Omnichannel

The POS has never been the most flashy or talked-about solution in the retail IT environment.   From manual cash registers up to client/server-based terminals, the basic idea of the POS as a fixed box that takes payment in and spits receipts out stayed pretty much the same.  

The Cartwheel couponing app from Target, which launched in 2013, is getting its biggest makeover yet.   Having been used by more than 25 million customers to create a total savings of more than $500 million, Cartwheel will now offer a more personalized experience, among other upgrades.  

Amazon.com is reportedly going to make it easier for third-party sellers on its Marketplace platform to sell certain items.  

E-commerce retailers could do better in converting shoppers at the point of sale, but are displaying encouraging signs.   According to the Checkout Conversion Index for the second quarter of 2016 from payment platform provider Pymtns.com, underperforming e-commerce retailers will lose $162.4 billion in potential revenue during 2016 due to failure to convert site visitors to sales. This is due to a variety of frictions that exist between online discovery and checkout.  

The Kroger Co. topped Wall Street expectations with more than one result in the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

Photo: Colin Calvert (Left) and Caroline Pham (Right)  

Target Corp. is continuing to hire tech experts for its ultra-secret “Goldfish” project, with the newest recruit being the former chief technology officer of sports news website Bleacher Report.     The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reported that Sam Parnell has joined Target with a title of VP of innovation, and be based in the company’s office in Sunnyvale, California.

When it comes to providing a satisfactory customer experience, online retailers have to deliver on their promises.   Sixty-six percent of e-commerce shoppers consider delivery a decisive factor when shopping online, according to a new study by enterprise delivery experience solution provider Convey. In addition, 70% of consumers report they are unlikely to return after a poor delivery experience.