Store Systems

A specialty apparel retailer is making it even easier for its customers to shop the latest looks.    Lane Bryant, a division of apparel giant Ascena Retail Group, is launching an in-store personal styling service. Called LaneStyle Studio, the program features a team of personal shoppers that will assist customers throughout their store visits.  

More Walmart stores are adding those massive vending machines that cater to online order in-store pickup.    The retailing giant will expand its automated online order pickup kiosks to 80 more locations across the country over the next several months, according to Business Insider. The pickup vending machine, which was introduced in a single store in Bentonville, Arkansas last year, is currently available in 20 stores,   

Sephora continues to experiment with store formats, and this time it's going smaller.  

Sprint is expanding its growing store network in the Pacific Northwest.   The company plans to open 12 new retail locations throughout Washington by the end of 2017. Currently, Sprint operates more than 107 stores throughout the state.   In Oregon, Sprint plans to open nine stores in the Portland Metro area by yearend. The carrier current has more than 64 locations throughout the market.  

The rate at which data breaches are hitting and impacting businesses shows no sign of slowing. In fact, according to the Identify Theft Resource Center, the number of breaches so far this year has already surpassed the number of breaches around the same time last year by almost 35%. (Here’s a list of breaches that have already occurred this year.)   

The nation's largest retailer is working on technology to enable store associates to respond more quickly to potential customer service issues.   The chain is developing facial recognition technology to detect frustrated or unhappy shoppers, according to a report by Business Insider. The technology uses video cameras at checkout lines that monitor customers' facial expressions and movements to identify varying levels of dissatisfaction, according to a patent filing, the report said.   

Destination XL Group has a new way to connect with its loyal shoppers.   The menswear retailer launched its first mobile app — a move that will help it engage shoppers whether they are on-the-go or in-store. Designed with mobile commerce provider PredictSpring, the app will help Destination XL create a more modern shopping experience.  

Target is discontinuing its mobile Cartwheel Perks rewards program, but new app-based improvements are underway.   The discounter alerted shoppers participating across its five test markets via email that its “perks pilot is winding down.” Shoppers have until August 27, to collect points toward perks rewards, and all rewards must be redeemed by October 27, according to Target.