Watch out Amazon Go, China's BingoBox is on the move

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

BingoBox, an unmanned c-store, already has 300 locations in China, and plans to expand internationally. The project has received significant venture funding.

A new purpose for in-store retail in 2018: customer delight

Justin Jones and Ashley Welch, co-founders of Somersault Innovation, explain the focus of in-store retail and why it's all about creating 'Cathy' moments -…

Boxed debuts membership program

April 11, 2018

Boxed customers wanting lower shipping fees and bigger price breaks are going to have to pay as the e-commerce grocery site is deploying an annual membership…

Walmart mulling PillPack delivery service acquisition, claim reports

April 9, 2018

In yet another move to expand way beyond typical retailing Walmart is reportedly mulling the acquisition of medication delivery player PillPack.

ShopKeep expands payment processing options to include TSYS' ProPay

April 6, 2018

ShopKeep and ProPay, a TSYS company, have announced a new partnership in which ProPay will manage payment processing via its Payment Facilitator service for…

Octopus extends merchant acceptance via NFC-enabled mPOS app

April 6, 2018

Octopus Cards Limited has launched a new feature to enhance the Octopus App for Business, enabling merchants to accept Octopus card payment through their NFC…

Mall of America embracing chatbot to boost retail customer experience

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

The Mall of America's limited chatbot experience led to a more robust deployment this past holiday season and is part of the mall's overall digital technology…

Sears, Kmart, Delta customer data hit in cyber attack on software provider

April 5, 2018

The payment data of Sears, Kmart and Delta Air Lines customers may have been compromised in a cybersecurity attack on a software service provider.

Newegg offers bitcoin payments to Canadian shoppers

April 4, 2018

Newegg has announced Canadian consumers now have the option of paying with bitcoin on its site, according to a press release. 

What apocalypse? Why we're going through a retail Ragnarök

Glenn Shoosmith, CEO and founder of BookingBug, says the clearest evidence that there is no retail apocalypse is the fact we're seeing some of the most…

Walmart now eyeing move into healthcare

April 3, 2018

Walmart is pondering a merger with healthcare provider Humana, according to a Bloomberg report published on Fortune.

Amazon prepping Whole Foods pick-up service, claims report

April 2, 2018

Amazon is reportedly getting a product pick-up service strategy in place for its Whole Foods Market locations, according to a Motley Fool report.

Creating measurable touchpoints for experiential retail

Jacob Taylor, founder and CEO, Civitas, explores the evolution of experiential retail and what marketers can do to capitalize on measurable touchpoints during…

Survey: Very few consumers report excellent customer service

March 30, 2018

Businesses may have an inflated view of customer service levels given a new survey that reveals just a minor number of consumers have experience excellent…

Why online retailers, partners must focus on social commerce

Govinda Giri, architect of the Sagoon social commerce platform, believes the time is now to capitalize on an e-commerce model with the social media audience.

Amazon prepping responsive drone technology, claims report

March 29, 2018

Amazon's drone strategy may include developing drones that respond to a customer's call or wave.

Walmart expanding CarSaver car-selling kiosks

March 29, 2018

Walmart is increasing the number of store locations featuring a CarSaver car-selling kiosk, according to Adweek. In an email to the publication, a Walmart rep…

Nordstrom readying men's store in New York City

March 28, 2018

In just about three weeks Nordstrom will open a mega men’s store in Manhattan featuring personal shoppers, a clubhouse and even a coffee bar.

Target expanding loyalty program strategy

March 27, 2018

Target is reportedly testing a new loyalty rewards approach with a pilot taking place in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

The try-before-you-buy trend spurring a returns tsunami, claims study

March 26, 2018

Retailers offering a try-before-you-buy strategy are experiencing a surge of intentional returns that may undermine profits, according to a new Brightpearl…