Staples, Party City partner on in-store experience

June 26, 2026

Staples and Party City have teamed up to deploy Party City store experiences inside more than 700 Staples locations nationwide and on Staples.com, with plans…

Loyalty programs influencing future purchase behavior

June 26, 2026

Nearly all, 91%, of U.S. consumers shopping online are influenced by loyalty programs when it comes to shopping again with a brand, and engagement with loyalty…

Ace Hardware AI-powered assistant boosting customer, employee experience

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

Ace Hardware's AI store associate tool, Hey ARMA, is improving the associate experience in ways that translate into better customer service: faster answers…

Home Depot swapping phone menus with AI-powered agent

June 25, 2026

The Home Depot is swapping out its customer service phone menus with an AI-powered voice that allows customers to state why they're calling and achieve faster…

Rethinking CX: The role neuroscience plays in developing the customer experience

by Brianna Van Zanten — VP of Customer Success, Incheq

In retail, there is a lot of talk about how to create the ideal customer experience, and while there are many ways to approach it, one of the most effective is…

7-Eleven plans to close several Canada stores

June 25, 2026

C-store giant 7-Eleven is prepping the closure of several Canadian locations as part of a North American reduction plan.

American Eagle Outfitters signs flagship lease

June 24, 2026

American Eagle Outfitters has signed a lease for a new flagship store at 600 North Michigan Avenue, at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Ontario Street…

Target remodel strategy ramping up

June 24, 2026

Target is ramping up remodels this year and describes the strategy as a bigger transformation for our stores than at any point in the past decade," according…

Broadsign and Mirakl Ads Announce Strategic Partnership to Unify Online and In-Store Retail Media

Cannes, France - June 24, 2026 — During the 73rd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Mirakl, the Operating System for Intelligent…

Amazon launches 30-minute delivery in dozens of cities

June 23, 2026

Amazon is launching its half hour Prime Now delivery service in dozens of cities.

Anaheim, California mulls crack down on self-checkout

June 23, 2026

Officials in Anaheim, California, are considering new regulations for self-checkout kiosks at grocery stores and retail pharmacies, according to a Voice of OC…

Smarter screens begin behind the scenes

by Erin Lutenski — Head of Marketing, Decentriq

How AI is turning digital signage and DOOH into coordinated retail intelligence.

Design Hotels expands multi-property portfolio with Palisociety agreements

June 22, 2026

Design Hotels, part of Marriott International, is expanding its portfolio with Palisociety, a Los Angeles-based hospitality brand, via 16 hotel agreements…

Armaf turns airport traffic into fragrance sales

June 22, 2026

Dubai-based Travel Retail Sales & Services, working with fragrance brand Armaf and Abu Dhabi Airports, has introduced what the companies describe as the…

From gut feel to ground truth: How AI is reshaping the in-store experience

by Leslie Walsh — Head of Strategy, RYA

In-store events represent one of retail's most significant investments and one of its least-interrogated planning processes. Most brands approach activation…

Kiosk gives Annapolis visitors around-the-clock access to local info

June 22, 2026

The nonprofit tourism organization Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County has installed a 24-hour outdoor digital information kiosk at its visitors center…

Tord Olav Dønnum on the future of autonomous foodservice

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

Tord Olav Dønnum discusses how robotics, automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping foodservice operations and how autonomous kitchens can help…

Smarter stores: How location intelligence is enhancing retail CX

by Anand Ramchandran — Marketing Strategy and Data Analytics, Mapsted

For retail leaders managing a growing store network, the focus is no longer just on driving footfall—it is about what that traffic actually delivers.

Movie theater phone policy change draws ire

June 18, 2026

Typically, in most movie theaters, the use of a smartphone device isn't welcome. Most theaters run promo before a movie begins that requests phones be put…

More than half of consumers leave a retailer over poor payment experience

June 17, 2026

More than half of consumers, 55%, walk away from a business, or consider not shopping at a local business again, when the payment experience proves to be…