Data & Analytics

By Scott Welty, [email protected]

The retail industry is in the midst of a massive transformation driven by consumers’ adoption of digital technologies. By 2020, the retail landscape will have fundamentally changed how every retailer will go to market. No segment of retail will be more impacted than the brick-and-mortar store.

Here are seven trends that brick-and-mortar retailers should consider to build a winning strategy:

The creators of eMobile POS and device manufacturer Cherry have teamed up to create a mobile POS product for the iPhone and iPod Touch that will be sold at Costco.com, according to the firms.

New York -- Sam's Club will host a grand opening celebration on Thursday, Sept. 5, at its new location in Anchorage. At 145,000 sq. ft., the new club will be more than 50% bigger than the former Anchorage location.

The new club has been constructed to include many environmentally friendly features. Energy-efficient fixtures, including daylight-harvesting skylights, reduce the amount of energy required to light the club by up to 75% daily.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid has promoted Tammy Royer to group VP of managed care. Royer will report to Chris Hall, SVP of pharmacy services.

Royer most recently worked in the company's pharmacy division. In her new role, she will oversee all aspects of managed care, including contracting, maintaining relationships with managed-care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers and third-party payers and developing new strategic partnerships.

As we transition into fall, let’s bid a fond farewell to summer 2013 by looking at how Benson’s Homemade Ice Cream, an independent seasonal ice cream parlor in the idyllic community of Boxford, Mass., uses Facebook in ways that larger retailers may want to emulate.

Real information in real time

Internet services company Rakuten has acquired the global video streaming platform known as Viki as it looks to advance its digital content offerings and extend Internet services to new markets.

New York -- Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo has created the free Uniqlo USA app for Apple products. It will be available on Android devices later this year

By using the app’s Virtual Cam on Uniqlo logos and icons, consumers will have access to behind-the-scenes videos, current employment opportunities, “weekly favorites” and a store locator. They will also be the first to know about new arrivals, designer collaborations, special promotions and more.

A second Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates (ROFDA) wholesaler is adopting ReposiTrak, a food safety platform.

Powered by Park City Group’s technology, ReposiTrak aims to help manage regulatory, financial and brand risk associated with issues of food safety in the global food supply chain, and remain in compliance with rapidly evolving regulations in the Food Safety Modernization Act.