News

Report: Target ads target TV-driven sales
Target Corp. is turning TV into an immediate sales driver with a new omnichannel ad campaign.

According to ClickZ, Target is partnering with Shazam, an online music app that has been expanding its functionality, to capture sales from consumers as they watch TV. Target is running TV ads that ask consumers to “Shazam to Shop Now.”
RetailNext: Holiday sales expected to climb only 2.8%

A sluggish economic recovery will prevent sales from rising more than 2.8% this holiday season, according to analytics firm RetailNext.

Last week, the National Retail Federation estimated a 3.7% increase in holiday sales, slightly less than last year. Deloitte also called for a 3.5% to 4% increase. This week the International Council of Shopping Centers predicted a 3.3% increase.

RetailNext's forecast for U.S. retail stores this holiday season (November – December) includes:

Confirmation: The Third Wave of Physical Retail

Please click here to preview the report.
Report: H-E-B considers acquiring Brookshire Grocery

According to MyEastTex.com, H-E-B might be considering an acquisition of regional grocer Brookshire Grocery, based on information from a source close to the situation.If this deal comes to pass it would put HEB in markets beyond Texas for the first time, as Brookshire has stores in Southwestern Arkansas and western Louisiana.
French specialty retailer moves at the speed of fashion

French specialty apparel retailer Kiabi has to keep up with the constantly changing world of fashion.

Kiabi, which operates more than 500 stores in 32 countries and also has an online presence, is using the SoftwareAG webMethids API (application programming interface) management platform to enable maximum operational flexibility. Kiabi is building cloud-based systems on the API to eliminate internal silos and open core business functions, both inside the enterprise and with external business partners.
Walmart donates nearly $1 million to help retail's front line

Walmart is one step closer to fulfilling its mission of donating $100 million toward increasing the economic mobility of entry-level workers.

The retailer and its Walmart Foundation are donating nearly $1 million to Innovate+Educate to fund research and build recommendations that support the advancement of entry-level workers in retail and adjacent sectors.
Santa's sleigh will be powered by drones

Best Buy has formed a retail partnership with the manufacturer of what is expected to be one of the hottest selling items in consumer electronics this holiday season.

The retailer is teaming up with Yuneec International to offer the Typhoon drone series, which includes the Typhoon Q500 4K and Typhoon G multicopters, as well as the Typhoon Wizard, a new ultra-lightweight remote control drone.
Urban Decay freshens e-commerce approach

Specialty cosmetics retailer Urban Decay is taking a lively approach to online customer engagement.

Urban Decay plans to launch a new content-driven website later this fall using the FirstSpirit content management system. The new “UD All Access” site will complement Urban Decay’s existing Demandware-based e-commerce site with the intention of delivering a richer, more immersive and interactive experience
What’s in Store for the Customer Experience?

“I’ll try the red.” It’s a phrase heard in bars and restaurants across the globe. But in Nordstrom, at their tapas bar? It’s wine in a department store one week, and perhaps a pint or a flight at Bar Lamar in Whole Foods the next, because who could say no to a nice aperitif while picking up the weekly groceries?
Tech Bytes: Three Ways Voice is Enabling Omnichannel Retail

Spoken word is the oldest form of human communication.

It’s also one of the newest technology trends enabling omnichannel retail. Voice-based communications are having on a dramatic impact on how retailing is seamlessly executed. Here are three key areas where voice is supporting omnichannel operations across the retail enterprise.

Picking
Report: American Apparel says it will turn profitable in three years

Bankrupt American Apparel predicts in its reorganization plan that it will turn profitable in 2016, the Los Angeles Times reported. The company also warned that founder and ousted CEO Dov Charney remains a risk to its future. (Los Angeles Times)
Lush, London

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics has opened its largest store in the world — a 9,500-sq.-ft. flagship on London’s busy Oxford Street. The three-story flagship is a veritable beauty wonderland, complete with an in-store spa. It’s also a delight for the senses, calling out at every step for customers to touch, feel, and smell the products.