News

Supply chain efficiencies
The Home Depot to modernize with next-gen handheld devices in DCs
For The Home Depot, supply chain efficiency is about getting product from vendor partners down to store level, or directly onto the front porch of its shoppers — all without increasing overhead costs.
With an eye on modernization, the retailer is leveraging its mobile device management platform to ease its upcoming transition to a new fleet of ruggedized handhelds across its supply chain.
Report: Seamless shopping, mobile commerce are top online priorities
Providing shoppers with a consistent brand experience across channels is retailers’ top digital priority. That’s according to a survey from Boston Retail Partners (BRP), in which 56% of surveyed retailers said they were focused on a consistent brand experience across channels as a top digital priority, followed by improving the mobile shopping experience (46%) and personalization (40%).

Shop Talk

TRENDING STORES: PetSmart debuted a new store concept that puts a big emphasis on pet services. The 7,400-sq.-ft. PetSmart Pet Spa, in Oceanside, N.Y., is decidedly smaller than PetSmart’s typical footprint and features a self-service dog wash, a grooming salon and a coffee bar-lounge area. The overall modern design includes a circular “concierge” desk with a bakery full of dog treats.…Amazon Books plans to open its fourth location, a 7,200-sq.-ft. store in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
Holiday cheer — mostly

It’s that time of the year again — specifically, time for the holiday forecasts to start pouring in.
Let’s start with the good news. Early reports are calling for a solid season, with Deloitte predicting a 3.6% to 4% increase in total retail sales over last year.
As for the upcoming presidential election, it may be a temporary distraction in the early part of the holiday shopping season, but it’s not expected to have a negative impact on total sales. In fact, if past years are any indication, retailers may even benefit from a pickup in postelection consumer spending.
The Town Builders

Leading-edge developers, retailers bring stores to people, not people to stores
New store-supply-chain scenario

Supply chain visibility is important in omnichannel success. The Internet of Things could be the perfect tool to keep inventory hiccups throughout the demand chain to a minimum.
“While many retailers have a mind-set that IoT is about satisfying customers and not moving product, supply chain IoT use cases still interest retailers,” said Steve Rowen, managing partner at Retail Systems Research.
L Brands tops Street in September as some others disappoint

L Brands, operator of Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works, posted a better-than-expected 3% increase in same-store sales for September. The retailer’s results were fueled by a 9% increase in comp sales at its Bath & Body Works brand. L Brands’ net sales rose 6% to $919.9 million in September. The handful of other retailers who still report same-store sales did not fare so well.
Engaging the connected consumer

Reinventing the traditional retailing experience is paramount to reaching a digitally savvy customer base, according to Joe Jensen, VP, Internet of Things group general manager, retail solutions division, Intel. Jensen discussed with Chain Store Age how retailers can meet this challenge.
What are the biggest challenges that retailers are facing in their customer engagement strategies?
Advance Auto taps Amazon exec as finance chief

Advance Auto Parts has appointed Thomas (Tom) Okray as executive VP, CFO, effective Oct. 31, 2016. In a previously announced succession plan, Okray will succeed Mike Norona, who will remain with Advance Auto in an advisory role until the end of the year.
Google Home could give Echo a run for the money

New features give Google Home the boost needed to become a valid shopping assistant. The device, designed to compete with Amazon’s Echo, was introduced at Google’s I/O event in May. However, new functionality was introduced at Google’s media event in Tuesday, reported Internet Retailer.