Artificial Intelligence

Indianapolis — Simon Property Group has launched a new dedicated Simon Venture Group, a business that will invest in retail innovation, with a focus on opportunities that enhance the shopping experience.

Mikael Thygesen, chief marketing officer of Simon Property Group said: "We believe we have only scratched the surface on applying technology to the retail environment in innovative, interesting ways."

Mobile engagement solutions provider Scanbuy introduced a new version of its flagship platform the company contends is fundamentally altering the way marketers approach mobile campaigns.

Scanbuy introduced an all new version of its ScanLife Mobile Engagement Platform to enable enhanced interactions between brands and consumers through QR codes, Microsoft Tag, NFC, short URLs and other mobile triggers in their everyday surroundings, such as stores and restaurants, products and print advertising.

With technology continuing to reshape the store experience, global retail real estate leader Simon Property Group is upping its digital game with the creation of a new venture capital group.

The company, which owns or has an interest in 325 retail properties encompassing 243 million square feet, has created Simon Ventures Group for the purpose of investing in retail innovation focused on opportunities that enhance the shopping experience.

New York – IBM Inc. has introduced new software and services to help organizations use Big Data and Analytics to address fraud and financial crimes. IBM launched its “Smarter counter fraud” initiative, drawing on the expertise and innovation from more than 500 fraud consulting experts, 290 fraud-related research patents and IBM’s Big Data and analytics software and services capabilities.

Gigwalk, a leading provider of crowdsourced solutions to retailers and CPG companies, just surpassed the 500,000th member of its mobile workforce and celebrated the occasion by securing an additional $10 million in funding.

By Dave Richards, Accenture

We shop almost every day – picking something up at the drug store or buying lunch, clothes shopping or getting groceries, looking for a gift or checking out a promotion – and we are doing this on the way to work, at work, at night while watching TV, online, at a store and increasingly across mobile devices. There is one thing that unites consumers in all of these instances: we expect the experience to be unified, personalized, constant, connected and, above all, seamless.
 

New York -- Kohl's Department Stores was honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce emissions linked to climate change. The retailer was recognized with EPA’s Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement) Award for reducing carbon emissions by improving the energy efficiency in its stores and buying renewable energy and installing solar panels.

Woonsocket, R.I. -- CVS/pharmacy now provides ScripTalk talking prescription labels for prescriptions ordered for home delivery through its online pharmacy, CVS.com. The ScripTalk labels provide a way to access information on prescription labels for individuals who cannot read standard print.

The ScripTalk labels are free to CVS.com pharmacy customers who are blind or visually impaired. Customers can also obtain a free ScripTalk reader from Envision America that will enable them to listen to the information on the ScripTalk label.