Microsoft

Amazon’s Prime membership seemed to be the golden ticket to stronger sales for the e-commerce giant in the fourth quarter.

Redmond, Wash. – As part of its Windows 10 OS announcement earlier this week, Microsoft Corp. revealed it will be releasing a new holographic computer system called HoloLens that may offer retailers some interesting new ways to deliver an enhanced, seamless customer experience. HoloLens features see-through, holographic, high-definition lenses and spatial sound so users can see and hear holograms in the physical world around them.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. has appointed Kevin Johnson as president and chief COO, effective March 1. He replaces the company's current COO, 23-year Starbucks veteran, Troy Alstead, who, as previously announced, will take a sabbatical beginning March 1. Over the next month, Alstead will work to immerse Johnson into his levels of responsibility as they work together to ensure a smooth transition.
 

New York -- TGI Fridays Inc., in partnership with Microsoft Corp., is upping its guests’ experience by equipping servers with eight-inch tablets on which they can process orders and payments while at the table and respond promptly to requests. The chain has completed a six-city pilot in Texas and Minnesota, and plans to deploy the tablets in 80 additional restaurants, with more than 2,000 tablets in place by March.

San Jose, Calif. – PayPal will release a new PayPal Here credit card reader that will include payment support for Microsoft Surface and other Windows devices. Later this year, PayPal will release an EMV-compliant PayPal Here reader to the U.S.

The strength of the U.S. dollar and a decline in hardware sales are among the reasons GameStop cited for its decline in holiday sales. But that's not the whole story.

Sales of new software, a key category for the video game retailer, were strong. New software sales increased 5.8%, or 8.9% in constant currency. The growth was driven by a 94.4% increase in PS4 and Xbox One software, led by titles such as Activision’s Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V and Ubisoft’s Far Cry 4. 

By Jim Singer, A.T. Kearney, and Ryan Mathews, Black Monk Consulting

New York -- At the National Retail Federation’s Annual Convention & EXPO on Monday, Microsoft Corp. and CKE Restaurants Inc. (parent company of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.) showcased a self-order kiosk solution running on Windows 8 devices that enables Hardee’s customers to customize and place their own orders.