TECHNOLOGY

Study: Augmented reality revamps shopping experience
Digital disruptors continue to impact the shopping experience, and augmented reality (AR) is no exception. Specifically, 61% of customers reported that augmented reality has influenced where they decide to shop, according to “The Impact of Augmented Reality in Retail,” a report from Interactions, an experiential marketing firm and division on Daymon. The report, which is based on responses from more than 1,000 Americans, examines how AR has become a part of consumers’ shopping experiences.
Walmart jumps into free movie streaming
Walmart is making a bold move in the competitive on-demand digital content marketplace. Leveraging its free, premium video streaming service called Vudu, the retail behemoth now features “Vudu Movies on Us,” a program that offers customers the ability to watch “thousands of movie and TV titles for free, and on-demand, with limited commercials,” according to a company statement.

The New Retail: Omnichannel Strategies for Grocery Chains

The new retail is here and a sector that is definitely feeling the wave of this reality is the grocery industry. With the strong penetration of Aldi, Amazon’s move into online grocery, Wal-Mart’s purchase of Jet.com and the dreaded arrival in the U.S. of the highly competitive German grocery store Lidl, it’s no wonder grocers are fighting for survival in this ever-changing, highly saturated environment.
Department store chain gives more options for loyalty program

Bon-Ton Stores’ customers now have more opportunities to earn rewards. The department store retailer, which originally rewarded shoppers for using the chain’s Your Rewards proprietary credit card, can now earn loyalty points for every purchase they make — regardless of how they pay.
Report: Good deals ring in stronger holiday sales

Holiday sales may be on pace to increase this year, but sale-savvy shoppers will drive this boost. The 10th annual “Accenture Holiday Shopping Survey” found that 42% of consumers said they rarely or never expect to pay full price for an item during the holiday season, and this year is no exception.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. tries on a new — and friendlier — brand identity
Report: Digital, human interaction spurs in-store successes

Omnichannel retailing continues to change customer shopping patterns, but “balance” spurs sales. More specifically, consumers’ average single-trip spending increases nearly four times when engaged by both in-store staff and the brand’s website, according to a new report from InMoment.
Costco, UPS team up with University of Washington on omnichannel project

The University of Washington is teaming up with Costco, UPS, Nordstrom and other stakeholders on a new project that aims to improve the way consumers receive their goods.

The SCTL Center Urban Freight Lab says it will be working to improve the management of both public and private operations of urban goods delivery systems. Urban Freight Lab members plan to engage in strategic applied research projects at the SCTL Center, and help identify priority problems for future research.

Founding members of the SCTL Center Urban Freight Lab include:
Walmart outlines 3 reasons why forward-leaning retailers are bullish on curbside pickup

With its recent acquisition of Jet.com, a commitment to growing its online grocery business with a convenient grocery pick-up option and an extensive investment against delivering a seamless digital shopping experience, Walmart is once again flipping the script on what it means to compete for America's shopping dollar. The company's investment in grocery pick-up services represents the cover of that new script - and Walmart is expanding that service to 600 stores this year and 500 stores next year.
Sam’s Club’s unique approach to digital disruption

While digital disruption continues to stymie a good part of the industry, Sam’s Club is using the concept to its advantage. The company’s VP of omnichannel member communication and innovation, Darshan Gad, and executive VP of operations Don Frieson, teamed up at the “Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit” event last week in Rogers, Ark., to discuss how the chain is using disruption to drive innovation.