Artificial Intelligence

Plug and Play brings together retailers and start-ups that offer specific technology and expertise that can relieve merchants’ pain points. Chain Store Age’s Customer Disruption newsletter provides a Q&A with the CEO of one of those companies in each issue. This time, the spotlight is on Arie Shpanya of Wiser.

What does your company do?

Bonn, Germany – An estimated 50 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020 compared to 15 billion today, according to a new trend report from DHL Inc. and Cisco.

Denver - The Running Specialty Group, a division of The Finish Line Inc., is entering a strategic agreement with Pear Sports, a mobile fitness and training content platform, for the launch of the RSG training channel, an interactive training platform and tracking tool which will integrate with the retailer’s store based training programs nationwide.

Oslo, Norway - Scandinavian multinational supermarket chain Rema 1000 will be leveraging Revionics lifecycle pricing solutions in all product categories across all of its retail stores. Utilizing advanced science and predictive analytics, Rema 1000 will be able to strategically manage pricing and consistently align it with brand image, offer promotions that are compelling and profitable and more accurately forecast and measure key financial metrics.

Framingham, Mass. – Staples Inc. has collected 450 million ink and toner cartridges for recycling in the U.S. since 2005, averaging more than 60 million cartridges per year for the past four years. Through the cartridge recycling program, Staples has helped recover and recycle 234 million pounds of plastics and metals, diverting roughly the weight of 8,000 full garbage trucks from landfills.

New technology innovations pop up in retail all the time. The Amazon Dash button made a splash on April Fools Day, and before the end of the month Apple Watch will offer consumers a whole new way to engage retailers.

Every time a new retail technology innovation rears its head, pundits proclaim that the whole consumer-retailer relationship will be instantly re-invented. And the relationship between consumers and retailers has changed dramatically since the introduction of e-commerce 20 years ago.

Petco has filled two key executive roles as it continues to build a team to successfully execute key strategic initiatives.

The company has named Michael M. Nuzzo as EVP and chief financial officer and Michael W. Zuna as SVP and chief marketing and digital officer.

Build-A-Bear Workshop is rewriting the rules on stuffed animals with a new line of toys that are linked to a mobile app.

The retailer’s new Promise Pets feature a free mobile app that families can download to bring the experience of pet care to life, teaching children about animal care through an interactive play experience. Breeds in the collection include the Golden Retriever, Beagle, Yorkshire Terrier and Persian Kitten. Build-A-Bear plans to introduce more breeds throughout the year.