A new global survey finds 67 percent of U.S. consumers think ads based on location data are “creepy” with only 31 percent comfortable sharing their location in real-time. Will location-based marketing eventually overcome the consumer perception that it is a creepy technology?

A new university study finds that the intimate nature of a smartphone causes consumers to reflect inward, elevating their preference for unique and self-expressive options while shopping, versus when buying products on a laptop. Should retailers and direct-to-consumer brands alter what they offer for purchase based on the device being used to shop their websites?

Instacart has retained Grammy winner Lizzo as the face of its biggest brand campaign to date to introduce Carts, an in-app experience that will enable pop culture personalities, retailers and online creators to share shoppable, curated content. What do you think of Instacart’s Carts in-app feature and the potential for grocery discovery online?

Many of the components needed to deliver location-based services have been around for years, but the complexity of implementing infrastructure and integrating systems has kept retailers from using this technology to optimize operations. Why have retailers been slow to implement location-based solutions?

Many grocers find numerous advantages in emphasizing digital coupons. The digital shift, however, may be limiting access to coupons to technologically-challenged older and lower-income Americans. Do you agree that digital-only coupons are discriminatory against the elderly and lower-income households?

In a new ad that launched last week, Apple highlights its privacy features by imagining the sale of a consumer’s data in a real-world, high-stakes auction.  What do you think about the effectiveness of Apple’s “Privacy on iPhone” commercial and the value of Apple’s positioning around privacy?

Radio frequency  identification (RFID) technology is once again being viewed as a solution for item-level inventory tracking, but its side benefits in marketing, analytics and research are also gaining attention. What’s your view on RFID’s potential benefit to marketing, analytics and customer research?

Instacart has added a number of digital ad products on its site to give brands more opportunities to reach consumers as they shop for the groceries. How should grocers that use Instacart for deliveries view its expanded ad network?

At a 2022 NRF Big Show session, executives from JD.com and Authentic Brands Group discussed the massive opportunity around shopping festivals in China and offered some insights into their potential for U.S. retailing. Could mobile and influencer-driven shopping events that mimic Chinese shopping festivals take off in the U.S.?

Nike in November set member engagement records with the launch of its first globally coordinated Member Days event. The event, started in 2019, offers loyalty members special access, offers and rewards over five themed days. Would an extended-days program similar to Nike’s Member Days work for other retailers?

A new survey finds that in-store shoppers continue to showroom, or use their mobile phones to check competitor prices, but they’re also using their devices for purposes beneficial to the store they’re in.  Do mobile phones elevate or distract from the in-store shopping experience?

A report from Salesforce shows that nine in 10 marketing leaders believe that their digital engagement strategy has completely or somewhat changed since before the pandemic. What lessons has the pandemic taught retailers and brands about digital engagement?

Thirty-four percent of businesses adopted the use of texting because of the pandemic and 77 percent indicate they’ll continue post-COVID, according to a new study.  How would you rate the benefits and drawbacks of text messaging as a communication tool for retailers?

Walmart has announced an “expanded vision” for its ad business. Which components of Walmart’s advertising revamp appear to offer the highest potential for brands looking to reach consumers?

About a decade ago QR codes were looking like a hot new technology, but without a pressing use case and with minimal customer adoption, they’d become more of a running joke.  Do you see QR codes having compelling enough use cases to remain popular in the long term?

Nike last week launched a new store concept — Nike Rise — in China that promises a curated “1-to-1, personalized shopping experience that connects consumers to sport, their communities and one another.” Does Nike Rise appear to bring additional value to Nike’s portfolio of retail concepts?

Like others, Nike is accelerating its digital transformation due to the pandemic. However, in a linked move, member engagement is being made an equal priority. Does it make sense for most brands to prioritize driving digital engagement offline to loyalty members as well as online?

New research from Wharton marketing professors finds people are more willing to share deeper and more personal information when communicating on a smartphone compared with a personal computer. Where do you see some practical implications of the findings for marketers?

E-commerce and omnichannel executives came together at eTail West in Palm Springs this week with an update on digital strategies that are working in the marketplace today. Are brands taking discoverability seriously or are they stuck on your father’s search?

Newer personalization tools are allowing marketers to tailor emails — even those sent as part of a broadly-aimed “blast” — based on the recipient’s profile, affinities and past behaviors.  Have email marketing best practices moved beyond frequency, timing of send and engaging subject lines?

Kroger said its self-service advertising platform now leverages three sources to allow brands for the first time to view in-store and online sales results attributed to advertising campaigns across the grocer’s properties. Do you see data from loyalty programs as critical to linking digital advertising to in-store sales?

Noting that it’s seeing 350 times more search interest in “local” and “near me” than there was 10 years ago, Google recently updated its localization tools available for retailers. Do you see location-based mobile marketing becoming more of a traffic driver for retailers in the next few years?

The 2019 Christmas selling season is off to a fast start, and for a growing number of Americans, researching and buying gifts begins and ends with their smartphones.  Assuming there’s a correlation between mobile app downloads and Christmas selling season success, how should retailers and brands leverage this advance information?

According to recent research, only half of brands are capable of fundamental identity resolution, like accurately finding customers across devices, controlling their messaging frequency and sequencing and building a unified customer profile. What do you think are the current best methods for accurately and persistently identifying consumers across online and offline interactions?

Burberry has partnered with Apple to roll out a new chat service, which will allow its high-value and mobile-first customers to text directly with store associates. In what ways is text messaging emerging as a shopping tool?

Adobe’s first ever emoji trend report shows how these graphic symbols have evolved as a way to break through the clutter of digital communications. What can emojis do that words can’t in consumer outreach and marketing communications? What downsides do you see?

Marketers are increasingly leveraging location data in four emerging channels: connected speakers, digital out-of-home, advanced TV and automotive, according to a new survey. Are consumers getting more or less comfortable with the use of location data?

Move over Amazon.com and Walmart — Target wants a bigger piece of the retail advertising pie. Will owning advertising businesses become a major competitive advantage for large retailers such as Amazon, Target and Walmart?

According to new research, a majority of consumers prefer getting what they need from their phones rather than speaking with an associate at all. How do retailers find the right balance between developing mobile capabilities and deploying associates in stores?

Research shows promos have become less effective at driving lift as consumers have become accustomed to buying on discount and expecting ever-bigger deals. Do grocers need to wean themselves off discounts as the main pillar of their promotional strategy?

Amazon is planning to launch a wireless in-ear headphone to not only challenge Apple’s popular AirPods in the mobile wearables market, but to bring Alexa on the road. How important will developing a wireless earbud be for Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant ambitions?

Purchase history, email activity and website behavior remain the three primary data sources retailers are tapping in their personalization efforts, according to Monetate’s third-annual “Personalization Development Study.” Ideally, which data sources should guide personalization efforts for retailers?

Esports, or competitive gaming, has either surpassed or is close to exceeding $1 billion in global revenues, according to studies. And advertisers are increasingly recognizing the activity’s potential to reach the coveted Millennial demographic. Do you see a broad or niche opportunity for retailers and brands to tap into the growing popularity of esports?

Fast moving consumer goods and general merchandise retailers are racing against time to rethink their physical selling locations in the context of consumers’ digitally enabled shopping journeys. Will geo-location analysis gain traction as a retail tool this year or are the privacy concerns and other hurdles too high?

According to a survey of 295 advertisers, about half believe one of the benefits of 5G will be a better customer experience, while close to half likewise view it as an opportunity to use new creative formats. Where do you see the main benefits from 5G networks for retailers and consumers?

Nestlé partnered with Tesco to help launch the dunnhumby Media platform that promises to bring continual, consistent and contextual communications with shoppers within and outside the store. Do the digital tools exist to support personalized communications along the entire customer journey?

Mobile site load time has a big impact on conversion rates for mobile shoppers, and progressive web apps are the solution for retailers. Do you agree that mobile speed optimization has the kind of impact on e-tailer revenue that Google and Adobe’s statistics appear to demonstrate?

Voice-activated digital assistants are again in the spotlight at CES. The jury is still out, however, on whether they’ll become key to connecting smart homes. How important will smart speakers become to the daily lives of consumers over the next five years when compared to mobile phones?

According to the 2018 Digital Commerce Survey from Boston Retail Partners (BRP), 60 percent of retailers offer a mobile website and 57 percent offer a mobile app. Mobile, however, still appears to be doing a lousy job in terms of real engagement. Is mobile technology not yet ready to properly support in-store offers and suggestions?

The bulk of holiday shoppers during the first part of this holiday season were not Millennials or Gen Zers, but they still used their smartphones to shop. Does research showing a greater percentage of holiday mobile shopping by older customers indicate the need for retailers to shift their emphasis during the other 10 months of the year?

New research shows that mobile shoppable ads with a call to action work better than those that do not include that type of message.  But as to what the call to action should be, the same study says let customers “learn more” first. What is your take on marketers’ use of “learn more,” “shop now” and other calls to action in their interactive ads?

On October 20, smartphone-touting sneakerheads ventured across Los Angeles to participate in Foot Locker’s first “The Hunt” augmented reality (AR) scavenger hunt. Can techniques used in Foot Locker’s “The Hunt” and Nike’s “SNKRS” AR-driven scavenger hunt experiences be applied to other product categories and retailers?

According to BRP’s “2018 Customer Experience/Unified Commerce Survey,” only 23 percent of retailers are able to identify customers inside stores before they check out. How can retailers improve their ability to identify customers before checkout?

While retail budgets have been shifting toward digital advertising, a new study shows radio ads, on average, drive 22 percent traffic lift for retailers. Are retailers underestimating radio advertising’s ability to target specific audiences?

Studies show that mobile traffic to retail sites has continued to increase as a percentage of overall visits. But in the end, consumers have primarily used desktop machines to buy. Will Christmas 2018 change all that? At least one tech vendor says yes. Has mobile technology become “the most disruptive force in retail since the onset of ecommerce?”

Football fans stocking up on gameday Slurpees and snacks from 7-Eleven might find themselves getting sidetracked in-store thanks to a new seasonal addition to the 7-Eleven mobile app. Is in-store augmented reality entertainment a worthwhile promotional investment for a convenience store chain like 7-Eleven?

Gen Z is less likely than other generations to join loyalty programs, according to new research. Even more worrisome, Gen Z may be experiencing a disenfranchisement with contemporary businesses and brands. What characteristics of Gen Z clash with typical drivers of loyalty engagement?

Lululemon Athletica has announced the appointment of Calvin McDonald as its new chief executive officer, effective Aug. 20. How does a new CEO approach their job coming into a business on the ascent, such as Lululemon, versus one that is on the decline?

McDonald’s is offering free fries every Friday for the rest of the year for spending at least $1.00 through its mobile app. How important is it for QSR establishments to encourage mobile ordering and payment?

Dollar General has become the latest retailer and the first dollar store to introduce a scan & go app. Does scan & go checkout technology make sense for the Dollar General shopping experience?