Omnichannel

Amazon shoppers will have new venues where they can pick up and re-turn orders — local malls.   Washington Prime Group Inc. has entered into a partnership with Ama-zon to add self-service Amazon Lockers at 50 of its retail centers. The lockers, which are destinations where customers can pick up and return Amazon.com packages, will begin popping up as soon as next month.    

Walmart is making a bold move in the competitive on-demand digital content marketplace.   Leveraging its free, premium video streaming service called Vudu, the retail behemoth now features “Vudu Movies on Us,” a program that offers customers the ability to watch “thousands of movie and TV titles for free, and on-demand, with limited commercials,” according to a company statement.  

As the holiday shopping season “unofficially” gets underway, millennials are expected to lead the charge.   This early movement is also putting the season on pace to have the highest e-commerce sales revenue yet, according to the “2016 Holiday Initiative Summary Report,” from Criteo. The study reveals consumer holiday shopping behaviors, the role and impact of digital advertising, and e-commerce trends that retailers are urged to leverage in the upcoming months.   

As omnichannel retailing becomes mission-critical, Performance Bicycle is making bold moves to merge its physical and digital experiences.  

The new retail is here and a sector that is definitely feeling the wave of this reality is the grocery industry. With the strong penetration of Aldi, Amazon’s move into online grocery, Wal-Mart’s purchase of Jet.com and the dreaded arrival in the U.S. of the highly competitive German grocery store Lidl, it’s no wonder grocers are fighting for survival in this ever-changing, highly saturated environment.   

Digital disruptors continue to impact the shopping experience, and augmented reality (AR) is no exception.   Specifically, 61% of customers reported that augmented reality has influenced where they decide to shop, according to “The Impact of Augmented Reality in Retail,” a report from Interactions, an experiential marketing firm and division on Daymon. The report, which is based on responses from more than 1,000 Americans, examines how AR has become a part of consumers’ shopping experiences.  

Legendary retailer Mickey Drexler, chairman and CEO of J. Crew, is working with McKinsey & Co. to develop a new business strategy for J.Crew, reported The New York Post.      J. Crew is looking to reverse a two-year slump. In its most recent second quarter, same-store sales fell 8%, the eight straight quarter of declines.   

Rue La La is embarking on a cross-border journey.   Pure-play retailer Rue La La is going international.    The retailer is expanding its reach to members in 219 countries and territories.    By utilizing the Borderfree Retail Platform from Pitney Bowes, the brand can now support a seamless shopping experience internationally, from leveraging local currency to accessing available local shipping services, regardless of where the member is located.