eCommerce

Walmart wants to use drones to check warehouse inventory and assist with curbside pickup and delivery services, and has applied for permission from regulators to do so, according to CNBC. “Drones have a lot of potential to further connect our vast network of stores, distribution centers, fulfillment centers and transportation fleet,” company spokesman Dan Toporek told CNBC. “There is a Walmart within five miles of 70% of the U.S.

Consumers are making more e-commerce transactions, and smartphones are helping to drive growth.

According to the new Q3 2015 Performance Index report from e-commerce technology platform MarketLive, e-commerce sales continue to improve across all retailer categories (apparel, beauty, home furnishings, catalog, brick-and-mortar, and brand-direct), and across all major performance metrics. These include revenues (+13.5%), traffic (+19.8%), and average order value (+3.9% to $158).

Consumers who live active lifestyles often document their adventures on Instagram.

Poler Outdoor Stuff, a Portland, Oregon-based specialty outdoor retailer that operates an e-commerce site, as well as a flagship store, has been using Instagram for online promotions since launching four years ago. More recently, Poler has also been leveraging the promotional power of Instagram in its store.

With a tremendous swath of the retail economy moving to or exclusively launching online, is the traditional role of the brick-and-mortar salesperson becoming obsolete?

Studies show consumers consistently gather information and make educated decisions when making everyday purchases through online research at home or via mobile comparison shopping. In fact, today the Internet influences more than half (52%) of U.S. retail sales – and is expected to grow to 64% by end of 2015.

There has been a bit of controversy lately regarding Urban Outfitters' recent request that some of their salaried employees “volunteer” to fill normally hourly roles in fulfillment centers and retail outlets. The labor community and their activist friends have been crying foul over what they perceive is the manipulation of salaried junior managers by forcing them to work “hourly” jobs and getting no additional pay or benefits.

It's changing of the guard time at Chico's FAS.

After what it called an extensive search, the retailer named industry veteran Shelley Broader as president and CEO, effective Dec. 1. She succeeds David F. Dyer, who will become vice chair of the Chico's board.

Broader brings over 25 years of experience to her new position. Most recently, she served as president and CEO of Walmart's EMEA region, responsible for retail operations and business development across Europe, the Middle East, Sub-Sahara Africa and Canada.

Venture Commercial has completed two leases on behalf of Northern Tool + Equipment in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, in the White Bear Marketplace, and in Live Oak, Texas, in The Village at Forum Parkway Shopping Center. Clay Mote of Venture Commercial, who is the master broker for Northern Tool + Equipment, made the announcement.

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube have some new competition as social commerce tools.

Visual commerce provider Curalate is releasing Curalate Reveal, a new solution enabling consumers to discover and shop products by clicking on images in blogs. Thus retailers can create shopping experiences on their own blogs or blogs of key influencers.

Lands' End is getting into the brick-and-mortar business just in time for the busiest shopping season of the year.

The online retailer plans to open two holiday pop-up shops, one in New York and one in Boston.

It appears fraudsters are shifting their tactics online even in advance of the migration of in-store POS to EMV compliance.

The U.S. Retail Fraud Survey 2015 has reported a substantial increase in online credit card fraud. Published by Retail Knowledge and sponsored by cash handling technology provider Volumatic, the survey shows the biggest area of online loss remains, overwhelmingly, from the fraudulent use of credit cards (66%).