Data & Analytics

Mike McNamara, CIO of Target Corp., recently spoke on the role of today’s CIO at the Forbes CIO Summit.

McNamara has been serving as CIO of Target of eight months, having come from international grocery retailer Tesco. He shared insights such as how the rapid adoption of smartphones has been a game-changer for both consumers and corporate IT teams, the ongoing shift underway from legacy software and mainframe systems to cloud and open-source technologies, and the need to build a team of curious, analytical problem-solvers.

The struggle to dominate leading-edge mobile payment technology may be taking an even more competitive turn. According to Re/Code, Amazon.com has filed a patent application for a process that would allow consumers to authenticate mobile transactions with digital photos of themselves, rather than with passwords. MasterCard recently announced it will roll out a similar-sounding technology called “Selfie Pay.” [Re/Code]

eBay is providing a shipping optimization option to an increased range of sellers.

The online auction platform is extending its integration with Silicon Valley-based on-demand shipping startup Shyp. Having already run pilots of Shyp in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, eBay is now piloting the service in Los Angeles.

Shyp will pick up the items sellers have sold within 20 minutes, professionally pack them, and mail them straight to the buyer on their behalf.

Earlier this month, DSW announced plans to acquire Ebuys Inc. an off-price footwear and accessories e-tailer. This news follows last month’s reports that Hudson’s Bay (the owner of Saks Fifth Avenue and other department store chains) was acquiring Gilt Group.

Customers’ heightened expectations for a seamless experience are creating new profit pressures for retailers, including coping with increased return volumes. Shedding light on the new supply chain challenges associated with executing an omnichannel strategy is a new series of whitepapers from reverse logistics leader Genco. Learn more.

Albertsons, the second largest grocery chain in the United States, has selected a new partner for point-of-sale data, consumer panel insights and strategic growth initiatives to support joint business collaboration.

Reducing expenses and increasing prices are two ways for a company to make money, and Instacart is reportedly doing both.

According to the San Francisco Business Times, Instacart is reducing how much drivers get paid for each delivery, as well as the commission paid on each item. In the San Francisco market, the pay per delivery will be reduced 63% to $1.50 from $4.00, while commission per item will be cut 50% to 25 cents from 50 cents.

The technology department at Nordstrom continues getting smaller.

According to Geekwire, Nordstrom has laid off 120 IT employees. The cuts follow 10 technology staff reductions the retailer made at the beginning of March. All the layoffs have been part of an organizational restructuring and leveling of IT spending.