There are many ways to reward employees without handing out bonuses or promotions. Sometimes a heart-felt “thank you” can go a long way. The following Inc. article provides a list of 20 techniques to reward employees without “spending a dime.” While …
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Hardware Stores Collect Food for Homeless Pets
Ace Hardware stores in the Springfield, Massachusetts, area are collecting pet food for local humane societies and animal shelters. Rocky’s Ace Hardware, a family-owned business, will collect the pet food through Dec. 23 at its nine stores in the Springfield …
Read More »Adapting the Brick and Mortar Store
Online shopping and purchasing have become mainstream within the United Sates. “Between 2008 and 2013, e-commerce sales grew ten times faster than in-store retail,” according to a McKinsey & Company article. Not only are consumers using their smartphones and tablets to …
Read More »Online Holiday Shopping and Research to Increase Commerce
There are only 26 days between Black Friday and Christmas this year, meaning brick-and-mortar stores will be busy and online shopping carts will be full during the coming weeks. According to an infographic by Invesp, U.S. retail commerce is expected to …
Read More »Ace Hardware Exemplifies Using Customer Service as Marketing Tool
Customer service is now getting recognition as a marketing tool for retailers, and Ace Hardware’s service is getting applause along with retailers such as Zappos.com and Morton’s The Steakhouse. Traditionally, the customer service and marketing departments were two separate entities, but …
Read More »Amazon Trims Prices and Stock Price
In a recent push to compete better with Walmart, Amazon has cut prices on consumer goods such as toilet paper and groceries. Amazon has recently been in “investment mode”, pricing aggressively and investing in innovative products. According to an article from The …
Read More »Switch Bargain Hunters to Loyal Customers
Businesses should make it a priority to build customer loyalty, not just promote special sales, this holiday shopping season, according to an article by Inc. While customers are actively seeking gifts for everyone on their Christmas lists, finding the best deals in …
Read More »Ample Holiday Shopping Still Ahead
With Black Friday less than two days away, consumers still have a lot of shopping to do. According to Deloitte’s 2014 pre-Thanksgiving survey, only 18 percent of consumers have completed their holiday gift shopping to date. Not only do consumers …
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