Omnichannel

Back in September 2013, I wrote a TechBytes column about how millennials aren’t that different from prior young generations in their interests and needs. I have since realized there are a few unique millennial social trends which reflect specific generational consumer attributes. Using leading-edge technology, retailers can effectively meet the generational needs of this increasingly important customer demographic.

Rock is Dead

Menlo Park, Calif. – As eBay celebrates its 20th anniversary, a new competitor in the online trading market is emerging.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook is making it easier for consumers to use its Groups feature to buy, sell and/or trade goods.

Facebook began allowing users to create “for sale” groups late in 2014. However, the social media giant is no longer requiring creators of for sale groups to obtain its official approval before launching them.

Sam's Club is taking on Costco in the auto buying program business by teaming up with one of the biggest names in car-shopping in an effort to boost its auto business.

The all-new Sam's Club Auto Buying Program will now be powered by TrueCar, Sam's Club announced Thursday. Sams Club says members will have access to more than 10,000 TrueCar Certified Dealers nationwide, more than three times the nearest competitor in the warehouse club channel (i.e., Costco).

Norwalk, Conn. – Online pricing provider The Priceline Group is digging into the food service market.

Priceline has acquired AS Digital, an Australian provider of restaurant table and reservation management solutions.

New York -- Amazon is not only expanding its instant-order “Dash” button program, it’s also making the buttons virtually free.

PetSmart is throwing a celebration at its stores that aims to appeal to pet owners and people who want to be pet owners.

For the first time, PetSmart will throw a “Happy Gotcha Day” celebration to help find homes for about 15,000 homeless pets during the next PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend, Sept. 11-13, when more than 1,400 PetSmart stores will host the event in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The thousands of pets with unknown birthdays that are expected to be adopted will now have a day to call their own.

Lincolnshire, Ill. – Reports of the store’s demise are greatly exaggerated.

According to the annual Global Shopper Study from mobile solutions provider Zebra Technologies Corp., more than three-quarters (76%) of shoppers feel positive about shopping in stores and nearly one-half think that technology solutions are helping retailers enable and improve their shopping experience.

Dodgeville, Wis. – The second quarter was nothing short of a fiscal landslide for Lands’ End as the specialty retailer posted its third straight disappointing quarter. Revenue fell 10% and profit was down by more than a third.

“The results that we are sharing today do not represent the true potential of our company,” Federica Marchionni, president and CEO, told analysts during a conference call.