Techstars' AddStructure adds $1.4M in seed funding

The startup has garnered investments from Best Buy, Techstars Ventures and other parties for its white-label conversational commerce solution.

By Dan O'Shea • March 1, 2017

Report: Amazon improving Alexa's voice recognition abilities

The new capabilities may allow Alexa-enabled devices like the Echo to create voice prints that could help verify the identities of specific users.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 28, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

How artificial intelligence is shaping retail

More retailers are leaning on AI as a tool, tapping into the tech to improve customer service and support supply chain functions.

By Retail Dive staff

Starbucks' successful mobile ordering is causing in-store traffic jams

CEO Howard Schultz admitted the company's stores are getting congested with customers who have ordered and paid ahead of time via mobile.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 28, 2017

Wal-Mart adds pharmacy, money services features to mobile app

The retail giant continues to emphasize seamless shopping, saying that for its customers, “time is money.”

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 28, 2017

Mastercard, Oracle team up on digital payments for stores, e-commerce

The partnership aims to provide retailers with a unified approach to in-store and online payments, starting with a Qkr! and Masterpass mobile app.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 27, 2017

Drizly draws another $2M for its alcohol e-commerce ambitions

The startup will use the money to create new features for its platform, enter more markets within the U.S. and develop recommendations tools.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 26, 2017

Motorola brings Amazon's Alexa to accessories, smartphones

Google made a similar announcement, making its Google Assistant available across smartphones running Android 7.0 Nougat and Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 26, 2017

Viber bolsters chat app with buying button for Macy's, other sellers

The new capability will be available as a beta offering in the U.S. early next month, and will be expanded on a worldwide basis as the year plays out.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 23, 2017

Survey: Digital transformation 2017's top priority for many retailers

Just over 50% of respondents have either not defined or not started implementing a digital transformation strategy, though progress varies by region.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 23, 2017

Voysis raises $8M for AI-based voice shopping platform

Unlike other interactive technologies, the Voysis solution integrates directly with a retailer's customer-facing app or website, cutting out middlemen like virtual assistants and chatbots.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 22, 2017

Target introduces its own private-label smart lamp

The lamp is sold in the Open House section at San Francisco’s Metreon shopping center, near where the retailer created Open House in 2015 to showcase Internet of Things devices.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 22, 2017

Survey: Hacking incidents, security concerns not derailing online spending

Only 4% of consumers have stopped shopping online altogether as a result of cyberattacks and data breaches.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 21, 2017

UPS testing drones that launch from delivery vehicles on routes

The HorseFly octocopter can carry a 10 pound package, fly for 30 minutes and recharge its power supply while docked on the roof of a package delivery vehicle.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 21, 2017

Alibaba, offline giant Bailian team up on far-reaching retail tech initiative

The companies will leverage big data capabilities to boost integration between offline stores, merchandise, logistics and payment tools to improve efficiency and enhance consumer experience.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 20, 2017

IBM, Visa partner to embed payment capabilities into Watson-enabled IoT devices

More than 6,000 companies with Watson-driven Internet of Things architectures can integrate payments across product lines using Visa Token Service technology.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 20, 2017

Google Assistant now lets consumers shop retailers through Google Home

Owners of the interactive speaker may now shop via voice at Costco, Whole Foods Market, Walgreens, PetSmart and Bed Bath & Beyond, among others.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 16, 2017

ReplyYes lands $6.5M to further m-commerce platform for lifestyle brands

The startup has also inked an exclusive agreement with Universal Music Group to create music, tickets and merchandise shopping opportunities for UMG artists and their fans worldwide.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 16, 2017

Marketplace startup StockX draws celebrity-laden $6M funding round

Mark Wahlberg, Eminem, Steve Case, Scooter Braun, DJ Skee and Ron Conway have invested in the self-described online “stock market of things.”

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 15, 2017

Cybersecurity: What retailers need to know

From the biggest security risks facing the industry to how to defend against them, here are the trends to key in on.

By Jason Ankeny, Corinne Ruff • Feb. 15, 2017

Etsy to roll out craft supplies marketplace to sell to merchants

The crafts site aims to launch the new marketplace with at least 8 million craft supplies products available, compared to around 33,000 at many big-box retailers.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 14, 2017

Swych Giftbot handles person-to-person e-gifting requests for chat users

Beta testing is open on both the Apple iOS and Google Android platforms for users of Facebook Messenger, Skype and Apple’s Siri.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 14, 2017

Crate and Barrel adopts MicroStrategy software to boost analytics game

The MicroStrategy 10 platform offers in-store staffers real-time access to data mining, business intelligence reports created on-demand and other capabilities.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 13, 2017

6 steps retailers can take to defend against cyberattacks

Retailers continue to struggle with DNS health, social engineering and network security, yet analysts say owning these basics is critical. 

By Corinne Ruff • Feb. 13, 2017

5 numbers to know about retail cybersecurity

Retail faces more cyberattacks than any other industry — and the costs of a data breach can be devastating.

By Corinne Ruff • Feb. 13, 2017

ComScore: Holiday spending topped $80B, driven by mobile commerce growth

Shopping via smartphones and tablets reached $17.1 billion over the last two months of 2016, corresponding to about 21% of total holiday digital spending, up from 17% in 2015.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 13, 2017