IRCE 2017: 7 takeaways on the state of digital commerce

A few of the major trends we spotted this year: Packaging matters, brands don't need retailers like they used to, and e-commerce is coming to B2B. 

By Laura Heller • June 12, 2017

Why retailer DXL is sponsoring an NBA Finals chatbot

The effort integrates useful information for basketball fans with brand messaging to drive awareness.

By Chantal Tode • June 12, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

How retailers are deploying in-store technology

Payment systems, self-checkout stations and home visualization tech are just a few of the areas getting attention from retailers as they rethink the store experience.

By Retail Dive staff

Target to fuse mobile apps, merge Cartwheel

The retailer is going to lure Cartwheel users to the flagship Target app, and add mobile payments for REDcard members. 

By Daphne Howland • June 12, 2017

PayPal close to expanding Venmo payments for merchants

Venmo may soon be accepted by more PayPal merchants, as testing wraps up and a major expansion of the capability nears.

By Dan O'Shea • June 11, 2017

'Brick mining': Why a need for data led Fabletics to open stores

"We needed better, more contextual data — this is the reason we decided to open stores,” the athleticwear brand's President Gregg Throgmartin said at the IRCE conference in Chicago. 

By Laura Heller • June 9, 2017

Lowe's reportedly cuts 125 IT jobs, sending some to India

It's the second time in the last year the company has cut tech jobs as it reshapes the group and looks to off-shore IT functions.

By Dan O'Shea • June 8, 2017

Hanson: Under Armour aiming to be Facebook of connected fitness

“We want to own the connected fitness community in the same way that Facebook owns the social media community and LinkedIn owns the business community,” George Hanson, VP North America e-commerce told IRCE attendees in Chicago. 

By Dan O'Shea • June 8, 2017

Staples adds new CIO as it prepares for massive digital shift

The office supply retailer wants to improve its competitiveness by bringing more digital solutions to the market.  

By Justine Brown • June 8, 2017

To suit customer nuances, Brooks Brothers rolled out a tailor-made app

Making suits is what Brooks Brothers knows how to do. Now, the storied tailors are weaving technology into the process to speed up delivery time. 

By Naomi Eide • June 8, 2017

UPS: Online shoppers expanding habits in mobile, ship-to-store

More shoppers are buying at online marketplaces and becoming more accustomed to buying on mobile apps, according to the sixth annual "Pulse of the Online Shopper" study.

By Dan O'Shea • June 7, 2017

Study: Store associates ready to embrace digital tools, but lack them

Roughly 25% of store associates don't feel they have the proper tech tools to do well in their jobs, and 72% say they are more likely to stick with employers that provide those tools.

By Dan O'Shea • June 7, 2017

Sephora Virtual Artist shades into cheek color try-on service

The cosmetic retailer's upgraded app moves from lips to eyes to cheeks with new features to help users choose cheek shades.

By Dan O'Shea • June 7, 2017

How shoppers use their smartphones in stores

Nearly 60% of shoppers look up product information and prices while using their mobile phones in stores, making a mobile strategy critical for retailers.

By Sandy Skrovan • June 7, 2017

Target, Best Buy, Home Depot rank highest for mobile web experiences

The retailers scored highly across five user experience factors, especially within ease of use and speed, according to a UserTesting report.  

By Dan O'Shea • June 6, 2017

Amazon reportedly planning re-entry into smartphone market

More than two years after its Fire smartphone fizzled, Amazon reportedly is readying a new line of self-branded smartphones under the code name "Ice."

By Dan O'Shea • June 6, 2017

Yroo launches mobile app for in-store price comparisons

The app marks the company’s first expansion of search services to mobile and includes a barcode scanner to help consumers compare prices on the go.

By Dan O'Shea • June 6, 2017

8 big brands blazing a trail on mobile in 2017

Following a year when mobile experimentation seemed to lag, marketers have gotten their groove back over the past few months. 

By Chantal Tode • June 6, 2017

Apple Pay to launch Venmo competitor on iMessage

Apple is enabling peer-to-peer money transfers through Apple Pay, expanding the utility of its mobile payment solution in a way that may help retail in the long run.

By Dan O'Shea • June 5, 2017

Amazon enables app-based shopping on Fire TV

The app allows shoppers to search for items by typing in text, with the ability to filter search results by department and use many of the shopping functions inherent to the Amazon website.

By Dan O'Shea • June 5, 2017

Ikea launching startup accelerator with lofty goals

The Swedish retailer is the latest company to launch a startup accelerator program, Ikea Bootcamp, which focuses on "enabling a positive impact on the planet, people and society.”

By Dan O'Shea • June 5, 2017

A.T. Kearney: India now top country in the world for retail investment

Shopping via smartphone will account for the majority of online retail sales in developing countries in the coming years, according to the firm's Global Retail Development Index.

By Dan O'Shea • June 4, 2017

WearableX unveils connected, ‘responsive’ yoga pants

The company has big plans for connected apparel, starting with a pair of yoga pants that can help wearers achieve correct poses and movement.

By Dan O'Shea • June 4, 2017

Hollar fuels expansion with consumables from 7 brands

The mobile commerce dollar store plans to grow its SKU count by 500% by the end of the year to reach an estimated 18,000 SKUs.

By Dan O'Shea • June 4, 2017

Amazon adds robots, 2K jobs to new Houston warehouse

Robots and humans will collaborate at the new facility to satisfy increasing demand for the Seattle behemoths' myriad products.

By Jennifer McKevitt • June 2, 2017

Monica + Andy opens second brick-and-mortar store

Once a pure-play e-commerce retailer, the children's clothing seller now has two brick-and-mortar stores, the latest in New York City.

By Dan O'Shea • June 1, 2017