News

The largest restaurant chain in the world has unveiled a tech-savvy, makeover that seeks to reinvent its customer experience for a digital age.  

Websites with technical difficulties do more than frustrate shoppers — they damage a brand’s reputation.   This was according to a new survey from QualiTest Group. The report, which was conducted with Google Consumer Surveys in June 2017, was based on a sample of more than 1,000 respondents from the United States between the ages of 18 and 54.  

Sephora continues to experiment with store formats, and this time it's going smaller.  

More Walmart stores are adding those massive vending machines that cater to online order in-store pickup.    The retailing giant will expand its automated online order pickup kiosks to 80 more locations across the country over the next several months, according to Business Insider. The pickup vending machine, which was introduced in a single store in Bentonville, Arkansas last year, is currently available in 20 stores,   

The hottest trend in the apparel market may be at risk of over-supply.    While athleisure remains popular with consumers, too many retailers have entered the category, reported CNBC.  

Consumers shopping for others bring different expectations and needs than those shopping for themselves. Until now, retailers have turned a blind eye to the enormous sales opportunities in digital gifting, which is estimated to represent $200 billion-300 billion in sales annually.  Leading retailers and brands such as Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Coach, Lilly Pulitzer, Vera Bradley, and others have begun to embrace innovative, new digital gifting solutions and monetize the emerging digital gifting category.   

Amazon is making its marketplace sellers an offer that is hard to refuse.   The online giant’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) division is rolling out a new program that will buy products from third-party merchants at full price, then sell them to consumers across the globe. The program is a move to build Amazon’s global inventory, according to CNBC.  

Abercrombie & Fitch is setting its sights on Chinese teens in a new partnership with China's online giant.   The retailer will start selling its namesake brand and Abercrombie kids line on Alibaba Group's Tmall website, starting on July 26. Tmall, which is China's largest consumer website for brands and retailers, has carried Abercrombie's Hollister brand since 2014.  

Prime Day 2017 was Amazon’s biggest event yet. But the shopping marathon took a significant toll on brick-and-mortar traffic.