MOBILITY

As promised, Target has moved its Cartwheel savings program into the retailer's app.   Target announced the move on Monday, saying that shoppers no longer need to switch back and forth, or maintain separate apps. The Target app is now listed as “Target—now with Cartwheel.”  

An upscale department store retailer has a new way to bridge the gap between its online and offline shopping experiences.    Nordstrom is rolling out its Reserve Online & Try In-store service to approximately 40 stores across the country. As the program’s name implies, the service allows customers to select items online and try them on in person at their nearest Nordstrom store.  

QVC is merging augmented reality technologies, broadcast and mobile to create a more immersive beauty shopping experience.   

Dunkin’ Brands is giving mobile customers another way to fulfill their caffeine fix.    In a bid to add more convenience to their “Order on the Go” service, the quick service giant is adding curbside delivery to its menu of order fulfillment options. Once customers place their order via their mobile app, they can pick up their order in-store, at drive-thru, or pull into a dedicated parking spot where an associate will deliver it to their car.  

Parents may be using mobile to look for deals this back-to-school season, but most purchases are happening in-store.   Sixty-eight percent (68%) of shoppers will make their back-to-school purchases in-store vs. 32% who would prefer to shop only online, according to the “2017 Back-to-School Sales Report,” from ChargeItSpot.  

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is changing the way it connects with shoppers.    Coinciding with efforts to “modernize” its brand, the arts and crafts retailer is adopting mobile technology as a means of fostering collaboration and enhancing the shopping experience. Jo-Ann’s new mobile app will enable users to shop for supplies, find project ideas, redeem mobile coupons, and find and share project “How-To’s.”  

Alibaba Group’s e-commerce business’ profit increase contributed to a blockbuster quarter for China’s top online player.   For the period ended June 30, China’s largest online retailer reported total revenue of 50.1 billion RMB ($7.1 billion U.S.), an increase of 56% year-over-year. This beat analysts' estimates of 47.7 billion RMB, according to Thomson Reuters. Net income was 14 billion RMB $2 billion U.S.).  

Facebook is getting in on the “daily deals” game.   The social media giant is teaming up with eBay to bolster third-party sales. Through the collaboration, Facebook’s Marketplace service — a section on its mobile app — now features a selection of inventory from eBay’s Daily Deals program, according to TechCrunch.