Artificial Intelligence

Survey: Checkout could stand improvement
Beaverton, Ore. – Consumers have judged the checkout experience, and found it wanting. According to a new survey of about 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by Harris Poll for barcode technology provider Digimarc Corp., 88% of respondents want their store checkout experience to be faster.
XRC Labs: Designing the future of retail innovation
Free flowing venture capital dollars in the digital age have made business incubators and accelerators commonplace, but until now the retail and consumer packaged goods industry didn’t have one it could call its own.

Jet rolling on $20 billion runway

Boasting a proprietary dynamic pricing algorithm, the new online shopping club Jet.com officially launched on July 21 with plans to reach a lofty sales milestone faster than other retailer.
Oracle focuses on agility with retail cloud offering

Redwood Shores, Calif. – Oracle is focusing squarely on retail agility with the latest additions to its comprehensive set of retail cloud solutions. The new Oracle Retail Science Cloud Services and Oracle Retail Insights Cloud Services offer cloud-based access to Big Data analysis and expertise, scaled for retailers of all sizes.
Tango receives $30 million in equity funding

Irving, Texas - Tango, a provider of store lifecycle management solutions and services, has received an investment of $30 million from Frontier Capital, a growth equity firm. The investment in the company’s software-as-a-service, consulting and managed services businesses will support Tango’s growth and demand for their store lifecycle management solution in the North American retail market.
Alibaba gives CPG giant direct access to Chinese customers

Hangzhou, China - Alibaba Group is providing the Chinese arm of a major global CPG company direct access to the Chinese consumer market. Alibaba and Unilever China are launching a comprehensive strategic partnership focused on areas including rural China penetration, cross-border e-commerce, Big Data-driven advertising, and supply chain optimization.

This agreement builds on a partnership that started five years ago with a single Tmall store. Through this strategic partnership, Alibaba Group and Unilever China will work together to:
Top 3 reasons we need robots in malls

New York — Coming soon to a mall near you…robots?

Mike Kercheval, president and CEO of the International Council of Shopping Centers, is making the case for the use of robots in shopping malls. In an op-ed commentary on CNBC.com, Kercheval says the robot's potential on the front lines of retail is limitless—and soon, he adds, “it will be difficult to imagine a visit to the local mall without them.”

Here are three reasons Kercheval says we need robots in malls:
Listen: The Changing Role of the Retail CMO

New York – Dan Berthiaume, senior editor of Chain Store Age, recently participated in a one-hour panel discussion, “Today’s Retail CMO – A New Outlook,” sponsored by SAP as part of its “Coffee Break with Game-Changers” Internet radio series. The discussion, broadcast live on the VoiceAmerica Internet media service, focused on how advances in cloud and digital technology are transforming the role of the chief marketing officer in retail.
Birchbox gets real — with virtual reality

New York - Online beauty and grooming subscription retailer Birchbox is the latest brand to dip into virtual reality.
Retailers gain new tool in fight against crime

Checkpoint Systems Inc. has created a new tool for retailers looking to decrease shrink and increase conversion rates.
Retail tech veteran joins omnichannel firm

A former chief information officer at Walmart is joining retail technology firm Newgistics.

The company has hired Gene Wojciechowski as its chief information officer (CIO). Wojciechowski brings nearly 30 years of experience leading IT organizations at companies including Walmart.com, UPS Freight Services and Staples to his new role, where he’ll be tasked with providing executive leadership and strategic direction for all of Newgistics’ core technology operations.
CROSSMARK to leverage Gigwalk technology

Leading sales and marketing services provider CROSSMARK has taken a digital turn with a new technology deal that involves one of the leaders in the crowd-sourced economy.