Omnichannel

PayPal is entering the buy button arena in a big way.

The new PayPal Commerce service, currently running in closed beta, allows retailers to embed buy buttons into any digital format they choose. This includes blogs, emails, online ads, apps, and social shares. PayPal Commerce is based on a set of open application program interfaces (APIs) and also offers a software developer kit (SDK), making it platform-agnostic and fully embeddable.

The Hannaford grocery chain is expanding its online shopping service at a rapid pace and recently hit a significant milestone.

The Maine-based retailer recently opened its 25th location with Hannaford To Go. The service is the first of its kind in many regions. After piloting the program successfully in several stores, Hannaford opened 11 additional locations in the past year. The company plans to pursue an aggressive rollout schedule in 2016 as well, based on the success of the program and its popularity with customers.

Blue Nile made its brick-and-mortar debut last June, and the company is so pleased with the results that it plans to add more stores.

The online jeweler announced it will open its second physical outpost, at the Westchester Mall in White Plains, New York, by early summer. It is the first of up to four locations the company plans to open this year.

While Whole Foods continues to work on the performance of its flagship stores, the company disclosed new locations and expressed confidence in its 365 format even though the first unit is scheduled to open until May.

A number of major retail chains are leveraging a mobile app that allows scanners to read barcodes on smartphones.

Shoppers at retailers including CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Nectar, Rite Aid, Toys “R” Us, Best Buy, PetSmart, Staples, Safeway, and Giant Eagle are using the Mobeam 4.0 Beep’nGo app for Samsung Android mobile devices. The app, which can integrate with existing payment apps, allows customers to use barcode-based loyalty cards, gift cards and coupons on their smartphone at checkout scanners.

Nordstrom revealed dramatic plans for a massive and elaborate flagship in Manhattan designed to wow residents of a city accustomed to the best retailers have to offer.

The approximately 363,000-sq.-ft. store will encompass four individual properties in the Columbus Circle neighborhood of Manhattan, along Broadway between West 57th and West 58th Streets. Slated to open in 2019, it will be the retailer’s second largest store to date (the largest, at 383,000 sq. ft., is in its Seattle hometown).

Consumers know about Apple Pay, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are conducting mobile payments with it.

According to a December 2015 survey of 1,300 U.S. household financial decision-makers, including 580 iPhone 6 users, conducted by First Annapolis Consulting Inc. awareness of Apple Pay is quite high. Among all survey respondents, 73% have heard of Apple Pay, while awareness jumps up to 84% for the sub-group of iPhone 6 owners.

Seamlessly selling products through Walmart just got a little easier.

Using the ContentSpec 2.0 interface from product content management platform provider Salsify, Walmart suppliers can now publish product content directly to Walmart’s systems. Rather than utilizing a spreadsheet-based process which could take weeks, Walmart suppliers can transmit digital content in as little as minutes.