News

The typical shoppers takes many steps along the way toward a purchase, and the mobile and social channel are increasingly part of the route. According to a new study of more than one billion brand and customer interactions from customer journey management provider Kitewheel, “State of the Consumer Journey 2016 Report.,” a year-over-year comparison of 2014 to 2015 data reveals that mobile apps represent the fastest growing channel, with interactions increasing tenfold from 2014 to 2015.

Furniture manufacturer Herman Miller will continue its transformation from a maker of modern office furniture to a lifestyle brand with the opening of its first retail store. The store, opening in late 2016, will be located in the company’s recently opened flagship in Manhattan’s Gramercy neighborhood. The non-retail components of the flagship—the Herman Miller and Geiger showrooms—are already open, by appointment.

Ikea is going big in Memphis. The home furnishings giant plans to install the largest rooftop solar array in the state of Tennessee at its new store in Memphis. The 271,000-sq.-ft. Memphis Ikea is scheduled to open in late fall 2016, and panel installation for the solar energy system will begin this summer.

For vertical medical accessory retailer Cielo Pill Holders, simply getting its products in front of potential customers is a key business challenge. To meet this challenge and also obtain third-party fulfillment support, North Bend, Washington-based Cielo has been leveraging the Amazon Exclusives program of the Amazon Marketplace platform since summer 2015. The Exclusives Program, which provides extra benefits in exchange for agreement not to sell items on any other third-party retail platform.

Even luxury department stores got no love from shoppers in the first quarter. Following a pattern set by Macy’s and Kohl’s, Nordstrom reported dismal results for the first quarter, including a steep drop in profit, with the only positive sign being the company’s off-price division. The retailer lowered its full-year outlook.

Online retailer—and would-be rival to Amazon— Jet.com is continuing to spread its wings. The retailer is testing a home delivery service for fresh groceries in certain markets in the metro areas of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. According to an email sent to some customers, produce delivery will take one to two days, with no fee for orders of $35 or more.

Sears Holdings has been making news lately mostly by closing stores. But in an unexpected move, the troubled retailer announced plans to test a freestanding appliance specialty store concept .

Walmart offered its own version of the Amazon Prime Day online sales event last summer, and now is directly taking on Amazon Prime. The discount giant is piloting a two-day version of its paid ShippingPass unlimited online delivery program. Normally, customers pay $50 per year for the ability to obtain three-day delivery of more than 1 million items Walmart.com with no additional fees.