Google, Inc.

While a new report from CBRE extols the traffic-building virtues of Pokemon GO for retail locations designated as “gyms” or “stops,” it concludes that virtual and augmented reality will have a more immediate impact on lease-signings than product purchases.   

Just a few short years ago, many people predicted that physical stores would all be replaced by pure-play e-commerce sites.  By now, they thought, brick-and-mortar would be a thing of the past. Though we’ve seen some physical stores close, we’ve also seen some traditionally online retailers open storefronts. The demise of the physical store was greatly overestimated.   

A lot of attention has been paid to the impact of mobile wallets in the payment technology arena. However, other technologies are also emerging to make payment, among other shopping activities, easier and more efficient. For example, 1-800-Flowers.com is partnering with Amazon.com to make the digital ordering process (including processing and payment) even easier.  

Today, when it comes to adding new members to your board of directors, creating a balance between industry experience and innovation is extraordinarily important. Filling board seats with industry veterans and compliance experts may feel comfortable in the short term, but to adapt to today’s savvy and demanding consumer, companies must be more forward thinking.

We’ve all witnessed the recent evolution of the C-suite — companies bringing in new, young talent, often from other industries, to modernize a brand, enhance the store experience or to leverage technology.

There are four main channels consumers use to initiate an online purchase, and each one results in a different experience.  

The first-ever LinkedIn “Top Attractors” list of the most desirable companies to work is out, and several firms engaged in retail were included.  

Today’s consumers are more hurried than ever, and even traditional e-commerce apps may not move quickly enough to satisfy them.   New York-based specialty electronics retailer B&H Photo Video, which operates a single superstore as well as a global e-commerce site, is taking advantage of a new app-sharing feature from Google. Known as Android Instant Apps, it allows users to have a native app experience without actually download an Android app from the Play Store.