Artificial Intelligence

Buffalo Grove, Ill. -- Siemens Building Technologies Division announced that Michaels Stores recently rolled out a series of Siemens advanced extensions to the Site Controls’ energy management system (EMS). The extensions will provide Michaels a cash-on-cash payback of 20 months, and an ROI exceeding 90%. In addition, the investment will drive further reductions in Michaels’ carbon footprint, the environmental equivalent of 5,600 cars from the road each year.

Duluth, Ga. -- Airport retailers around the globe are missing out on valuable opportunities to generate more revenue from time-starved and mobile-enabled travelers, according to a recent survey by NCR Corp., a leading provider of airline and airport self-service, retail, wayfinding and mobile solutions.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday it will hire 100 additional developers in India as part of its @WalmartLabs unit, which is focused on growing the retailer’s social media and mobile presence globally.

In November, WalmartLabs, under the retailer’s global e-commerce group, will build an operation in India to use social media and digital technology to attract shoppers.
 

Recovery is a relative term when applied to retail real estate. It’s taken a couple of years of determined optimism, but most in the industry have now reconciled themselves to the realities of the new world order. A world where capital is cautiously invested and most retailers, even those that are opening new stores, have flattened growth rates. Gone are the days of expansive, unrestrained development — replaced instead by measured, deliberate decisions and a renewed focus on redevelopment, relocation and re-evaluation of portfolios.

Today’s retail associates have more selling tools at their disposal than ever before — not the least of which is the increasingly popular tablet. The mobile device has taken not only front-of-house selling to new levels but has added efficiencies and enhanced employee productivity to back-of-house functions as well. Chain Store Age talked with Mike Stinson, VP marketing of Motion Computing, about the trend toward tablets.

What are some of the most prevalent uses of tablets in the retail environment?

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — The Walmart board of directors is poised for an infusion of fresh, and young, talent when shareholders vote to approve a slate of directors that includes Google’s VP of local and maps.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores announced that its board of directors has nominated Marissa A. Mayer of Google Inc., for election as a new member of the company’s board at Walmart’s Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on June 1, 2012. If elected, Mayer would become the sixteenth member of the board.

Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM announced a definitive agreement to acquire Varicent Software Inc., Toronto, a leading provider of analytics software for compensation and sales performance management. Financial terms were not disclosed.