Technology

In episode 137 of Total Retail Talks, recorded at this year's NRF Big Show in New York City, Hampton Catlin, vice president of engineering at Rent the Runway, discusses how the fashion brand that provides designer dresses, apparel and accessories for rental is using in-store kiosks to expedite the pickup and drop-off of orders. Catlin…

The robots have arrived and they're becoming increasingly self-aware. There's broad acceptance that artificial intelligence (AI) is here. However, we're still figuring out how to apply it across retail businesses for supply chains, operations, omnichannel experiences, or even in-store. While we're still in the early stages of application, one thing is certain: as we increasingly…

In this week's episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Caitlin Sullivan and Joe Keenan discuss the growing influence of technology within the retail industry. Special attention is paid to the impact that artificial intelligence (AI) can have on retailers’ businesses, from optimizing back-end operations (e.g., inventory management, shipping) to improving the customer experience.

Both online and offline retailers plan to invest in technology in 2018. As part of its ongoing effort to help small businesses succeed, Kabbage recently surveyed more than 800 business owners, 25 percent of which were retailers (both offline and online). The data showed that online and offline retailers are highly optimistic of revenue growth in…

No industry is safe from disruption thanks to rapid advances in technology. The retail industry in particular is undergoing a massive transformation as it handles the rise of modern technologies, most notably e-commerce, making it easier for consumers to make purchases outside of traditional brick-and-mortar stores. With almost 7,000 shops closing in 2017, and an…

Though too much debt and the pre-holiday season bankruptcy were cited as the main reasons for Toys"R"Us’ demise, I can’t help thinking that this story could have ended differently had the company done a better job of listening to its customers. Sure, Amazon.com with its treasure of data, is a formidable rival, as it is…

Technology is having a profound effect on the retail industry. Technologies such as the web, cloud, mobile devices and artificial intelligence (AI) are accelerating the evolution and transformation of this long-standing, multitrillion dollar industry. One obvious example is that consumers today have far more options for shopping than ever before, including from the comfort of…

In episode 136 of Total Retail Talks, Joe Choti, president and CEO of Tickets.com, an online seller of event ticketing technologies, solutions and services for thousands of top arts, entertainment and sports organizations, discusses how the company is integrating NFC contactless ticketing solutions for iPhone and Apple Watch users at live events. Choti was interviewed earlier…

In an interview this week at Shoptalk in Las Vegas, Dan Park, CEO of BuildDirect, discusses how the home improvement online marketplace is using artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize merchandising its site, particularly pricing.

The world of social media advertising is going through a seismic shift. Not only are brick-and-mortar businesses fighting for survival, many e-commerce brands are struggling to find and maintain their target social media audiences. In a world that includes thousands of competitors, a wide range of social channels and millions of demanding buyers, retailers must…