Store Systems

There’s been no shortage of developments in retail payments this past year. From high-profile data breaches forcing retailers to reconsider their security strategy, to the launch of Apple Pay bringing mobile to the forefront, both retailers and consumers have been paying unprecedented attention to their transactions.

With innovative players entering the fold and the U.S. payments infrastructure upgrade well under way, the industry is poised for a shift over the next several years.

Walgreens said stronger sales from established stores helped it trump analyst expectations for the first quarter, even as the company's acquisition of European retailer Alliance Boots remains on track to close this month.

Walgreens reported a 16.4% lift in quarterly profit to $809 million that was credited to the 222 million prescriptions filled for the first quarter ended Nov. 30. 

By: Sunil Oberoi, Symphony Teleca Corp.   With the holiday shopping season officially in full swing, many retailers are facing the challenge of reaching consumers during this traditionally noisy time of year.  And since today’s consumer is more connected than ever, they expect retailers to meet the demands  of their omnichannel lifestyle, meaning they want  their shopping experience to be personalized to their interests and needs.    

Teen and pre-teen retailer Five Below landed two senior executives from Walmart.com and Ascena Retail Group for key roles as it looks to accelerate an already rapid pace of growth.

Walmart.com president and CEO Joel Anderson will join Five Below as president in July to oversee all aspects of merchandising, stores and marketing. Eric Specter, most recently EVP and chief integration officer for Ascena, will serve as Five Below’s chief administrative officer and oversee supply chain, information technology and real estate.

The board of directors of Fred's Super Dollar on Thursday named Jerry Shore CEO of the company. Shore's promotion follows the board's receipt and acceptance of notification by Bruce Efird of his intention to leave the company upon the expiration of his employment contract.

Redwood Shores, Calif. - Jill Puleri will join Oracle Corp. as senior VP and general manager, Oracle Retail. Having held various leadership positions in sales, marketing and consulting, Puleri brings more than 20 years of experience in the retail industry, most recently serving as the worldwide retail industry leader for IBM Global Business Services.   Puleri will be responsible for leading the Oracle Retail Global Business Unit and report to Mike Webster, Oracle's senior VP and general manager, retail and hospitality.

Sarasota, Florida - The Mall at University Town Center, located in Sarasota, Florida, and owned by Taubman, has launched a free app designed to make shopping easier and more personalized. The free "Mall at UTC" iOS mobile shopping app offers first-of-its-kind indoor navigation technology developed by SPREO. The app is being piloted at UTC now, but is scheduled to roll out to Taubman properties across the U.S. over the next year.    

Vendors are leaving billions on the table because they forget to market to the chief marketing officer (CMO) rather than just the CIO and IT department.

According to a new study from IHL Group called “Hidden Treasure – The CMO’s Budget in Retail,” in 2015, the amount of IT purchased through the CMO’s budget will amount to $7.5 billion in North America. This figure is nearly as much as will be spent on core POS for 2015, or 12% of all North American IT spend for retail and hospitality in North America.