Marks & Spencer moves AI-displaced call workers to stores

By September, the retailer will have chatbots fully deployed to take over customer service inquires.

By Dan Alaimo • Aug. 17, 2018

Chicago Tribune: Google readying first retail store

The tech giant has experimented with pop-ups, but its widening array of devices makes brick-and-mortar retail an imperative if it's to take on Amazon.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 17, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

Digital innovation and technology trends in retail

Generative AI and TikTok Shop have replaced the metaverse and NFTs as the hot topics of the day — here’s a look at how brands are using them.

By Retail Dive staff

Neutrogena, Sonos beta test use of video in Amazon search campaigns

Currently only available on iOS devices, the ads are shown below the fold in search results. 

By Robert Williams • Aug. 16, 2018

Reebok rolls out first Cotton + Corn shoe

The athletics retailer has yielded the first shoe, made largely of "bio-based" materials, from its sustainable products program announced last year.

By Dan O'Shea • Aug. 16, 2018

Alexa-Cortana voice integration speaks its first words

In an increasingly competitive space, the two tech giants just took a big step toward bolstering their competitive positions with an Alexa-Cortana collaboration.

By Dan Alaimo • Aug. 16, 2018

EBay releases Image Search API to developers

The online marketplace committed to focus on technology in 2018, and its latest news shows progress on creating and releasing more APIs for the developer community.

By Dan O'Shea • Aug. 15, 2018

Study: Amazon’s share of smart speaker shipments fell to 41% from 76% last year

During Q2, Google boosted its share of smart speaker shipments to 28% from 16% during the same period a year ago, Strategy Analytics found.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 15, 2018

87% of shoppers now begin product searches online

Brick-and-mortar can survive and thrive as marketplaces grow, but retailers must respond to the imperatives of the new shopper-first digital world, according to a new report.

By Dan Alaimo • Aug. 15, 2018

H&M powers up new website, mobile app

The apparel company made good on its pledge to intensify e-commerce efforts, unveiling a new website and mobile app.

By Dan O'Shea • Aug. 14, 2018

L’Oréal brings AR makeup sampling to Facebook

The social platform's camera will let users virtually try on products from Maybelline, Lancome, NYX and Urban Decay.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 10, 2018

Samsung debuts smart home device

In a possible case of better late than never, the new Galaxy Home is playing catch-up in a connected home market already dominated by the Amazon Echo and the Google Home.

By Jacqueline Renfrow • Aug. 10, 2018

Wayfair unleashes mixed-reality shopping

The online furniture retailer takes home design one step further with a program that virtually moves furniture into consumer homes.

By Jacqueline Renfrow • Aug. 9, 2018

5 trends reshaping retail

Digital transformation is driving a new breed of retail that will take consumers where they've never been before, writes Christi Olson, head of evangelism for search at Microsoft.    

By Christi Olson • Aug. 9, 2018

The Information: Only 2% of Alexa users reportedly purchase off the devices

The publication cited "two people briefed on the company's internal figures" for the statistic, and also claimed that of those 2%, 90% didn't make a second purchase.

By Dan Alaimo • Aug. 8, 2018

Home Depot hires a new CISO after losing former exec to Equifax

Steve Adegbite joins the company to focus on data protection and vulnerability management. He is the latest hire in the company's largest technology hiring wave ever.

By Alex Hickey • Aug. 8, 2018

Abercrombie & Fitch cashes in on Venmo for mobile payments

The payment option, popular with millennials and Gen Z, is now available when checking out on the Abercrombie or Hollister apps.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 8, 2018

Amazon now lets Alexa users shop for delivery from Whole Foods

This comes as questions arise around just how strong consumers' interest is in voice shopping.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 7, 2018

Nordstrom poaches Tesco exec to fill CTO spot

After 18 months without a CTO, Edmond Mesrobian will step in to help drive the department store retailer's technology ambitions.

By Dan Alaimo • Aug. 7, 2018

Walmart to pilot Alphabot robotics for grocery pickup

The robots will operate in a 20,000-square-foot supercenter addition that will serve as a mini-warehouse of grocery products and an order pickup point.

By Dan Alaimo • Aug. 6, 2018

Study: VR, voice assistants aren’t must-haves for shoppers

High-tech features in retail stores aren't important to 48% of consumers, Bazaarvoice found.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 6, 2018

How Poshmark’s sellers made $1B off the ‘social mall’

The mobile marketplace is performing well in apparel, but could the temptation to expand make it just another Etsy?

By Cara Salpini • Aug. 6, 2018

Amazon Go tech rival begins installations

Standard Cognition claims that it does Amazon Go technology better than Amazon Go, and it just set out to prove it with new installations.

By Dan Alaimo • Aug. 3, 2018

Starbucks, Alibaba scheme to expand coffee delivery in China

The coffee giant is working with one of the world's biggest e-commerce companies again, this time on a broad strategy to enhance its market position in China.

By Dan O'Shea • Aug. 3, 2018

Blockchain to drive $164B in efficiencies for retail by 2030

Cost savings and efficiencies from blockchain will accelerate dramatically in the coming decade for retail and e-commerce, according to a new report.

By Dan Alaimo • Aug. 2, 2018

Uniqlo offers personalized style tips with in-app chatbot

Customers in Japan can also access the digital clothing curator via Google Assistant.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 2, 2018