TECHNOLOGY

The two companies with the highest online grocery satisfaction are...
If traditional supermarket retailers want to become online destinations for grocery, they need to step up their digital shopping experiences. In fact, shoppers rated their overall satisfaction ordering food and grocery items online highest with Amazon (4.63 on a five-point scale where five is highest), followed by Walmart (4.41). Supermarkets/food stores trailed behind with a rating of 4.32.
Deloitte: Retail holiday sales to increase by at least 4%
An uptick in consumer spending could drive sales as high as $1.05 trillion this holiday season. Retail holiday sales should rise a healthy 4% to 4.5% over last year's shopping season — a factor that could drive sales between $1.04 trillion and $1.05 trillion between November 2017 and January 2018, according to the annual retail holiday sales forecast from the firm’s retail and distribution practices. (Holiday sales are seasonally adjusted, and exclude motor vehicles and gasoline.)

Report: Toys ‘R’ Us preps for a turnaround with ‘Project Sunrise’ plan

Looking toward the future, Toys ‘R’ Us’ CEO has established a recovery plan. In a meeting at Toys “R” Us’ pop-up store in Times Square, chief executive David Brandon outlined the company’s turnaround plan, internally called “Project Sunrise.” From a high-level, it includes integrating its online and in-store shopping experiences, adding faster shipping and better technology and customer service, according to Reuters.
UPS kicks off holiday hiring spree

UPS is ramping up its holiday workforce. The company plans to hire approximately 95,000 seasonal employees to support an anticipated increase in package shipments during the 2017 holiday shopping season. UPS expects increased delivery volume to span between early November and January 2018. This marks the fourth straight year that UPS is hiring this number of employees for the holiday season, according to Reuters.
Home goods retailer’s sales tumble in Q2

A combination of restructuring costs, Hurricane Harvey and a new accounting standard took its toll of Bed Bath & Beyond’s second quarter results. For the quarter ended Aug. 26, the home goods retailer reported net sales of about $2.9 billion, a decrease of about 1.7% from the same time last year. Comparable sales also decreased by approximately 2.6%, surpassing analysts’ expectations of a 0.7% decrease.
The Road to Successful In-store Fulfillment

Retailers need to offer more options to deliver merchandise faster — especially if they want to compete with the narrow delivery windows that Amazon and other nimble online players continue to offer.
Amazon adds first hospitality partner to its Shop with Points program

Amazon is giving Hilton Honors members a new way to redeem their points. The global hospitality company is joining Amazon’s Shop With Points program, a move that will enable Hilton Honors members to redeem their loyalty points for purchases on Amazon. Hilton is the first hotel brand to join Amazon’s program.
Discount giant will rely on its own workforce for holiday rush

Walmart is bucking the holiday hiring trend again this year. Unlike other competitors that are hiring thousands of temporary workers to service shoppers during the holiday season, the discount giant plans to offer extra hours to its current associates. These shifts will staff traditional roles like cashier and stocker, and newly created technology-empowered positions, such as personal shoppers and Pickup associates, according to Walmart.
FedEx to hike shipping rates by almost 5%

FedEx will have new shipping rates starting January 1, 2018. All subsidiaries, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight, will increase their shipping fees by an average of 4.9%. The company is also imparting additional surcharges across other services. For example, FedEx Express shipping rates will spike by an average of 4.9% for U.S. domestic, U.S. export and U.S. import services. FedEx One Rate pricing will increase by an average of 3.5%.
Licensing agreement helps teen retailer expand into India

American Eagle Outfitters is entering an emerging global retail market. The teen retailer is preparing for its debut in India. American Eagle’s expansion will be supported through a multi-year license agreement with the Aditya Birla Group. The Indian conglomerate has an extensive retail portfolio, as well as strong digital and omnichannel capabilities. The first stores are expected to open in Mumbai and Delhi in Spring 2018.