Retail
September 6, 2017
Department stores need to work harder to combat the Amazon problem. Image credit: Bloomingdale's
By Brielle Jaekel
While digital is a vital aspect of retail, in-store associates are not useless and are proving to be an essential part of the customer experience, according to consumers.
{"ct":"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","iv":"916751af36a747c537fe657bdee78044","s":"eb2ff992242cf49c"}
Share your thoughts. Click here