TECHNOLOGY

Hhgregg Inc. is the latest retailer to give its store employees off for Thanksgiving Day.   The appliances and consumer electronics retailer announced it will close its 220 stores on the holiday, and reopen them at 7 a.m. on Black Friday.  To date, approximately 42 national retailers and the nation’s largest mall have announced they will not be open on turkey day (see list at end of story.)  

Amazon’s Seattle-based drive-up grocery store may be making headlines, but that’s not its only grocery-related change.    Amazon Prime members in select cities are now entitled to a delivery fee discount for AmazonFresh, the pure play retailer’s online grocery service. The program, which was $299 per year, is now $14.99 per month for Prime members in available markets. This fee is in addition to Amazon’s $99 annual Prime membership fee, according to the company’s website.  

Watch out, 7-Eleven and other c-store retailers. Amazon is thinking about entering your turf.   Having opened bookstores and with a planned entry into the drive-up grocery store space under construction in Seattle, the Internet giant is now considering opening convenience stores,  reported the Wall Street Journal.   The c-stores, with an internal code name of “Project Como,” would be available only to AmazonFresh subscribers, according to the report.  

At a time when loyalty programs are becoming ubiquitous, Lowes Foods’ new service is breaking the mold.    The grocery chain is launching a promotional reward campaign in 75 stores across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. For every $10 spent at Lowes Foods stores, customers will receive one stamp — either traditional or virtual — at checkout, good toward VIVO kitchen knives, knife blocks and cutting boards. The promotion runs until February 26, 2017.   

Hands down, “digital disruption” was the theme of the third annual Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit, held in Rogers, Arkansas. In line with evolving concept itself, there were many definitions of what digital disruption truly means heard throughout the event.  

Yet another holiday forecast brings more good cheer to retailers.   Consumers plan to spend an average of $636 on holiday-related expenses, up 3% from what they anticipated last year, according to The NPD Group’s 2016 Holiday Purchase Intentions Survey. They are also less concerned this year about the economy spoiling their holiday fun. When asked how the state of the economy will influence holiday purchases in 2016, the 12% who said it will have a “significant impact” is down from recent years (14% in 2015, 19% in 2014).

Target Corp. is partnering with a hip design magazine on its new home collection.   The retailer will launch Modern by Dwell Magazine at select stores and online beginning Dec. 27. The collection will include more than 120 items, including furniture, décor, tabletop and home accessories, with products separated into indoor and outdoor collections.       Prices will range from $49.99 to $399.99 for furniture and $16.99 to $99.99 for décor, tabletop and accessories.

Walmart gave a lackluster profit outlook for next year, and said it will slow new store openings as it invests in remodels and digital initiatives.