Artificial Intelligence

The technology-driven innovation spree occurring in the retail industry offers merchants, marketers and operators unprecedented shopper insights capabilities — and a host of new opportunities.

While the reach of mobile devices has grown dramatically in recent years, we’ve failed to realize the promise of using this ubiquitous device as a mobile wallet.

There are many reason for this lack of adoption, and the following reviews the shortcomings of past and current attempts at mobile wallet implementations — and more importantly, highlights new technologies needed to unlock the promise of mobile payments.

Digital River, a leading global provider of commerce-as-a-service solutions, has appointed Jeffrey Katz to its board of directors.

A technology and travel industry veteran, Katz recently served as the CEO of Wize Commerce, a global leader in online monetization and traffic acquisition technologies. He was the founding CEO, chairman and president of Orbitz from 2000 to 2004.
 

Neptune, N.J -- Marathon Data Systems, which provides a cloud-based route management platform for companies with a mobile workforce, is launching its new delivery pick-up and drop-off feature. The new feature tracks load to ensure that all vehicles’ load capacity limits — like weight, volume and value — remain within required limits during the entire route, while planning the correct order of pickups and deliveries to best optimize routes.  

Walldorf, Germany – SAP AG is releasing cloud-based Rapid Deployment solutions designed to simplify deployments and move existing SAP applications to the cloud with best practices in a predictable manner that helps minimize business disruption while new solutions are implemented. SAP Rapid Deployment solutions follow a universally applicable approach for customers deploying across the cloud, on premise or in hybrid landscapes.

Land O'Lakes' initiative to leverage technology to manage risk associated with weather and climate change will be part of a conversation this week focused on food security and climate change that brings together experts from the public and private sectors.

San Bruno, Calif. – Wal-Mart is reportedly planning to substantially expand its e-commerce operation based in Sunnyvale, California. According to the Oakland Tribune, Wal-Mart intends to add hundreds of staffers to its global e-commerce unit there, bringing the total number of e-commerce employees to about 1,000.

In addition, Wal-Mart will lease a 107,000-sq.-ft. space in Sunnyvale to help house its e-commerce operations. Currently, the retailer employs about 550 e-commerce employees in Sunnyvale at an existing facility it will maintain.

Chicago - Renewed consumer spending is in line with pre-recession trends and consumer optimism is higher than it's been in years. In 2013, Mintel estimates that personal consumption expenditures on consumer goods reached $10 trillion for the first time.