News

On-demand delivery provider Postmates is priming consumers for a new free delivery subscription service.

Called Postmates Plus Unlimited, the service offers users free delivery and zero service fees on any purchase more than $30 from Postmates Plus merchant partners, who include American Apparel. Postmates Plus Unlimited purchases will be accepted instantly for faster response.

Online fashion site Revolve has entered the world of physical retail with what the brand describes as a “social club.” And similar to an exclusive high-end club, it’s got a members-only model.

Six months after the Oct. 1, 2015 deadline for migration to the Europay, MasterCard, Visa (EMV) chip-based payment card standard, retailers and consumers are demonstrating a fast rate of adoption.

According to new data MasterCard has released on usage rates of its EMV-compliant payment cards, 67% of U.S.-issued MasterCard-branded consumer credit cards now feature chips. This represents a 51% increase in the number of consumer credit cards with chips in market since the Oct. 1, 2015 liability shift.

When it comes to what keeps retail CEOs up at night, put exchange rate volatility and over-regulation at the top of the list.

That’s according to PwC’s 19th Annual Global CEO Survey, which explores top business concerns of retail and consumer product CEOs.

Of the many different political, social and economic risks businesses face, those that concern retail sector CEOs the most are over- regulation (37% are extremely concerned), exchange rate volatility (36%), an increasing tax burden (33%), and social instability (29%).

The world’s greatest golfers will gather soon in Augusta, Georgia, for the 80th annual Masters golf tournament, an event with has many similarities to the retail industry and one that serves as a source of inspiration as we look to grow the PGA TOUR Superstore.

Around every turn on the picturesque course, golfers are faced with new challenges and opportunities that require them to balance the risks and rewards of their decision-making against their ability to execute shots all while striving to prevail over a field of unmerciful competitors.

A few months after Whole Foods Market and The Fresh Market initiated price-cutting strategies to lure more shoppers, Trader Joe's has apparently followed suit, according to a new report.

New data from Deutsche Bank indicates that prices on 77 similar items at a New York-based Trader Joe's store and nearby Whole Foods found that Trader Joe's was about 26% cheaper, a decrease from a similar analysis Deutsche Bank did in 2013.

Starbucks has set up shop at Universal Boulevard, a new main street-styled retail destination at Universal Studios Hollywood, in Universal City, California.

The new, 5,000-sq.-ft. store is inspired by the history of Hollywood’s movies and culture.

“We wanted to provide a sense of entertainment,” said Starbucks designer Erich Mele.

Select Comfort, operator of 490 Sleep Number stores, named several executives to key new roles following a supply chain disruption that cause fourth same-store sales to plummet 30%.

Select Comfort named Suresh Krishna to the role of senior VP and chief operations, supply chain and lean officer, effective April 11. He will report directly to CEO Shelly Ibach and assumes responsibilities previously held by Kathy Roedel. She served as executive VP and chief services and fulfillment officer and will retire effective April 7.

Consumers are shopping online more than ever before, and are especially fond of one particular platform to support the activity.

According to the comScore “2016 U.S. Cross-Platform Future in Focus” report from comScore, desktop and mobile digital commerce accounted for 15% of U.S. consumer spending in fourth quarter 2015. This was up from 12.5% the same quarter a year earlier and also represented an all-time high percentage.