Artificial Intelligence

A new innovation lab is primed to benefit one of the top players in China’s e-commerce marketplace.   Zebra Technologies, Digital China and Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, which Walmart owns a 12% stake in, have joined forces to develop a state-of-the art facility entitled the "IoT + E-commerce Logistics Lab.”   

As the industry remains on its path toward frictionless retail, there is one clear way to achieve this goal: embrace innovation.    There is no denying that innovative solutions are the industry’s ticket to transforming operations, and eTail West 2017 was chock-full of ideas of how to make this transition. The hottest digital strategies that continue to shape retail run the gamut, from conversational artificial intelligence to redefined mobile strategies that center on personalization, virtual reality and digital payments. 

For good reason, retailers in recent years have sought to understand the shopping habits and preferences of the millennial generation. The oldest millennials, born in or after 1980, are now well into their thirties – and have certainly reached maturity as consumers. It’s now time to shift the focus and look at the next generation behind these millennials to see if they differ from their digital-savvy counterparts.    

Target’s omnichannel journey may have started five years ago, but newly-emerging digital touchpoints continue to change the game.   By leveraging machine learning to tap into customer demand, the mass merchandiser is defining which touchpoints are not only valuable, but influencing its shoppers’ paths-to-purchase. The initiative was discussed at the “Determining New Omni-KPIs To Hit Goals And Key Drivers” session at eTail West 2017, in Palm Springs, California, Feb. 27-March 2.  

The newest robots like the way their controllers think.   Rather than relying on touch screens and artificial intelligence, a new “droid” is controlled by a user’s brain responses, according to ReCode.  

As the retail industry continues its digital transformation, chains need a new formula to best service its shoppers.   To achieve this goal, 70% of retail decision makers are ready to make changes to adopt the Internet of Things (IoT), according to the 2017 Retail Vision Study, from Zebra Technologies. The study analyzes the technology trends shaping the future of the global retail industry and enhancing the shopping experience.  

Every company has liquidation inventory: returned, excess, obsolete or damaged merchandise that can’t go back on store shelves. Though most organizations would rather not admit they have a need for it, liquidation is the rule – not the exception – in retail.