Nominations open for 2026 Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Awards

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

The organizers of the Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation (ARKI) Show are accepting nominations for the 2026 ARKI Awards, recognizing the companies, products, deployments and technologies driving innovation across the automated retail, kiosk, vending and self-service industries.

Consumers wary about AI shopping assistants but Amazon is changing perceptions

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

As the retail landscape shifts to a more automated, hands-off marketplace, the industry continues to prioritize investing in AI-powered shopping tech but not all consumers are on board.

In retail, automation isn’t the problem. Untested customer journeys are.

by Mark Rohan — Co-founder and COO, Klearcom

In retail, trust is built during the full customer journey, not during just the AI interaction. That’s why monitoring needs to become as central to contact center operations as the AI sitting on top of it.

Midway Sports debuts Miami store

Midway Sports, an athletic apparel and footwear retailer, has opened a store at River Landing, near downtown Miami.

From Noise to Clarity: Reimagining Employee Communication Through In-Store Screens

Retailers often struggle to deliver timely, consistent communication to deskless employees. This webinar explores how in-store digital communication helps unify messaging, improve training and engagement, streamline safety and operational updates, and ensure frontline teams receive the information they need when they need it.

Omnichannel Retail / Multichannel Retail

Today's customer doesn't just shop in one place or in one channel. Retailers need to reach customers in the store, online and the mobile device in order to thrive.