Artificial Intelligence

From LEDs and controls to rebates and incentives, lighting presents retailers with a myriad of opportunities for savings. Chain Store Age spoke with Regency Lighting’s Judah Regenstreif about lighting trends and the potential for savings, in new stores and existing locations.

What are some of the major trends Regency is seeing in retail lighting?

Austin, Texas – Shelfbucks Inc. has appointed a 25-member advisory board of senior corporate executives and business school leaders. Launched in October 2013, Shelfbucks delivers a smartphone-based technology that capitalizes on iBeacon, Bluetooth Low Energy and Near Field Communications to enable retailers to communicate special offers, coupons and other information directly to consumers in the retail setting.

Increased immersion in technology — and increased questions about its effect on people’s lives and privacy. A rise in consumer expectations for speed. A shift to a visual vocabulary and the rise of telepathic technology. These, according to one trend forecast, will be among the main drivers of consumer behavior in 2014.

Newegg opened 2014 with a victory over patent trolls.

"Newegg believes that fighting patent trolls is necessary to serve our customers, and to facilitate entrepreneurship and true innovation," said Lee Cheng, Newegg's chief legal officer. "We support the patent system, but believe it is being abused on a massive scale by patent trolls who want to force entrepreneurs into cash settlements to avoid the high cost of defense."

Japan’s biggest e-commerce player uses third-party marketplace model to expand

Most U.S. consumers, and many retailers for that matter, have probably never heard of Rakuten. But if Japan’s largest e-commerce marketplace has its way, that will soon change: The company has set its sights on becoming a household name in the United States. An even loftier goal: outpacing e-commerce giant Amazon.com.

By Punit Kulkarni, Symphony Analytics

Redwood Shores, Calif. – Oracle has released Oracle Retail version 14, encompassing new features and functionality across its complete offering of retail business solutions. The enhanced suite of solutions is designed to enable relevant customer engagements across touchpoints, target assortments, drive improved efficiency from inventory and help reduce total cost of ownership.

Last week, I looked back at 2013 and how the biggest single trend in retail IT was customers using connective technology to take control of the shopping experience. This week, I look forward to the new year of 2014, when the biggest single trend in retail IT will be customer disruption.