News

Ai Tech Director Philip Cotty gives his thoughts on the online competition between retailers this holiday season in a recent story in the Chicago Tribune.

The article, written by Tribune reporter Corilyn Shropshire, discusses the threat to retailers of "showrooming" (where shoppers look for items in a brick-and-mortar store, only to cross-check prices from their smartphone and purchase from the store's rivals online). Shoppers will be using their mobile devices and tablets more than ever this season, so retailers are responding by offering to match the lowest price of their competitors online and providing in-store Wi Fi.

Cotty feels ...

United Stationers Inc., a leading wholesale distributor of business products, announced the appointment of Ai CEO Alex Schmelkin to its Board of Directors on September 5, 2012.

In commenting on the appointment, Charles K. Crovitz, Chairman of United Stationers' Board of Directors, noted that Schmelkin's in-depth knowledge of enterprise and e-commerce systems make him a valuable addition to the board.

United Stationers Inc. has a network of 60 distribution centers and delivers products to over 25,000 reseller customers. This distribution network and the company's large stock of inventory (including technology products, office supplies and office furniture), enables ...

Ai Design Director Meghan Widman gives her thoughts on the growing need for a Pinterest strategy among online retailers in the September/October print edition of Retail Online Integration magazine.

In the article, Widman examines how and why the Pinterest social network has gained traction quickly, why it is so beneficial to online retail, and how retailers can best engage this demographic to drive online sales. Widman also discusses the ups and downs of new "Pinterest for e-commerce" startups (such as Shopcade and The Fancy) that offer cash incentives to reward users for sharing with friends.

Ai is proud to present the 2012 T-Commerce Report.

This year's report includes an overview of the tablet commerce landscape, Ai's recommended strategies for developing a t-commerce site, industry best-practices, and a case study of their work for Lesters.com.

Ai predicts that by 2014, one third of all US internet users will have a tablet device. Readers can use the T-Commerce Report as an informational paper on the state of t-commerce today, as well as an instruction manual for developing effective t-commerce strategies and successful tablet sites for the future.

Ai has been recognized by Achievers as one of the 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ in the United States. This annual award recognizes top employers that display leadership and innovation towards engaging their employees.

"The Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ understand these practices are not only good for employees but also the bottom line. Companies that focus on employee engagement tend to perform better financially, attract and retain the best talent and enjoy improved customer service and client retention," said Razor Suleman, Founder and Chairman of Achievers. "These companies serve as role models for other businesses to engage their own employees ...