OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Department store chain improves inventory accuracy with RFID
The Bon-Ton Stores is speeding up how it restocks merchandise. The department store chain is replacing its manual, paper-based restocking process with a radio frequency identification (RFID)-based system. The solution, from Zebra, enables store associates to fully restock merchandise displays in a fraction of the time — a move that increases productivity and enables associates to spend more time servicing shoppers.
Amazon still exploring ‘cashier-less’ checkout projects
Don’t expect Amazon to stop experimenting with cashier-less grocery stores anytime soon. Despite announcing in June it would acquire Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion, the online giant will continue evolving its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go concepts, among other efforts. Its goal: to reinvent the way consumers shop for food, according to Business Insider.

Aldi’s newest fulfillment center planned for Arizona

A German discount grocer is buying up land in the Grand Canyon State — but not to open stores. Aldi is planning to open a regional fulfillment center in Goodyear, Arizona. The facility will house an office and distribution center, and will create 132 jobs, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.
Online giant to open robotics-based facility in Michigan

Amazon is expanding its distribution fleet in the Wolverine state in a big way. The online giant plans to open an 855,000-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Romulus, Michigan — it’s second in the state. The facility will create more than 1,500 new full-time associate roles. Associates will pick, pack, and ship smaller customer items, such as books, electronics and toys. However, these tasks will be streamlined by technology from Amazon Robotics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon.com.
Online giant in big supply chain hiring push

Amazon is making good on its promise to hire 130,000 workers by 2018. The online giant announced Wednesday that it plans to fill more than 50,000 roles across its fulfillment network in the United States. Amazon is hiring “tens of thousands” full-time associates who will pick, pack and ship customer orders from its fulfillment centers. It will also fill supporting and managerial roles within its facilities, including human resources managers, IT specialists, and operations leaders, among other positions, the retailer said.
Wireless carrier expands store network

Sprint continues to expand its presence — this time in the Midwest. The wireless carrier plans to add 30 new retail stores and more than 200 jobs throughout Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska by the end of 2017. The new jobs will include a combination of retail, operations and technical experts.
Study: Most consumers believe their payment data is at risk

Consumers across the globe agree that volume of criminals trying to steal their credit and debit card data is increasing — and retailers aren’t equipped to fight back. This was according to “Consumer Payment Card Data Security Perceptions, from Transaction Network Services (TNS). The study interviewed 1,037 U.S. adults, 1,002 Australian adults, and 1,010 U.K. adults between May 4-May 8.
Walmart marketplace expands breadth of merchandise

Walmart is streamlining how its third-party suppliers connect with its marketplace. Acenda announced Wednesday that it has integrated with Walmart.com's global marketplace, connecting Acenda store owners and third-party sellers with Walmart's significant customer base. Acenda now helps retailers and brands optimize their product listings across major marketplaces including Walmart, Amazon, Google and eBay as well as leading retailers.
Discounter ups the ante on hydrogen fuel cells for lift trucks

Walmart is stepping up efforts to drive energy efficiency across its distribution network. The discount giant is adopting fuel cells and hydrogen stations from provider Power Plug — a move that will bolster its energy efficiency at up to 30 more locations. Walmart already has Plug Power fuel cells installed at 22 distribution centers, according to USA Today.
Amazon’s fulfillment arm will pay full price to bolster global inventory

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.