Allowing brands to tell their story inside your store environment without compromising the retail experience can be a challenge. Learn how top retailer, Golfsmith, retains its own retail brand integrity while allowing other dominant brands to experience success. Matt Corey, CMO of Golfsmith, shares the secret of great sales – starting with a core purpose that is greater than your brand.

Day three at NRF’s 2012 BIG Show kicked off with a new term that will soon be common jargon among the retail industry: Boundaryless Retail.

Mindy Grossman, Chief Executive Officer, HSN, Inc. introduced the concept of boundaryless retail. It implies that through innovation and collaboration, companies can leverage the power of technology to create an engaging experience for customers. It goes beyond omnichannel strategy and marketing; it’s about creating stories that cross channels and media.

Day two of the NRF’s 2012 BIG Show, was just that, BIG. Attendance rose in 24 hours from 22,000 to 24,000 retailers – all rushing to snag a seat in the North Hall for the opening address by Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation. Shay’s opening remarks on the role 2012 will play in the history of retail formalized the reported undertones of Day One (immediacy, impact, identity,  investment and innovation).

Promoting NRF’s ‘Retail Means Jobs’ campaign, Shay celebrated the successful outcomes of the retail challenges of 2011. The last 18 months of consecutive retail growth have been an appropriate statistic to place on the table before the announcement of the 2012 retail forecast: $2.5 trillion – up 2.4% from 2011.

The Brand Show joined 22,000 retailers from around the world in New York City today for the kick-off of the National Retail Federation’s 101st Annual Convention and EXPO, better known as The BIG Show.

This year’s theme is “Retail’s New Rules: Engage and Evolve.” Retail heavy weights and rising stars are sharing priceless secrets and strategies for delivering better value and meaning to the shopper.

When I was about twelve, my oldest brother made a post-college trek to Europe. I gave him a few bucks and a plea to bring me back a Swiss Army Knife. A real one. From Switzerland. Screwdrivers, tweezers, a saw, a corkscrew (for all those corks seventh-graders need to unscrew) and even a magnifying glass.

The funny thing about Swiss Army Knives, though, is no one really gives a rip about the knife part. Even though it’s called a “knife,” the reason to get one is to have all those other tools, the things we need to get things done. Mobile phones are that way, too, but in a much bigger way. Rather than gut a fish, tighten some screws or magnify the intricacies of a leaf, mobile devices enable users and brands to connect. Therein lies the opportunity in our mobile world.

At a time when engagement is more important than ever in retail, shoppers can still count on Brookstone to deliver entertainment, relevancy and purposeful fun in store. Brookstone VP, CIO, Bill Wood shares the Brookstone secrets for product innovation and merchandising magic. Tune in and learn how Brookstone blends it all into a successful retail strategy.