Small businesses can employ this technique during January effectively by offering one of their products at a discount to bring in both new and returning customers alike as well as show off new improvements around the store or changes that have recently occurred.

FORBES: Your January Small Business Checklist

New users will get shuttled to a different home page--one that quickly establishes what Bodek does and why buyers should care, including fundamental information such as the amount of inventory on hand, shipping range and selection of brands--while returning customers get bombarded with the latest deals.

FORBES: Does Your Web Site Suck?

Even the strong launches in Canada and Europe are now being undermined, Suva noted, with customers returning the device, most notably for the lack of apps, and carriers are moving the Z10 to less favorable positions in their stores.

FORBES: BlackBerry's Grim Prospects: Z10 Launch Disappoints

Regional carrier Cincinnati Bell was faced with a problem: Customers were returning too many Android devices, and operating costs were slowly rising as a result.

FORBES: Improved Android User Experience Saves Half A Million Dollars

When returning to China, his customers risk having them confiscated at customs, Deng said.

CNN: Hong Kong sellers profit from Beijing's 'forbidden' books

They would give customers points for returning to buy from you and after the consumer had accumulated enough of them, she would get a valuable prize.

FORBES: FiveStars Wins the Prize for Small Business Loyalty

The company thinks the value for very fast response times on dynamically updated information is very broad, far beyond returning results to impatient retail customers, because it allows users such as business analysts, marketing and advertising staff to ask more questions and then develop and refine models.

FORBES: Big Data Meets Online Travel - 20 Billion Offers, One-Second Response Time

But even if the state can prevent bulk pot from being diverted, there's nothing to keep customers from walking into multiple stores, or returning to the same store, to collect more than their 1-ounce limit.

NPR: Wash. Vows To Try To Keep Weed In State _ But How?