reality is that many retailers squander this precious day by being ill-prepared and even worse, if they don't have store traffic and conversion data, they won't even know had bad they missed," retail analytics expert Mark Ryski said. Read More

“Guest blog: Five Ways to Drive Customer Conversion Rates” — the Toy Book

"Everyday people visit your stores with the intent to buy, but leave without making a purchase. Getting your store to capture even a few more of these lost sales can have a significant impact on your store’s overall result." Read More

5 Ways to Turn Shoppers into Buyers — Business News Daily

"When it comes to your business, attracting customers is only half the challenge. Once you've got their attention, how do you turn their interest into a purchase?" Read More

“Retail: The Third Trick” — Business Excellence Magazine

"If you don’t track traffic or measure conversion rate in all your stores today, simply put, you are missing out on an entirely new way to drive sales." Read More

“Guest column: 5 Ways to Drive Customer Conversion Rates in Your Stores” — Integrated Solutions for Retailers

"It's time to start getting the sales needle to move in a positive direction." Read the articleRead More

“You Won’t Find the Answer in the Till” — Travel Goods, Fashion & Accessories Magazine

"Retail marketing investments can be measured, but not by sales results alone." Read More

“Converting retail browsers into buyers” — Financial Post

The point at which a browsing customer turns into a buying customer is a puzzle that retailers and technology companies are continually trying to decipher. Read More

“Traffic Counting Can Help Stores Track Down Lost Customers” — Ottawa Citizen

What this is about is retailers understanding how well they are performing with regard to how many people come through their stores. Retailers need to know not only how many sales they are making, but why? Read More

“Counting on Numbers” — Canadian Retailer

For London Drugs Inc. in Richmond, B.C., analyzing store traffic is a key part of maximizing staff efficiency in 68 locations, according to Clint Mahlman, Vice-President of Retail Operations and Distribution. Read the PDF Read More

Studying Patterns Improves Sales — Edmonton Journal

When Harry Kipnes wanted to know exactly how well his 22 cellphone stores were attracting shoppers and closing sales, he turned to in-store traffic analysis. Customer traffic analysis highlights weak points at bottom-line level. Read More

Solutions to Scarce Retail Staff — Edmonton Journal

Employee sharing and more technology are seen as solutions to better use scarce retail staff. Innovative hiring, technological savvy and improved training can help stores deliver good service during the busy holiday season, say local retail experts. Read More

“Does Your Advertising Work?” — Retail Connections

The problem with using sales as the sole measure of advertising effectiveness is that sales is the end result of a long chain of processes, of which advertising is only one. And quite often, that focus on sales results can lead us to some erroneous conclusions. Read More

“Why Count Customers?” — Retail Connections

Yet despite this wealth of data, most retailers are still missing an essential piece of the performance puzzle. The problem with exclusively sales-oriented information is that it can only tell us what happened, not how it happened. This distinction is critical to our understanding of how to change outcomes in the future.Read More