Technology
July 14, 2015 at 2:48 pm
Breaking through the noise to establish your online store as a gift destination isn't easy. The good news is that your customers love your products. However, data shows that many customers who purchase items for themselves online aren't necessarily shopping for gifts at the same stores. Much of this is due to the various obstacles…
July 13, 2015 at 2:18 pm
Rakuten, Japan’s answer to Amazon.com with e-commerce operations and investments that stretch from digital media and e-commerce marketplaces through to social media and transport apps, is making another acquisition to expand its holdings, this time in the area of fashion. The company has acquired Fits.me, a startup that develops “virtual fitting rooms” — two-way technology…
July 10, 2015 at 1:43 pm
Target has opened a new retail space at the base of its Metreon City Target near San Francisco’s Moscone Center, and if you’re a fan of the smart home, clear acrylic furniture or grand retail experiments, then this is the place to be. The Minneapolis retailer is calling this Target’s Open House, and it's the…
July 8, 2015 at 4:19 pm
As retailers get smart with technology to help them pinpoint their offerings, we’re getting a clearer understanding of what shoppers love. But what do they hate? Not many people talk about that, but it’s very useful to delineate for the sake of getting to know your customers better. If you can figure out what shoppers…
June 30, 2015 at 2:42 pm
The explosive growth of device connectivity, wireless technology, cloud computing and advanced analytics has driven the Internet of Things (IoT) from vision to reality. Devices with embedded sensors are enabling advanced, automated communications for businesses and customers. These connected devices are driving deeper engagement, providing new experiences and opportunities, creating new revenue opportunities, and enabling…
June 29, 2015 at 3:28 pm
The use of handheld RFID readers for retail cycle counting and inventory management is exploding — and for good reason. They’re inexpensive, tangible and convenient, and provide a familiar form factor for store associates. However, while handhelds are well suited for initial retail pilots, deploying them in scaled-up enterprise environments requires careful thought and planning.…
June 19, 2015 at 5:07 pm
To increase customer lifetime value (CLV), your business needs to be able to meet each customer’s individual expectations over and over again. Those expectations vary widely from one customer to the next, of course. However, when it comes to recurring purchases or usage, customers demand three things in particular: speed, choices and personalization. Delivering on…
June 19, 2015 at 3:34 pm
Alibaba wants to put a robot, specifically one named Pepper, in your home — or store. The Chinese e-commerce giant and Foxconn Technology Group announced they're each investing $117.8 million in Japanese telecommunications giant SoftBank’s robotics unit, SoftBank Robotics Holding Corp. Softbank will own 60 percent of the joint venture, with Alibaba and Foxconn each…
June 18, 2015 at 3:37 pm
Missed the Fashion Tech Forum (FTF), which was held last week in New York City? Don’t worry, I was there! I’ve condensed the day into seven points you need to know. Here goes:
June 16, 2015 at 2:59 pm
M.Fredric is a California-based apparel retailer that sells its products via nine brick-and-mortar stores and an e-commerce website. Like many omnichannel brands, managing inventory levels in real time to prevent out-of-stocks and overstocks was a challenge for M.Fredric. In addition, a lack of real-time sales data meant buying decisions were delayed, a serious inhibitor for…
