Artificial Intelligence

Within the next decade, online food shopping will reach maturation in the U.S., far faster than other industries that have come online before.   At least that’s according to the “Digitally Engaged Food Shopper,” a report from the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Nielsen that takes a comprehensive look into the behaviors, motivations and expectations of the digitally-engaged food shopper.   

A report has Amazon considering its next foray into the grocery segment, but in a manner that would require very little human intervention.      Amazon is reportedly contemplating a two-story, automated supermarket that would feature a staff of robots on the second floor that fulfill orders for shoppers waiting on the main level, according to The New York Post.  

While it missed some analysts’ aggressive $44.7 billion quarterly revenue estimate, Amazon continues to record solid growth. Fourth-quarter sales were up 22% year over year to $43.7 billion. The retailer also maintained profitability throughout 2016, indicating that the flywheel continues to accelerate, especially in North America.   

H&M is saying yes to what is being described as a “data dress.”   The fast-fashion retailer is teaming up with Google to create and sell frocks based on customer-specific data tracked by an Android app, reported The Verge.   

Gap is testing an augmented reality app that lets shoppers "try on” its apparel without ever entering a store.    The app, called DressingRoom by Gap, lets customers virtually try on merchandise via their smartphone, according to a report by PSFK. It uses Avametric technology backed by the Google Tango platform and ASUS hardware.    

On the heels of a less than stellar holiday, Target Corp. is scaling back on some parts of its innovation agenda in order to concentrate on its core business.    The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Target has scrapped its highly secretive e-commerce startup called Goldfish, and also has shelved a prototype for a store of the future, complete with robots, that was due to be built soon.

Identity fraud is at an all-time high, and despite industry efforts, fraudsters continue to rack up victims.   According to the “2017 Identity Fraud Study,” the number of victims increased by 16%, rising to 15.4 million U.S. consumers in the last year — a record high since Javelin Strategy & Research began tracking identity fraud in 2003.   

Pinterest is taking its search program to the next level.   The social media site now offers Search Ads, a feature that enables retailers to run ads as “pinners” type keywords into the search bar. The program, which started as a limited test, is now comprised of a full suite of features, including keyword and shopping campaigns that are shown in search results, as well as new targeting and reporting options, Pinterest’s head of global sales, Jon Kaplan, said in the company’s blog.