In-Store Technology

Donโ€™t Go Dark: How Retail IT Professionals Can Maintain Traction
October 26, 2017 at 2:32 pm

In todayโ€™s retail environment, embracing digital transformation isnโ€™t a choice โ€” itโ€™s a requirement. Future-proofing networks is the only way to stay competitive these days, and those not already optimizing the digital journey will be disrupted. Beyond the retail apocalypse headlines โ€” which are misleading, by the way โ€” network inefficiencies affect todayโ€™s bottom line, too. Recentโ€ฆ

Ready or Not, Digital-First Retail is Here
October 23, 2017 at 11:01 am

Supposedly, Tori Spelling once said, โ€œbad shopping habits die hard.โ€ The "Beverly Hills 90210" actress was probably talking about her own shopping habits, but in a larger sense, Spelling, who helped personify consumerism in the 1990s, when the mall was king and Amazon.com was merely another dot-com, pretty much nailed todayโ€™s retail business, where bad habitsโ€ฆ

The Point of Sale is Evolving and Retailers Need to Keep Up
October 23, 2017 at 9:17 am

Itโ€™s no secret that to stay in business, retailers need to continuously evolve to meet the changing demands of shoppers in an increasingly digital world. Millennials, in particular, are avid users of touchscreens and the use of interactive touch solutions comes naturally to them. As a result, retailers are installing different forms of technology atโ€ฆ

Tommy Bahama's CEO Talks Experiential Retail
October 18, 2017 at 1:24 pm

Tommy Bahama is winning over todayโ€™s distracted consumers by focusing on unique, unconventional retail experiences for them, according to Doug Wood, CEO of the Seattle-based manufacturer and retailer of casual men's and women's sportswear and activewear, who spoke at the 2017 SAP Retail Executive Forum in New York City yesterday. Case in point: Wood discussedโ€ฆ

Retailer of the Year: Barry Beck, Founder and COO, Bluemercury
October 11, 2017 at 4:02 pm

Since founding Bluemercury 18 years ago with his wife, Marla, Total Retailโ€™s 2017 Retailer of the Year Barry Beckโ€™s leadership has helped the brand become one of the fastest-growing retailers. Under his leadership, Bluemercury has grown to nearly 200 stores (it grew its store count by more than 50 percent in 2016), has operations in more than 30 states, and employs nearly 2,000 people. (Bluemercury was acquired by Macyโ€™s in 2015 for a reported $210 million.) Learn more about Barry Beck in this wide-ranging interview.

Sephora Names Mary Beth Laughton EVP, US Omni Retail
October 11, 2017 at 2:13 pm

Beauty retailer Sephora has promoted Mary Beth Laughton to executive vice president of U.S. omni retail. Previously, Laughton was senior vice president of digital. โ€œMary Beth is a visionary and strategist with a deep understanding of how customers are evolving,โ€ said Calvin McDonald, chief executive officer and president of Sephora Americas. โ€œDuring her time atโ€ฆ

Costco Launches Same-Day Grocery Delivery
October 9, 2017 at 11:53 am

Costco announced last week that it's offering customers same-day grocery delivery. On Thursday, the company announced two new delivery options: two-day delivery for dry goods, and same-day delivery for orders that include fresh foods. The same-day service will be powered by grocery delivery company Instacart. The same-day delivery option, available in โ€œmost metropolitan areas,โ€ letsโ€ฆ

Speed (or a Lack Thereof) Kills: Why App Performance is a Priority for Target
October 3, 2017 at 1:20 pm

In a session last week at the Shop.org conference in Los Angeles, Grace Glenny, director of site merchandising at Target, discussed how the big-box chain is ensuring its mobile app is primed for performance โ€” without sacrificing functionality โ€” to give its customers the instantaneous shopping experiences theyโ€™ve come to expect. Target has recently shiftedโ€ฆ

Disney is Using Technology to Bring its Magic to Retail
September 27, 2017 at 2:14 pm

Disney has built its iconic brand on delivering magical experiences to consumers, from its theme parks to its entertainment business (movies, TV shows) to its licensed merchandise. The fourth division of the business, retail, was more challenged in accomplishing this goal. In a keynote presentation yesterday at the Shop.org conference in Los Angeles, Michael White,โ€ฆ