TECHNOLOGY

Amazon gives an entire town free Prime membership
Talk about a clever self-promotion. Amazon is celebrating the streaming debut of its award-winning movie “Manchester by the Sea” by giving every single home in the small Massachusetts town that provided its setting with a year’s free subscription to Amazon Prime. And as an added bonus, the company is throwing in a three-pack of Wickedly Prime popcorn.
Walmart reduces prices on money transfers
Walmart is making its cheaper and faster for its customers to send money. The retailer is adding new “rollback” fees to its Walmart2Walmart money transfer program. The new fees, beginning Wednesday, April 24, save customers between 20% and 90% on cash transfers versus the leading competitor, according to Walmart. For example, shoppers sending $250 will pay $8 through the new program, compared to fees that could range between $12.50 and $24 on Western Union, the retailer reported.

Canada’s Kit and Ace to close U.S. stores

Kit and Ace, the company founded by the family of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, is pulling back on brick-and-mortar outside of its home base to focus online. The upscale athleisure retailer announced it is “simplifying” its business plan and operations, reducing head office staff and closing its 32 locations in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. Kit and Ace said it is shifting focus to its “solid” Canadian showrooms and global e-commerce platform.
Report: Robot ‘dog’ tests deliveries in Boston

A new four-legged friend is roaming Boston neighborhoods, and it can bring shoppers more than their newspaper or slippers. Spot, a four-legged, dog-like robot from Boston Dynamics, is programmed to deliver packages to consumers’ front doors, according to ReCode.
Go Beyond Omnichannel to Create a True, Single View of Your Company

Omnichannel promised to integrate physical and digital channels, allowing retailers to deliver a seamless shopping experience. But in reality, because of stand-alone, legacy systems, many of these channels operate in silos, making it difficult to achieve full transparency and causing missed opportunities.
J. Crew cutting jobs as part of restructuring

J.Crew Group is in a reorganization mode as it look to better position itself for growth. The apparel retailer announced several strategic changes across its organization, including reducing headcount. Approximately 150 full-time and 100 open positions are being cut, mostly from corporate headquarters.
Study: Key decision makers look to AI for ongoing success

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly topping IT wish lists as a means of improving business decisions and providing personalization. That’s according to a new report from PwC, “Bot.Me: A Revolutionary Partnership.” The study, surveyed consumers and business decision makers on AI’s impact in the business world, the evolution of AI acceptance by consumers and AI’s changing role in addressing socioeconomic issues.
J.C. Penney in big beauty expansion

J.C. Penney is expanding its partnership with beauty giant Sephora, online and offline. The retailer announced it will open 70 new in-store Sephora shops in Penney locations and also expand 32 existing shops by nearly 50% to accommodate more products and services. As part of the expansion, Penney will hire 800 beauty consultants. Sephora shops will be featured in nearly in nearly 650 Penney stores in 2017.
NRF: Mother’s Day spending to reach record-high

Whether treating mom to jewelry or a special outing at her favorite restaurant, consumers plan to spend more than ever on Mother’s Day. Specifically, Mother’s Day shoppers are expected to spend an average of $186.39 for the holiday, up from last year’s $172.22, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey, which tapped 7,406 consumers about their Mother’s Day plans. The study was conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.
Report: Rent the Runway co-founder joins Walmart tech incubator

Walmart’s tech start-up has added a new leader. The retail giant’s newly launched startup investment arm, called Store No. 8, has named Jenny Fleiss as one of its chief executives, according to Reuters. Fleiss is the co-founder and former head of business development for Rent the Runway.