Store Systems

Amsterdam, Netherlands -- Mobile payments accounted for 19.5% of all transactions worldwide in December 2013, a growth of 55% year-over-year, up from 12.6% the previous December. The third Adyen Mobile Payments Index, covering the period September to December 2013, also shows that mobile transaction volume in retail has risen by a third, up to 23%.

Portland, Ore. – Fifty-seven percent of consumers purchased digital gift cards in December 2013 and 43% purchased physical cards. Data from prepaid product and transaction services company InComm also shows that 80% of consumers purchased digital cards in the six days leading up to Christmas and 20% of consumers purchased physical cards in the six days leading up to Christmas

Foster City, Calif. – Global credit and debit card issuer Visa Inc. has publicly called for adoption of secure payment technology in response to recent high-profile retailer data breaches. In a short statement contained within a financial release, Visa CEO Charlie Scharf said Visa wants to move U.S. retailers toward PIN-and-chip cards that use the Europass, Matercard, Visa (EMV) standard, and away from the more commonly used magnetic stripe cards.

London – Online luxury retailer Avenue 32 has launched a mobile and tablet strategy allowing designers to showcase their collections to the public without having to invest in their own online presence. Since its launch, mobile traffic has more than doubled and average transaction value has increased 270%.

Working in partnership with Usablenet, Avenue 32 provides seamless and customized experiences for both mobile and tablet; the mobile site provides a task-based experience whereas the tablet site is focused around browsing and discovery.

In celebration of seven straight years winning "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Home Improvement Retail Stores" in the J.D. Power Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study, Ace Hardware is kicking off its first-ever J.D. Power Award Neighborhood Tour across the country.

New Orleans — Smoothie King Franchises has announced that it is targeting Atlanta for franchise expansion. The company, which will unveil its new store design next month in South Florida, plans to open 25 new locations in the Atlanta region over the next five years.

The Woodlands, Texas -- Conn’s announced the opening of four Conn’s HomePlus stores, with locations in Albuquerque, N.M.; Amarillo, Texas; Chandler, Arizona; and Shreveport, Louisiana.

The new HomePlus store format showcases furniture and mattresses in addition to the leading brands and the latest technologies in consumer electronics and home appliances.  

Modell’s CEO Mitchell Modell will be extending a personal welcome to Super Bowl fans who visit the flagship store in Times Square, N.Y., via the Tensator Virtual Assistant. The company has invested in the interactive digital signage to personalize its brand and reach out to customers in more than 10 languages.