ARTICLES BY BRIANNA AHEARN

• Starbucks Success Thanks To Digital Growth

  7/29/2015

  For Starbucks, digital is paying off. On July 23, the retailer reported their Q3 results and 39-week fiscal year to date. Starbucks' year over year increased nearly 18 million in the United States, and the Q3 is one of the “strongest and most remarkable quarters in over 23 years,” according to Howard Schultz, Starbucks Chairman and CEO.  Schultz credits their success to expanding beyond digital advertising, and instead having a focus on digital technologies, such as Mobile Order & Pay, as the shift of brick and mortar to digital continues.

• Survey Shows How Consumers View Mobile Shopping

  7/23/2015

  Synchrony Financial, a consumer financial services company, recently announced the results of their 2015 Digital Study, which was focused on how consumers view mobile shopping. The final data shows retailers need to focus on mobile optimization for improved engagement and positive customer experiences. Nearly 7,000 Synchrony Bank cardholders and randomly-chosen shoppers throughout the country were questioned about their view of mobile shopping, what they expect from the experience, and how they currently use mobile devices in the purchase decisions.

• For Back-to-School, It's All About Omni-Channel

  7/23/2015

  School may not be in session just yet, but many consumers are already preparing to stock up for the upcoming school year. In the pursuit of parents' dollars, omni-channel retailing is proving a hot strategy this school year as JCPenney and WallFlower Jeans launch their respective omni-channel experiences to connect to consumers, and back-to-school shoppers share their plans for retail in a new National Retail Federation survey.

• Target Puts Home Automation To The Test

  7/16/2015

  The “Internet of Things,” the quest to connect everything in the home on a network, has been discussed by retail experts as the coming revolution. Recent moves by retailers have put the Internet of Things quest to the test, as stores begin setting up demonstrations of how these devices can function in a consumer's daily life. Sears first launched their entry into this space in 2014, with their Connected Home Shops, and Target is now the newest retailer to bring a connected home space to the consumer.

• Consumers Want To Get Rid Of Traditional Wallets, Survey Shows

  7/16/2015

  Blackhawk Engagement Solutions, a research firm that studies consumer engagement for retailers and marketers, has released the results of their annual survey on shopping behavior. Where It's At: Consumer Shopping Behavior charts how customers are shopping, and the use of connected technologies on the path of browsing to purchase. The survey questioned more than 2,608 respondents on their current shopping behavior, from pre-shop to determining what to buy, in a bid to see how retailers and marketers can simplify the purchase process.

• Kroger Plans To Expand ClickList

  7/9/2015

  Kroger is in the middle of plans to expand its ClickList online ordering to an anticipated 1,200 stores nationwide, with 60 planned this year. The news came exclusively via an article from Cincinnati's WCPO Channel 9 News, who reported on the supermarket retailer's plans for the service. At least 60 Kroger stores will receive ClickList ordering capabilities in 2015, the news channel reports.

• American Eagle Entices Teens With Mobile Options

  7/6/2015

  American Eagle, the teen clothing retailer, is planning a revamp of their website to make it easier for teens to shop easier online on mobile devices, and also recently released a new version of their mobile app, AEO/ AERIE.

• Retailers Lost $44.02 Billion In Shrink In 2014

  7/6/2015

  The 24^th annual National Retail Secury Survey (NRSS) administered by the National Retail Federation (NRF) shows retail and security providers exactly how much shrink affected retailers in 2014. The national study looks at a variety of topics including employee integrity, inventory shrink and other concerns.

• Big Lots Launches Big Lots Latino

  6/26/2015

  Big Lots, the discount and close-out retailer, has just announced the expansion of their online presence with the arrival of their new website, Big Lots Latino. The website is an information hub geared toward their Hispanic-speaking customers. The retailer has gone bilingual in an effort to reach more of their customer population, particularly as a large portion of the U.S. population speaks Spanish. Big Lots shared the news of their new site with a press release this week.

• Target Pharmacies Bought By CVS

  6/17/2015

  Drugstore retailer CVS will purchase Target's pharmacy business for a reported $1.9 billion. The companies announced the news on June 14. The deal covers both Target's pharmacies and clinics. CVS will take over all of Target's pharmacies located in 47 states.

• Mobile Payment Landscape Changing

  6/10/2015

  Survey results released last month show that interest in mobile payment options are increasing, with 25% of smartphone owners in the survey indicating they were likely to use a mobile payment app. In the post-Apple Pay world, consumers have a lot of choices at the checkout, and the landscape is changing. Companies like Google have to find ways to compete with Apple Pay, while brands like Samsung work to develop their own technology for the option. This leads to a competitive market, where companies need to offer the newest and best features.

• Microsoft Retail Experience Center Tour Shows Innovation

  6/5/2015

  A new tour of the Microsoft Retail Experience Center for Seattle's KING 5 in Redmond shows consumers and retail experts the evolving face of retail technology. In a news post on June 2, KING 5's Josh Green gave the first video tour of the facility. The video detailed the innovation and tricks of the trade Microsoft offers brick and mortar retailers to compete with the fast-paced world of online retail.

• Kroger Wins For Food Temperature Innovation

  6/4/2015

  Kroger, the largest supermarket chain in the United States, has just received recognition for their stores' technology and innovation for consumer food safety. The retailer announced on June 3 via press release that their company was named a winner of the 2015 CIO 100 Award by International Data Group's CIO Magazine.  Kroger won due to their FAST Alerts, a state-of-the-art food temperature monitoring system the retailer uses in their stores, and will be presented with the award in Colorado this August in a formal ceremony.

• Nordstrom Tests Curbside Pickup in 20 Stores

  5/14/2015

  Retailer Nordstrom has just begun testing new pick-up options for its customers, with 20 stores offering a new curbside pickup option for purchases made online. With the new service, customers are able to drive to their nearby store, and receive their purchases without even leaving their car. Nordstrom currently has the “Buy Online, Pick Up in Store” option for their customers, but like many retailers, is exploring the possibility of curbside pickup. The option is currently being tested at the recently-remodeled downtown Seattle store. A full list of the pilot stores isn't available at this time, but it's safe to assume the option is likely near the retailer's flagship stores.

• Meijer Tests Curbside Grocery Pickup

  5/7/2015

  The grocery retail category has experienced significant growth in terms of technology over the last few years, with the availability of click-to-collect, loyalty programs, and digital coupons, however, Meijer is testing a new frontier that could provide them a competitive edge in many of the retailer's areas. Meijer announced via press release on April 16, 2015 that it's testing a new service, Meijer Curbside, at the Knapp's Corner retail in Grand Rapids, Michigan.