Wal-Mart's Jet scrapping Jet Anywhere rewards program

The program, which ends May 1, enables consumers to leave Jet's own site to shop across more than 600 affiliate sites, collecting "JetCash" earmarked toward future orders.

By Daphne Howland • April 3, 2017

Retailers with pressing questions soon can ask Jicco what to do

The search engine uses crowdsourced data and photos to help retailers obtain real-time answers about store-level promotions, pricing and shopper sentiment.

By Dan O'Shea • April 2, 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

Marketplace sellers up next in state sales tax battle

Increased collection of state sales tax levies erodes one of e-commerce’s advantages and could complicate sales and returns for smaller players.

By Daphne Howland • March 31, 2017

Reports: Amazon, Wal-Mart escalate CPG pricing war

Amazon is bringing together major consumer goods companies to brainstorm packaging and supply chain reforms and to convince them to sell directly to consumers via Amazon Marketplace.

By Daphne Howland • March 31, 2017

Study: Only 22% of consumers have engaged with a chatbot

Vibes' 2017 Mobile Consumer Report also found that consumers carefully curate the number of brands that can send them mobile alerts, subscribing to four on average.

By Dan O'Shea • March 30, 2017

Amazon shutters unprofitable Quidsi

Founded by Marc Lore, who now spearheads Wal-Mart's e-commerce efforts, Quidsi (acquired by Amazon in 2010 for $500 million) encompassed six no-frills sites including Diapers.com and Soap.com.

By Daphne Howland • March 30, 2017

Dunkin’ Donuts enables Order Ahead feature through Google’s Waze app

Customers may now order and pay before they arrive at a Dunkin' Donuts location and then skip the line to pick up their purchase when they arrive.

By Dan O'Shea • March 29, 2017

Wal-Mart promotes three tech executives amid ongoing Jet integration

The promotions follow other changes in the highest ranks of the retailer's technology operations, with several executives departing in recent months.

By Dan O'Shea • March 28, 2017

The Container Store gets e-commerce performance boost from Yottaa

The storage and organization solutions retailer continues to build up its online presence and exploit mobile shopping opportunities.

By Dan O'Shea • March 28, 2017

Amazon acquiring Souq to accelerate Middle East expansion

Souq offers more than 1.5 million products to consumers in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia — a region with increasing importance to global retailers and brands.

By Daphne Howland • March 28, 2017

Report: Amazon Go public opening postponed over tech hiccups

The e-commerce giant has found that its tracking and seamless checkout systems are disrupted when the prototype Amazon Go store is crowded with more than 20 people or if shoppers move too quickly.

By Daphne Howland • March 28, 2017

Nordstrom trims 106 customer service jobs

The department store retailer blamed the cuts on a declining number of shoppers reaching out for customer support.

By Daphne Howland • March 28, 2017

Bazaarvoice, TurnTo Networks team to boost consumer-generated content for retailers

The partnership allows TurnTo’s brand clients the opportunity to syndicate ratings and reviews across the Bazaarvoice Retailer Network, which includes more than 5,000 retail and brand websites.

By Dan O'Shea • March 28, 2017

Amazon will collect sales tax across US starting next month

The e-commerce giant already adds sales tax on goods shipping to 41 states and Washington, D.C., and will add Hawaii, Idaho, Maine and New Mexico to the list next month.

By Daphne Howland • March 27, 2017

Amazon adds more unlocked smartphones to Prime discount program

The Alcatel A30 and Moto G5 Plus have joined Prime Exclusive Phones, which offers discounts on brand-name unlocked mobile devices featuring ads and product recommendations on their lockscreens.

By Dan O'Shea • March 26, 2017

Distil: Bot attacking websites in effort to steal gift card balances

GiftGhostBots use a rolling list of number combinations to test about 1.7 million gift card account numbers per hour in attempts to gain access to those cards and request balance information.

By Dan O'Shea • March 26, 2017

Nordstrom, The Black Tux plan in-store tie-up

The partnership holds promise for both retailers: Nordstrom can lure in some younger shoppers, and The Black Tux can offer more places to try on tuxedos.

By Daphne Howland • March 24, 2017

Report: Online personal styling site Stitch Fix contemplates IPO

The company denies Bloomberg’s report that it turned down late-stage funding or that its board will decide on the initial public offering next month.

By Daphne Howland • March 24, 2017

Adobe touts integrations with Amazon's Alexa, Microsoft's HoloLens

The integration of Adobe Experience Cloud technologies with Amazon’s open APIs for Alexa allows the virtual assistant to tap into customer profiles and other user-specific data to drive greater levels of personalization.

By Dan O'Shea • March 23, 2017

Report: Amazon to acquire Dubai-based e-marketplace Souq

Souq is often referred to as the “Amazon of the Middle East,” and the actual Amazon was already rumored last year to be ready to buy it for $1 billion.

By Daphne Howland • March 23, 2017

Starbucks enabling ordering via voice in Alexa-enabled Ford vehicles

The coffee colossus said it now has about 9 million mobile paying customers, with one in three of those using its Mobile Order & Pay app.

By Dan O'Shea • March 22, 2017

ModCloth CEO: 'Our strategy doesn't change' after Wal-Mart deal

“[The acquisition means] we have more inventory purchases, more marketing spend and can open more physical locations... We have a bigger canvas we can paint on,” ModCloth CEO Matt Kaness said at Shoptalk 2017.

By Jason Ankeny • March 22, 2017

Kohl's CEO: We're 'not as agile as we need to be' to compete

“Why are we so focused on being best-in-class on omnichannel? Because that’s where we can win,” Kohl's chief Kevin Mansell said at Shoptalk 2017. 

By Jason Ankeny • March 21, 2017

Williams-Sonoma unveils augmented reality app for Pottery Barn brands

For now, the smartphone app's 3D Room View tool focuses on the living room, but the home decor retailer will add additional spaces later this year.

By Dan O'Shea • March 21, 2017

Google Home voice shopping to add local product inventory info

Consumers may soon query Google Home devices to determine whether items are available nearby, receiving responses complete with details like sizes and price as well as store hours and travel directions.

By Jason Ankeny • March 21, 2017