TECHNOLOGY

Specialty retailer integrates omnichannel experience
As Cole Haan expands its breadth, the retail experience must remain consistent — regardless of the touchpoint shoppers use. In partnership with Aptos, the specialty retailer now has a platform that delivers a seamless customer experience throughout the entire shopping journey. Regardless of whether shoppers visit one of the company’s 259 stores across 30 countries, or shop online, now they will get a unified experience.
Deloitte: Back-to-school shopping trends include early start, shift to mass merchants
Retailers who wait until late summer this year to launch back-to-school deals are only hurting themselves, because early shoppers will spend more than late starters. That's according to Deloitte's "2017 Back-to-School Survey," which also detected a big shift in where back-to-school will be shopping this year. One thing that hasn't changed: In-store still prevails.

Study: More shoppers to participate in ‘voice commerce’

As the adoption of voice-controlled devices rises, so will the number of voice-enabled purchases. This was according to “Walker Sands 2017 Future of Retail Study.” The report, which was conducted in late March, surveyed 1,622 consumers across the United States. Nearly one in five consumers (19%) have made a voice purchase through an Amazon Echo or other voice-controlled device in the past year. Another 33% plan to do so in the next year.
Study: What consumers expect when they buy online, pick up in store

In the age of evolving consumer preferences enabled by digital technologies, customers continue demanding convenience and ease of use while shopping online. Additionally, they want instant gratification of purchasing items in the store and, increasingly, a combination of the two. To this effect, the buy online, pickup in store (BOPIS) option, or click and collect experience, has become a key component of customer satisfaction, loyalty and revenue growth.
Prime Day knocks it out of the park — and not just with record sales

Amazon’s third annual Prime Day was its biggest shopping event yet — and the biggest day in its history for signing up new Prime members.
Amazon scores important win in huge foreign market

Amazon has won the right to sell groceries in India. The online giant currently sells groceries in India through a local partner. But it recently secured government approval to stock and sell its own food items, reported the Nikkei Asian Review.
Vineyard Vines uses social media data to drive sales

The brand best known for its smiling pink whale logo is improving pricing, design and buying decisions by using an innovative data source. By partnering with First Insight, Vineyard Vines will leverage the company’s online social engagement tools to gather real-time product pricing and sentiment data from its customers. This information will then be analyzed by First Insight’s predictive models.
Analysis: Prime Day a success in the eyes of consumers

Amazon's third annual shopping event was a success in the eyes of consumers this year, according to InfoScout and Market Track’s survey of shoppers on Prime Day.
Study: Shoppers feel good about Whole Foods' acquisition

Consumers are feeling so positive about Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods Market that more plan to shop there in the future. This was according to the “Amazon Shopper Sentiment Report” from ChargeItSpot. The study collected responses from over 900 shoppers at malls across the country, using its integrated survey capability, QuickPoll.
Customers most satisfied with these appliance retailers

Best Buy ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the $24 billion-plus appliance market. That's according to the J.D. Power 2017 Appliance Retailer Satisfaction Study. With a score of 857, Best Buy came out on top, ahead of Lowe's (840), The Home Depot (839), Hhgregg (831) and Sears (828). Overall satisfaction with appliance retailers in 2017 is 838 points, up from 821 in 2016.