MasterCard, Visa team up on tokenization

Digitizing or tokenizing card credentials is an important step to enabling payments on a massive scale through connected devices, wearables and the billions of machines that will make up the Internet of Things.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 15, 2016

PayPal aligns with Citigroup, FIS in bid to grow in-store mobile payment opportunities

While PayPal has been a major online player and has expanded into mobile in general, it historically lacked the relationships to make it a payment force in stores.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 15, 2016

Explore the Trendline➔

What's shaping the e-commerce landscape?

From pivots in digital strategies to challenges retailers must overcome with reverse logistics, here are some of the forces shaping online retail.

By Retail Dive staff

5 tech trends that transformed retail in 2016

Artificial intelligence and related breakthroughs steered retailers toward more effective customer engagement, while virtual reality and augmented reality redefined how shoppers experience the world.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 15, 2016

Under Armour expands connected footwear lineup

Automatic run tracking technology from the athletic apparel retailer's MapMyRun mobile app and global digital running community provides runners with workout and fatigue data.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 14, 2016

Amazon's Prime Air takes flight with first commercial drone delivery

The test flight involved an Amazon Fire TV device and a box of popcorn, and reportedly took about 13 minutes from the time of order placement to delivery.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 14, 2016

10 innovations that could disrupt grocery in 2017

The Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, droid delivery systems, mobile wallets and in-store gardens should be on every grocer’s radar in the year ahead.

By Sandy Skrovan • Dec. 14, 2016

Nordstrom rolls out CashStar eGifting service

The service, a more personal alternative to traditional gift cards, could help retailers increase sales conversion rates and reduce unwanted gift returns.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 13, 2016

Adidas makes 3D-printed running shoe available for sale via Confirmed app

The 3D Runner, priced at $333 per pair, includes "an engineered 3D web structure with dense zones in high force areas and less dense zones in the low force areas, allowing for the optimum level of performance."

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 13, 2016

How Amazon Go will revolutionize retail convenience

Eight retail experts share their perspectives on Amazon’s checkout-free grocery store and what it means for the future of brick and mortar.

By Jason Ankeny • Dec. 13, 2016

Panasonic unveils automated store checkout machine

The smart shopping basket detects merchandise placed in it, calculates the bill with each item added and empties the contents into a plastic bag.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 12, 2016

Mall of America, Fashion Island get AI boost from IBM, Satisfi

Mall of America is debuting Experiential List Formulator (ELF) just in time to help visitors manage their holiday shopping and other activities, while Fashion Island is rolling out a mobile concierge called At Your Service.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 12, 2016

QVC puts Sprinkle on top of IT organization

Todd Sprinkle led the earlier development of the shopping network's iPad app, and will now focus on further developing the company's multi platform strategy, which last year grew to encompass online flash sale site Zulily.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 11, 2016

Nordstrom launches its first chatbot for holiday push

Chatbot users will be prompted with questions about gift criteria and the chatbot will reply with multiple shopping ideas.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 11, 2016

Neiman Marcus enhances beauty counter services with Memory Mirrors

Memory Mirror video capture technology offers a 360-degree video of shoppers modeling a particular outfit or cosmetics, allowing them to see themselves from all angles, as well as save and share the video.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 8, 2016

Hudson's Bay set to extend robotic fulfillment system to US

The move is aimed at accelerating and improving fulfillment processes for HBC's Lord & Taylor and Saks Off 5th retail units.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 8, 2016

Sears, Uber expand Shop Your Way rewards partnership to 23 more markets

Since the program rolled out in New York City and Chicago in late September, more than 10,000 Shop Your Way members have linked their accounts to the Uber app, collectively earning more than $250,000 in points.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 8, 2016

Starbucks embraces conversational commerce, boosts personalization

The forthcoming My Starbucks Barista conversational ordering feature allows customers to place orders via voice command or messaging to improve efficiency and encourage stronger customer loyalty and engagement.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 7, 2016

MasterCard, Wells Fargo team on service for merchants to send money to customers

Merchants can leverage the global personal payments platform to send customer rebates, e-marketplace payouts, shared economy payouts to sellers and more.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 6, 2016

Wayfair app lets shoppers visualize decor in their own homes

View in Room allows customers to envision furniture and other Wayfair items inside their own living spaces.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 6, 2016

Shopify acquires mobile app design house Tiny Hearts

The two companies previously worked together to create a pop-up shop called Popify, as well as Shopify apps Frenzy and Skopkey.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 5, 2016

Amazon unveils futuristic checkout-free grocery store

The Seattle store, currently in a beta test open only to Amazon employees, upends the definition of the word “convenient.”

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 5, 2016

Mall of America gets new interactive info kiosks from Express Image

The kiosks feature a search function, step-by-step directions, dynamic pop-ups and text-to-phone features.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 4, 2016

Amazon, Intel partner to enable more Alexa-driven devices, smart homes

The companies have teamed up on a form factor reference design to make it easier to create products leveraging the e-commerce giant's Alexa virtual assistant technology platform.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 4, 2016

Visa to acquire payment authenticator CardinalCommerce

The deal will enable Visa to expand Cardinal’s products and services globally and to boost fraud protection as digital payments expand to additional channels.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 2, 2016

Amazon announces Alexa Accelerator to boost conversational commerce startups

The program, supported by startup accelerator Techstars, will help developers targeting speech technology advances and voice application innovation.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 1, 2016