MOBILITY

As the adoption of voice-controlled devices rises, so will the number of voice-enabled purchases.   This was according to “Walker Sands 2017 Future of Retail Study.” The report, which was conducted in late March, surveyed 1,622 consumers across the United States.    Nearly one in five consumers (19%) have made a voice purchase through an Amazon Echo or other voice-controlled device in the past year. Another 33% plan to do so in the next year.   

Estée Lauder is making it even easier for online customers to choose — and purchase — their next tube of lipstick.   Through its partnership with ModiFace, the beauty retailer launched a chatbot that helps customers find their ideal lipstick color. The conversational lipstick "advisor," which is accessible on Facebook Messenger, enables online and mobile users to interact with two of Estée Lauder’s lipstick lines.  

Retailers can gain huge competitive advantages in an increasingly digital marketplace by leveraging consumer insights.   That's according to “The JDA Voice of the Category Manager.” The report, from JDA Software Group, tapped nearly 100 professionals responsible for category management and merchandising activity in North America.  

Walmart is asking its technology suppliers to pick sides in its retailing war with Amazon.   The retailing giant reportedly warned some tech companies that if they want its business, they can't run applications on Amazon’s cloud platform, Amazon Web Services. Walmart currently partners with tech suppliers that already leverage cloud apps running on AWS, although the retailer didn’t reveal which applications or how many they use, sources told the Wall Street Journal.  

Merchants may be losing out on potential e-commerce sales due to shoppers’ concerns over the security of their information in the digital world.  

Consumer reliance on mobility throughout their shopping journey presents a huge opportunity for retailers to engage shoppers.    This is according to “Mobile Shopping: User Acquisition Trends and Benchmarks 2017,” a report from mobile app marketing provider Liftoff. The study analyzed 26.9 billion ad impressions across 4.8 million app installs between April 2016 and April 2017.  

The chain, which is known for its signature soups, sandwiches and salads, is slated to report digital sales well above $1 billion on an annualized basis. The chain is on track to be twice as high in two years, according to CNBC.  

More U.S. online shoppers are buying items from international retailers. To compete against these lower prices, U.S brands to step up personalization efforts.