Artificial Intelligence

Amazon’s Prime Day may have boosted the company’s second quarter sales, but the event wasn’t enough to keep its earnings on track.   The online giant’s net income for the second quarter, ended June 30, was $197 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, compared with net income of $857 million, or $1.78 per diluted share, in second quarter 2016. Earnings also drastically missed analyst expectations of $1.42 per share, according to consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters.  

Excessive heat gain and sun glare through store windows can create challenging situations for customers as well as store associates. James Beale, managing partner of NGS Films & Graphics, discusses trends and tech advances in window films withChain Store Age.

What trends are you seeing in solar films and safety/security films in the retail space?

Amazon is expanding its distribution fleet in the Wolverine state in a big way.   The online giant plans to open an 855,000-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Romulus, Michigan — it’s second in the state. The facility will create more than 1,500 new full-time associate roles.    Associates will pick, pack, and ship smaller customer items, such as books, electronics and toys. However, these tasks will be streamlined by technology from Amazon Robotics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon.com. 

Technology prominent in discounter’s “next-gen” store concept

Walmart is testing enhanced features and technologies designed to appeal to today’s digitally driven lifestyles in two new supercenters — one in Tomball, Texas, and one in Lake Nona, Fla.

Retailers need to innovate to get the most out of data analytics

There is more data filtering through retail enterprises than ever before. But while most retailers have data collection down to a science, they still need to learn how to extract value from this information.

Eager to improve customer communication, a majority of retailers plan to increase in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) moving forward.   This was according to “How AI Technology Will Transform Customer Engagement,” a report from Linc and BrandGarage. The study polled 104 senior-level marketing and e-commerce executives from leading retail brands.  

eBay is making it easier for mobile shoppers to browse its massive product catalog.    The online merchant is adding two new solutions that rely on pictures instead of words to help customers search its online offering of 1.1 billion items. The tools, which are supported by artificial intelligence and machine learning, will help mobile shoppers pinpoint — and purchase — merchandise faster.   

Walmart has found a way to make the digital shopping experience even faster.   The discounter launched a new service on Tuesday that streamlines how shoppers reorder merchandise via their desktop or Walmart app. Called Easy Reorder, the service integrates shoppers’ purchase histories —a list that is comprised of merchandise purchased both in-store and online. The service curates the customer’s most purchased items — including brands and sizes.