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January 28, 2019
On the web
Holiday Wrap-Up: Mobile Dominates E-Commerce, Driving 66% Of Traffic
Retail Touch Points
“Mobile shopping eclipsed desktop for the first time during the 2018 holiday season: 48% of orders came from mobile devices while just 44% came from desktop or laptop computers, according to Salesforce. Mobile accounted for 66% of all e-Commerce traffic during the season, and 74% of shoppers browsed from a mobile phone on Christmas Day.”
January 25, 2019
On the web
Retail industry staff numbers down by an estimated 70,000 at the end of 2018
Internet Retailing (UK)
“Commenting, George Charles from money-saving website MoneySavingHeroes.co.uk said: “This is another damning piece of evidence that reiterates the slow death of the high street. Consumers are busy, just don’t have time or are just unwilling to leave their home, so the convenience of being able to browse thousands of options, look for the best deal and have the product then delivered straight to them, appeals to all. We’re all guilty of scrolling through retailers’ websites at 10pm and loading our baskets full of goodies – an experience you just can’t get on the high-street.”
January 22, 2019
On the web
Kroger CEO Offers Closer Look at Grocery Giant’s Tech Innovation at NRF 2019
Street Fight
“At the NRF, McMullen emphasized the need for an omnichannel approach at a time when customers are becoming ever more accustomed to convenience and don’t necessarily display a steadfast preference for either online or offline commerce.”
January 8, 2019
On the web
Kroger joins forces with Microsoft to test digital shelves in stores
Internet Retailer
“The alliance is the latest example of how big U.S. retailers are deploying data-rich technology to improve the often-tedious ritual of food shopping and keep pace with Amazon.com Inc. (No. 1), which is bent on grabbing a bigger share of the $860 billion U.S. food retail market. For Microsoft the deal helps grow its cloud business, which lags behind Amazon’s but has found willing customers like Kroger and Walmart Inc. (No. 3), which are loath to line the pockets of Jeff Bezos. Kroger also hopes to sell the technology to other retailers, potentially opening up a new revenue stream with fatter profit margins than selling groceries.”
January 7, 2019
On the web
UK Retail Sales Suffer Worst Year in More Than a Decade
The Business of Fashion
“Sales at UK brick-and-mortar retail stores fell 1.9 percent in December on a like-for-like basis, according to a report Saturday from business advisers at BDO LLP. That capped off the worst year for monthly sales shrinkage since at least 2006, when the firm began tracking data coming from about 85 British retailers with some 10,000 stores. As more shoppers head online — and away from physical sites often locked in expensive leases — there’s little escape from the traditional British industry’s decline. Even with strong signs emerging from American retailers’ holiday season and some UK brands, the report provides scant cheer for storied British companies such as Marks & Spencer Group Plc, Debenhams Plc, and Mothercare Plc that are set to publish sales numbers this week.”
Pandora Radio cofounder’s Grabango raises $12 million for cashierless store tech
Venture Beat
“Cashierless stores are fast becoming a reality, thanks to Amazon’s aggressive expansion of its Amazon Go chain and an emergent class of startups looking to nab a slice of the nascent sector. It’s a win-win for retailers: With a checkout-free arrangement, customers don’t have to contend with lines or self-checkout machines, and stores save substantial overhead in payroll — theoretically, at least.”
January 4, 2019
On the web
Technavio: Online grocery delivery grows with Web |Chain Store Age
Chain Store Age
“A rising tide is said to lift all boats, and a new study says rising Internet popularity is lifting online grocery delivery. According to a new market research report from Technavio, the global online grocery delivery market will undergo a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of close to 22% for the period 2018-2022. Technavio analysis indicates two main factors, both related to how consumers use the Internet, will drive this strong growth.”
December 6, 2018
On the wires
Walgreens Launches Next-Day, Nationwide Prescription Delivery with FedEx
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181206005204/en/Walgreens-Launches-Next-Day-Nationwide-Prescription-Delivery-FedEx
“Walgreens and FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) today announced the nationwide launch of next-day prescription delivery service, bringing together Walgreens extensive network of neighborhood pharmacy locations with the FedEx air-and-ground delivery network to enhance convenience for patients to fill prescriptions. Walgreens is now the fastest choice for next-day prescription delivery across the nation.”
December 3, 2018
On the web
Retailers Are Testing Facebook-Style Shopper Profiles to Battle Amazon
Bloomberg
“Jessica Ferro recently ordered $200 worth of makeup from Sephora’s online app—and then waited a month for it to arrive. Despite conversations with multiple customer-service agents, the shipment had gone to her old address in Joliet, Illinois. She didn’t yell or document her experience on Yelp or Twitter. Ferro, 34, did what came naturally: She took her business elsewhere—to Wander Beauty, an online makeup seller that has put a premium on customer service by enlisting chatbots she can talk with whenever and wherever she wants.”
November 20, 2018
On the web
As Boomers Warm to Mobile, Brands Look to Capitalize
Street Fight Magazine
“Millennials have been shopping on their smartphones for years, but a shift toward mobile-direct shopping among consumers in the boomer generation is creating excitement for retailers and brand marketers this holiday season.”
On the wires
7-Eleven Becomes First Convenience Retailer Chain in Canada to Accept Alipay and WeChat Pay
“Today, 7-Eleven Inc. announced that participating stores in Canada will now accept Chinese mobile payment systems Alipay and WeChat Pay. The world’s largest convenience retailer is collaborating with cross-border mobile payment company and market leader CITCON. Alipay and WeChat Pay will now be available at 35 select locations in Vancouver and Toronto, with plans for expansion in next few months.”
November 19, 2018
On the web
Nike Debuts App-Enabled Experiential Store In NYC
Retail Touch Points
“Nike has opened the Nike House of Innovation on Fifth Avenue in New York City, combining experiential retail with the power of the Nike App. The 68,000-square-foot space spans six levels, each devoted to a separate product line or experience. The store extensively incorporates mobile devices to minimize friction across the shopper journey.”
November 16, 2018
On the web
Why Are Retailers Hesitant to Explore Omnichannel Opportunities?
Street Fight Magazine
“More than 90% of shoppers combine digital and physical channels on the path to purchase, and four in 10 online shoppers are using buy-online, pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) checkout options. But the big news coming out of the 2018 holiday season isn’t how many shoppers are taking advantage of online-to-offline fulfillment. It’s how few retailers are offering it.”
November 13, 2018
On the web
NCR Acquires StopLift To Address Self-Checkout Theft And In-Store Shrink
Retail Touch Points
“NCR Corporation has acquired StopLift Checkout Vision Systems, an intelligent computer vision systems provider for retail POS platforms. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With the growth of Amazon Go and other competing technologies in the cashierless self-checkout space, NCR is reinforcing its focus on self-checkout solutions.”
November 8, 2018
On the web
Sam’s Club unveils mobile-first store that showcases the latest payments and retail technologies
NFC World
“Walmart-owned Sam’s Club is opening a new store in Dallas, Texas that will double as both a technology lab and a live retail store, enabling both customers and staff to test and make use of the latest developments in retail and payments technology. The new Sam’s Club Now store “will be a mobile-first shopping experience powered by the new Sam’s Club Now app,” says Jamie Iannone, the retailer’s EVP of membership and technology. “It’s where we will incubate, test and refine technologies to help define the future of retail.””
November 2, 2018
On the web
Walmart joins the cashless game – but can small merchants afford this?
The Guardian
“Last month, and on the heels of its latest cashier-less grocery store opening in Chicago, Bloomberg reported that the online giant Amazon.com is planning on opening about 3,000 similar outlets by 2021. It’s an obvious direct assault on other grocery and food chains like 7-Eleven, Subway and Panera Bread. But it’s also an attack on the thousands of mom-and-pop pizza, convenience and other similar stores around the country.”
October 29, 2018
On the web
Survey: Cash rewards outweigh all others
Chain Store Age
“Nearly all (91%) of consumers said they feel little to no reward from tiered reward systems, and 89% feel little to no reward from merchant credit cards. And 83% feel little to no reward from invitations to special events from a brand. What does resonate with shoppers is cash.”
October 24, 2018
On the wires
INDOCHINO Chooses Klarna to Give Consumers the Power to Pay Over Time
“INDOCHINO shoppers can now Slice it at the checkout by using Klarna’s online consumer financing to easily spread the cost of their purchase over 6-36 months. Slice it has a simple 4-step credit application process, real-time decisioning and is offered within the merchant’s own website – no re-directs – for a frictionless and fast purchase experience.”
October 5, 2018
On the web
Secret Amazon brands are quietly taking over Amazon.com
“Amazon’s private label business is booming, on pace to generate $7.5 billion this year and $25 billion by 2022, according to estimates from investment firm SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. To accelerate that growth, the company is inviting manufacturers to create products exclusively for its collection of private brands.”
October 3, 2018
On the web
Amazon has failed as a destination for ‘discovery’ shopping — so it built a physical store to try it the old-fashioned way
recode
“Amazon is billing its new retail concept as a curated selection of Amazon’s best and most popular products — including most with ratings on Amazon of four stars or more — but my first impression was that the online retailer is still having trouble shedding its “everything store” DNA.”
September 27, 2018
On the web
Introducing Amazon 4-star
Amazon
“We created Amazon 4-star to be a place where customers can discover products they will love. Amazon 4-star’s selection is a direct reflection of our customers—what they’re buying and what they’re loving. We started with some of the most popular categories on Amazon.com including devices, consumer electronics, kitchen, home, toys, books, and games, and chose only the products that customers have rated 4 stars and above, or are top sellers, or are new and trending. “
September 21, 2018
Top Post
Amazon makes offline retail push in India
TechCrunch
“The U.S. e-commerce giant is buying up 49 percent of More in a deal that sees Amazon partner and PE firm Samara Capital pick up the remaining 51 percent. Amazon and Samara have created an entity called Witzig Advisory Services Private Limited which will hold the ownership stake through the deal, which is reportedly worth around $585 million according to Indian media. Regulation prevents Amazon from owning the business entirely, hence it requires a local partner to take a majority stake.”
On the web
Yesway Drives 44% Redemption Rate Among Rewards Members Who Visit C-Stores
Retail Touch Points
“The 150-store convenience retailer Yesway has ambitious plans to acquire, improve and rebrand as many as 500additional stores over the next few years. Even before this expansion occurs, however, the retailer is solidifying its business with an intense focus on customer loyalty.”
September 20, 2018
Top Post
Amazon Will Consider Opening Up to 3,000 Cashierless Stores by 2021
Bloomberg
“Amazon.com Inc. is considering a plan to open as many as 3,000 new AmazonGo cashierless stores in the next few years, according to people familiar with matter, an aggressive and costly expansion that would threaten convenience chains like 7-Eleven Inc., quick-service sandwich shops like Subway and Panera Bread, and mom-and-pop pizzerias and taco trucks.”
September 18, 2018
On the web
Amazon Go Opens 1st Store Outside Seattle in Chicago
Progressive Grocer
“While there are some products from local Chicago vendors, the product line is little changed from the Seattle stores, according to Gianna Puerini, VP of Amazon Go, in a Chicago Tribune report. Offerings include meal kits for two, grab-and-go sandwiches, salads and snacks as well as other convenience foods. No hot prepared food is available, simply to avoid lines, but the store does have two microwaves to heat food on site.”
September 14, 2018
On the web
Casey’s Digital Transformation Reaches Several Key Milestones
Convenience Store News
“The digital engagement program will consist of an enhanced website, a redesigned mobile app, a loyalty program, in-store technology, and enhanced enterprise infrastructure.”
September 13, 2018
On the web
Forget Airline Miles. Retailers Pile on Perks for Big Spenders.
Wall Street Journal (paywall)
“Retailers have spent the past few months retooling their plans to fend off competition from online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc., whose Prime membership is one of the more effective loyalty programs, as well as travel and entertainment venues, which are taking a bigger slice of consumer spending.”
September 11, 2018
On the web
Amazon Go Expands into East Coast with 1st NYC Store
Progressive Grocer
“Amazon is planning to open one of its cashierless convenience concepts in New York, evidenced by several listings posted on the ecommerce giant’s jobs page. The Seattle-based company is seeking at least three positions for a planned Amazon Go store in the Big Apple: store manager, assistant store manager and training lead associate. The new store will mark the format’s entrance into the East Coast.”
September 5, 2018
On the web
Amazon opens its largest Amazon Go convenience store yet
TechCrunch
“The latest location is its third overall and third in Seattle, where it’s headquartered. The 2,100 square feet store sits on the corner of Boren Ave. and Thomas St. and is its largest yet. The first iteration of the Amazon Go store was 1,800 square feet; it opened its doors to the public in a surprise opening in December 2016. The second, measuring 1,450 square feet, began doing business last Monday.”
September 4, 2018
On the web
Hard Lessons (Thanks, Amazon) Breathe New Life Into Retail Stores
NY Times (paywall)
“Many successful stores are now a cross between a fast-food drive-through and a hotel concierge. Target’s shoppers can order sunscreen or a Tokidoki Unicorno T-shirt on their phone, pull up to the parking lot and have the items brought to their car. Nordstrom lets customers in some stores make returns by dropping their items into a box and walking out — no human interaction required. Walmart is employing 25,000 “personal shoppers” to select and package groceries for curbside pickup.”
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