News

O2, London and Manchester
Digital exploration and the customer experience are at the heart of two new concept stores from wireless carrier O2.

The stores were designed to revolutionize the look and feel of a traditional mobile phone shop and provide a destination for people to not just buy a phone, but to learn about the latest technology.
Startups Spotlight: Brands on the Rise
January is a tech bonanza for retail, with interesting, innovative and sometimes downright out-there new technologies and brands on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York City. It’s nearly impossible to keep track of every startup out there, but here’s a selection of the most promising ventures that should be on your radar.

Reemo

Learning to love mobile in age of enterprise apps

A disconnect between brick-and-mortar retailers and their mobile strategies could be hurting sales.
Instacart exec talks online delivery

Retailing Today's sister publication Chain Store Age recently spoke with Vishwa Chandra, VP of retail accounts for Instacart, to get a better sense of the current and future state of online delivery.

What is driving growing consumer interest in online delivery?
Online groceries are habit-forming

Although not many consumers are currently shopping for groceries online, those who do are likely to be repeat customers.

According to “The 2016 Online Grocery Shopper,” a survey of more than 500 U.S. online consumers from Toronto-based grocery technology provider Unata, 8% of consumers bought groceries via Internet in 2015.

However, 93% of those shoppers said they are “likely” or “very likely” to buy groceries online in 2016.
Former Staples exec named VP at Wayfair.com

Wayfair has named an e-commerce veteran from Staples to oversee supply chain and operations at the growing online retailer.

Wayfair announced that Sharif Sleiman has joined the company as vice president of supply chain and operations.
Everybody loves Ollie’s, offer size increased

Demand for shares of Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is such that the retailer has increased the size of a secondary offering.
What’s wrong with us? Most Americans not spending refunds

Retailers used to be able to count on Americans spending every penny of their tax refund, but that’s not the case anymore according to new research from the National Retail Federation.
Popular New York grocery chain on brink of default

The losses are mounting at one of New York City’s most beloved supermarket chains, the 80-year-old Fairway Market, as it battles increased competition from the likes of Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market. Fairway Group Holdings Corp., is on the cusp of default, and the next step could be bankruptcy court, Crain’s New York reported. The company warned investors in a regulatory filing on Feb. 5 that it could breach its loan agreements.
Gift Cards’ Appeal to Millennials

Gift cards are exceedingly popular with Millennials, as new research from the Wharton School’s Baker Retailing Center and The NPD Group found. Here is fresh insight as to why:
Target execs share TED insights

Members of Target Corp.’s senior leadership team including CEO Brian J. Cornell, chief marketing officer Jeff Jones, and chief creative officer Todd Waterbury attended the recent TED Conference in Vancouver. In a post on the Target Bullseye Blog, the executives describe learnings such as the importance of empowering dreamers, the power of trust and reputation in social business, and why originals choose different Web browsers than everybody else.
Inland Real Estate Acquisition announces promotions

Photo: Matthew Tice (left) and Mark Cosenza (right)