Artificial Intelligence

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Walmart is looking to help holiday shoppers find the perfect gift this season with the launch of a new social shopping application.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Wednesday it has debuted a social networking application, calling it Shopycat.

The app uses Facebook data to recommend gifts to consumers, on the company's Facebook page. It is one of the first products to roll out of @Walmartlabs, a unit of the company charged with developing social-networking and mobile technologies for the retailer.

Shipments of digital signage displays to the retail sector are expected to triple by 2013, according to market research firm iSuppli Corp. That’s encouraging news in an industry that faces an uncertain holiday buying season.

Retailers have pulled out the stops this holiday season, especially when it comes to experimenting with cutting-edge digital technologies. But innovation shouldn’t be reserved for the holidays — it is something that should be infused into the shopping experience all year long.

Specialty bedding retailer Mattress Firm has reduced its utility costs by more than $1 million by using an automated energy management system to control its HVAC and lighting.

As cost savings continue to be the name of the game in retail, supply chain has come under even closer scrutiny as a major expense to be controlled. Chain Store Age talked with George Prest, COO of the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA), about what lies ahead for the supply chain and global trade, as well as the association’s inaugural trade show MODEX, to be held in early 2012. 

What one trend do think will most shape the supply chain in 2012?

New York City -- Waste Management and Publix Super Markets announced the opening of the Okeechobee Organics Recycling Facility, which uses advanced aerated composting technology to process food residuals.

The eight-acre facility, located adjacent to Waste Management’s Okeechobee Landfill, utilizes a forced aeration system with computer controls to regulate airflow and air treatment to process pre-consumer food waste from Publix stores -- including produce, bakery and floral items -- with yard waste into organic compost products.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot announced that Office Depot stores in Plano, Texas; Raleigh, N.C.; and Tallahassee, Fla., won the top three spots for retail energy efficiency gains in the 2011 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star National Building Competition. The Plano and Raleigh stores were also the only retailers in the overall top 10 list.