OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Consumers are ready to leave paper-based checks behind.   In fact, 80% of Americans are in support of "futuristic" payments technologies and currencies, including tools like sensor fingerprinting, facial recognition, retinal scanning and voice control, as well as currencies like bitcoin. This was according to research from Viewpost, a B2B network provider for invoicing, payments and cash management.   

Regional supermarket operator Shnucks is the latest grocer to offer customers same-day delivery.

Plenty of consumers will be shopping for deals over Independence Day— and they plan to use social media to find them.   Forty-three percent of consumers plan to shop for deals on Independence Day, according to a survey by ChargeItSpot. When asked what resource they will use to hunt down deals and sales, the majority of respondents (37%) said social media, followed by online deal sites (17%) and mobile coupon apps (17%) – meaning in-store shoppers are finding their deals online.    

Eager to improve customer service and security at the front end, Forever 21 is converting its point-of-sale (POS) fleet to a single solution.   Through a partnership with Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, the fast-fashion retailer is adding the vendor’s hardware, equipment and services across all its corporate stores around the globe. The agreement makes Toshiba the chain’s single point of contact for all POS systems, peripherals and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) front and back office retail store technology. 

There is a major disconnect between retailers and consumers when it comes to shipping expectations.    Retailers understand that consumers want free shipping. But they are challenged by and grappling with the rising costs of shipping online orders, according to “The State of Shipping in Commerce,” a report from Temando, a shipping and fulfillment software platform provider.  

A much-anticipated ruling on website accessibility has been issued out of the Southern District of Florida. The ruling in Juan Carlos Gil v. Winn-Dixie Stores (case no. 16-23020-civ-Scola; S.D. FL 2017) requires the attention of businesses across the country that host websites.    

Drone deliveries by Amazon could one day originate from an unusual-looking starting point.   

A majority of companies, including retailers, are confident about cyber-security, but their confidence may not be justified.      That’s according to “Cyber Risk in Consumer Business,” a report from Deloitte. The report is based on input from more than 400 CIOs, CISOs, CTOs and other senior executives.