Amazon invites device makers to use Alexa microphone and voice processing technology

In a bid to help develop new devices, outside hardware manufacturers will have access to Amazon's Alexa microphone and voice processing technology.

By Dan O'Shea • April 18, 2017

Amazon gains on Flipkart in India’s mobile commerce market

Amazon accounted for 30.3% of the country’s mobile commerce users as of last month, compared to 30.7% for market leader Flipkart, according to 7Park Data.

By Dan O'Shea • April 17, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

How the purpose of stores is evolving

Stores have always evolved in order to compete as times, technology and tastes change. And, most of all, to please customers.

By Retail Dive staff

Report: Wal-Mart in advanced talks to acquire Bonobos

The retail giant has been on a shopping spree since acquiring Jet last year, scooping up e-commerce sites at a rapid pace in recent months.

By Daphne Howland • April 17, 2017

Bezos to shareholders: Amazon still on Day 1

“Day 2 is stasis. Followed by irrelevance. Followed by excruciating, painful decline. Followed by death. And that is why it is always Day 1,” Amazon's founder and CEO warned Wednesday in his annual letter to investors.

By Daphne Howland • April 13, 2017

Google moves Shopping List to Google Express, Home apps

The move comes a couple of months after the company enabled consumers to start using voice capabilities through Google Home's digital assistant to shop more than 50 Google Express retail partners.

By Dan O'Shea • April 12, 2017

Wal-Mart introduces discounts for in-store pickup of web orders

The “Pickup Discount” will be available for 10,000 items before expanding to a million products by the end of June, according to Marc Lore, president and CEO of the retailer's U.S. e-commerce unit.

By Daphne Howland • April 12, 2017

Google adds ‘Similar Items’ feature to Image Search capabilities

The new feature augments its Image Search capabilities through Android apps and the mobile web to help users find products similar to those they see in searched photos.

By Dan O'Shea • April 11, 2017

Jo-Ann Stores acquires Creativebug to boost crafting content game

Creativebug's subscription service allows crafting enthusiasts access to more than 1,000 high-definition video classes where they can learn how to paint, draw, sew, quilt, knit, crochet, throw a DIY party and more.

By Dan O'Shea • April 11, 2017

Forecast: Amazon will command half of US e-commerce market by 2021

Prime membership, mobile penetration, third-party marketplace sales and web services profits are poised to vault the e-commerce giant to a new level of market dominance, according to Needham.

By Daphne Howland • April 11, 2017

Flipkart acquiring eBay's Indian business

EBay also is paying $500 million for an equity stake in the Indian e-commerce giant, alongside major investments from Microsoft and China’s Tencent.

By Daphne Howland • April 11, 2017

Survey: Cross-channel commerce errors costing retailers millions

Product content network 1WorldSync also found that 51% of merchants can’t support mobile commerce, and 80% don’t integrate product information management across web, mobile apps and physical stores.

By Dan O'Shea • April 10, 2017

Mastercard brings 5 new startups into Start Path accelerator program

Three of the startups are focused on using AI to analyze consumer behavior, enhance in-store or in-branch customer engagement and compute bill and payment data.

By Dan O'Shea • April 10, 2017

Report: Amazon Marketplace sellers hacked, robbed of thousands in sales

Hacks of dormant third-party seller accounts also have been on the increase: In these cases, non-existent products are offered at steep discounts in an effort to steal payment information from customers who try to buy them.

By Dan O'Shea • April 10, 2017

Samsonite picks up eBags for $105M

The acquisition brings eBags full circle: It was founded in 1998 by former employees of Samsonite and other luggage companies who were intent on disrupting luggage retail.

By Daphne Howland • April 10, 2017

Valentino getting omnichannel upgrade through YNAP partnership

Customers will gain access to inventory from Valentino boutiques and logistics centers and YNAP's fulfillment centers, in addition to in-store mobile features.

By Dan O'Shea • April 9, 2017

GameStop e-commerce site 'likely' hacked, card data potentially stolen

Customer card numbers, expiration dates, names, addresses and card verification values are among the information potentially compromised between mid-September 2016 and the first week of February.

By Dan O'Shea • April 9, 2017

Report: Amazon outpaces US market growth in sales of household items

Amazon's growth rate in housewares sales is three and a half times that of the total U.S. domestic market, according to a report from One Click Retail.

By Daphne Howland • April 7, 2017

Cross-border e-commerce enabler Flow earns $16M in Series A

The startup's cloud-based software platform leverages artificial intelligence and virtualization to support multi-currency pricing, rapid shipping, international payment options, taxes and duties, and simplified returns.

By Dan O'Shea • April 6, 2017

Study: Shoppers more willing to consult mobile phones than associates while in stores

About 77% of shoppers use smartphones to search for product information while shopping in stores, while just 35% are willing to consult an in-store salesperson.

By Dan O'Shea • April 6, 2017

Wal-Mart cutting 300 jobs in information systems unit

The layoffs come after two separate rounds of cuts announced in January and barely a week after a trio of Wal-Mart tech executives were elevated to new jobs.

By Dan O'Shea • April 5, 2017

Amazon to use Plug Power fuel cells to boost fulfillment network efficiencies

The e-commerce goliath plans to power industrial equipment at 11 fulfillment centers with Plug Power’s GenKey technology, corresponding to faster charging times, reduced costs and energy efficiencies.

By Dan O'Shea • April 5, 2017

Petco acquires PetCoach, adding digital pet health resource to offerings

PetCoach co-founder and CEO Brock Weatherup will join Petco to drive growth through innovation and enterprise-wide, consumer-focused tech initiatives.

By Dan O'Shea • April 4, 2017

Fanatics buys Majestic months after winning deal to replace it as MLB partner

Fanatics and Under Armour last year teamed up to win a 10-year contract from Major League Baseball to make player uniforms and manufacture and sell licensed fan apparel.

By Dan O'Shea • April 4, 2017

UPS outlines expansion plans for Saturday pickup and delivery

The shipper is looking to bring weekend services to almost 4,700 U.S. cities and towns ahead of the upcoming holiday shipping season, and wants to expand to about 5,800 markets in 2018.

By Dan O'Shea • April 3, 2017

Amazon launches social media influencer referral program

People with “large followings and a high frequency of posts with shoppable content” can generate referral fees on purchases driven through social platforms.

By Daphne Howland • April 3, 2017