When AI becomes the shopper: Why retailers must rethink customer experience

by Divya Valsala Saratchandran

AI isn't replacing the customer. But it is becoming part of the buying decision.

US holiday shoppers reaching for gift cards given tight budgets

October 9, 2026

Gift cards will play a significant role in holiday shopping this year as 93% of U.S. shoppers who have set a spending budget plan to buy gift cards.

Kroger testing 24-hour store hours

October 9, 2026

Supermarket chain Kroger is reportedly testing 24-hour service in a small pilot program.

Lowe’s launches drone delivery, live pilot in North Carolina

October 9, 2026

Home improvement retailer Lowe's is piloting drone delivery at a store in Matthews, North Carolina.

World Market debuts 250th store

October 8, 2026

World Market, a specialty retailer, has opened its 250th store.

Having a Costco nearby boosts home value for some

October 8, 2026

If there's a Costco near your home and you live in a very populated area the property value is likely to be higher than homes not near a Costco location.

Kroger updates employee work dress requirements

October 8, 2026

Kroger has updated its employee work apparel requirements and is mandating all employees wear company-issue shirts.

AI, social media, digital shopping: What retailers need to do to grab Gen Alpha, Gen Z shoppers

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

Retailers need to offer digital discovery for the online Gen Alpha shopper and in the mall experience for the Gen Z. consumer.

Why agentic AI is the new “best buddy” for retail customer experience teams

by George Ninikas — Senior Vice President of Sales and Accounts, Supply Chain Planning, Americas, ORTEC

Planners do not want AI to simply generate a static delivery plan and walk away. They want a system that can respond as conditions change throughout the day…

Zenarate Unveils New Vision Built on One Simple Question for Human and AI Customer Service: Did the Problem Get Solved?

Zenarate shares its commitment to help enterprises learn from every customer interaction, human and AI, to keep improving the customer experience

Target leads in grocery delivery, Safeway in curbside pickup

October 7, 2026

Target is the top-performing retailer for grocery delivery and Safeway is the top when it comes to curbside delivery.

Publix opening NC store in late October

October 7, 2026

Publix plans to open a store in North Carolina on Oct. 28.

Holiday shoppers looking for free shipping, easy returns

October 7, 2026

In addition to looking for the best deals this holiday season consumers are expecting free shipping and easy returns.

Cotswold Outdoor Group Expands Retail Media Strategy to In-store with Broadsign and IUF

Collaboration delivers scalable display network infrastructure, creating new omnichannel opportunities for advertisers and driving measurable results

Before you cut the in-store budget, ask how the number was built

by Vishak Nag Ashoka — Senior Director Of Engineering, Walmart

An under-measured channel and an underperforming one produce the same return on ad spend. They call for opposite decisions.

Consumer sentiment dipped big in September

October 6, 2026

Consumer sentiment in September hit its lowest level in 12 years, according to Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index.

Most c-store consumers engaging with AI

October 6, 2026

Most c-store shoppers, 80%, have engaged with artificial intelligence with most interactions happening at a self-checkout kiosk.

Retail Control Systems debuts commerce platform for thrift retailers

October 6, 2026

Retail Control Systems, a retail technology provider, has launched Brijjworks, a unified thrift commerce platform designed specifically for secondhand…

Tech institute deploys Amazon's Just Walk Out checkout-free technology

October 5, 2026

365 Retail Markets and Evergreen Refreshments have opened a checkout-free store in the cafeteria at Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland…

Meijer opens Michigan supercenter

October 5, 2026

Supermarket chain Meijer has opened a 159,000-square-foot supercenter in Southeast Michigan.