Store Systems

Apple Pay has some unique competitive advantages that should make it a major factor in the world of mobile commerce. Consumers pay by simply swiping their finger. Any credit card associated with a user’s existing iTunes account is automatically included, and adding a new card is as easy as snapping a photo with the phone’s camera. With more than 200 million existing iTunes accounts and a large base of iPhone devotees, consumer adoption of Apple Pay should grow quickly.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation give away so much money it is hard to keep track of it all and this was certainly evident during the holiday season.

On Thursday, the company announced another round of grants totaling $200,000 to 10 nonprofits groups as part of its “12 Days of Giving” Facebook campaign. Those grants mark the culmination of an innovating corporate giving campaign that integrated social media and resulted in a total of $1.5 million being awarded to 145 organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.

New York -- The hunt is on for a new president and COO at Dick's Sporting Goods. Dick’s disclosed in a regulatory filing that Joseph Schmidt is retiring as president and COO of the retailer, a role he has held since 2009, at year-end. In other changes, John Duken, executive VP of global merchandising since 2012, plans to retire, effective at the end of November.

Plug and Play helps bring together retailers and startups who offer specific technology and expertise that can relieve their pain points. In each issue of our Customer Disruption e-newsletter, we will provide you a brief Q&A with the CEO of a Plug and Play startup, explaining how their company assists retailers in succeeding in today’s disruptive customer environment.

This week’s CEO Corner features three questions with Judd Ferrer, CEO of Sparkle.

What does your company do?

Cincinnati -- Macy’s Inc. is launching a large number of omnichannel strategies and technologies encompassing stores, online and mobile. In addition to supporting the new Apple Pay mobile payment system, the department store retailer’s new moves include piloting same-day delivery, testing new POS technology and customer service enhancements, and expanding its use of RFID to fashion categories.

Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s will be among the first retailers to support the new Apple Pay mobile payment system, which will be available beginning this fall on new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus mobile devices, as well as on the newly unveiled Apple Watch. It’s just part of the company’s expanding omnichannel strategy.

Columbus, Ohio – DSW Inc. plans to open four new stores on Sept. 18. The new stores will be located at the Pinnacle Promenade in Rogers, Arkansas, Ingram Festival in Ingram, Texas, Waugh Chapel Town Center in Crofton, Maryland, and Evansville Pavilion in Evansville, Indiana.

Stores offer the DSW Rewards loyalty program, and customers can also participate in the Shoe Lovers program on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Longtime RadioShack adviser Holly F. Etlin has been tapped once more as interim CFO, replacing John Feray. Citing personal reasons, Feray resigned Sept. 12, just a day after the company posted its 10th straight quarterly loss.

Etlin, a managing director of AlixPartners, has already served as RadioShack's interim CFO, from July 2013 to Feb. 2014.

RadioShack warned in a regulatory filing it may seek bankruptcy protection, with a possible sale or third-party investment as other potential avenues to remedy its ongoing financial woes.