Apps

In today's world, it's a foregone conclusion that the average shopper brings a smartphone into a brick-and-mortar establishment while shopping. Catering to this reality, savvy businesses have developed mobile apps that enhance and improve the shopping experience in meaningful ways. While it may seem as if retail and mobile aren't a natural fit, the data…

The new “View in Room” feature on the Wayfair mobile app allows shoppers to see how furniture and home décor will look in any room before they purchase it. Similar to trying on clothes in a dressing room, Wayfair now allows app users to “try on” products via a smartphone camera. By clicking the View…

Amazon.com has built a convenience store in downtown Seattle that deploys a gaggle of technologies similar to those used in self-driving cars to allow shoppers to come in, grab items and walk out without going through a register. The 1,800-square-foot store, officially dubbed “Amazon Go,” is the latest brick-and-mortar initiative from the e-commerce giant, which already…

A smartphone app built to educate Wal-Mart employees on company policies has created a riff between the company and the labor group responsible for the app, OUR Wal-Mart. The app WorkIt debuted on Monday and gives users information on workplace rights at Wal-Mart. Employees enter questions in the WorkIt app, and current or former Wal-Mart employees…

A merchant-centric wallet can bring digital into the physical store. An app that brings together engagement, loyalty and payments.

Retail is currently facing one of the greatest opportunities and challenges in its history: the shift to digital channels. Across the entire retail landscape, online sales continue to increase while store-based retail sales stall or decline. In fact, according to a survey done by UPS, consumers made more purchases online than in stores in 2015…

These days, it seems like everyone is trying to get in on the app game. Just a few years ago, only 7 percent of companies had fully implemented app strategies, while 51 percent had none. Flash forward to now, and not only do 90 percent of companies have apps, but 60 percent spend time and…

Hundreds of fake retail and product apps have appeared in Apple’s App Store in recent weeks — just in time to deceive holiday shoppers. The counterfeiters have masqueraded as retail chains like Dollar Tree and Foot Locker, big department stores like Dillard’s and Nordstrom, online product bazaars like Zappos.com and Polyvore, and luxury-goods makers like Jimmy…

Technology has impacted nearly every aspect of a shopper’s daily life, and retail is no exception. Smartphones have changed the way people shop, empowering consumers to research products, look for discounts and interact with retailers at their convenience without ever setting foot in a store. Some shoppers even brazenly use competitor apps while in-store. As mobile…

Don’t fall victim to another failed app project. Here are eight must-haves to ensure a successful store associate app project.