Retail Technology News: July update

Retailers in July 2026 focused technology efforts in areas including robots, AI-based shopping assistance and 3-D product imaging.

Here are some of the most noteworthy and innovative technology stories as reported by Chain Store Age in July, starting with the most recent. 

• HomeBase USA rolls out inventory scanning robots following pilot HomeBase USA has expanded Simbe’s Store Intelligence platform, including the use of Tally inventory robots, across all of its locations. With continuous visibility into shelf conditions, HomeBase teams can identify and resolve issues before they affect customers.
• Walgreens opens new robotic pharmacy fulfillment hub — here’s where Walgreens has opened a new micro-fulfillment center in Kent, Wash. dedicated to prescription fulfillment. Micro-fulfillment centers (MFCs) are a network of facilities using robotic technology in a central pharmacy environment in an effort to more efficiently dispense and ship prescriptions to the retailer’s locations nationwide. 
• Michaels teams with Google on new ‘Ask Mike’ AI shopping assistant Michaels has released “Ask Mike,” a new AI-based shopping assistant built with the Google Cloud Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience agentic AI platform. The tool allows shoppers to describe their creative ideas in conversational language and instantly receive curated, personalized product recommendations on desktop, mobile, or the iOS or Android app.
• Decathlon deploys electronic shelf labels across 700 global stores France-based Decathlon has implemented the Vusion digital platform at 700 stores in 54 countries. Decathlon leverages the Vusion solution to automate price management via instant, synchronized price updates on linked electronic shelf labels (ESLs). 
• La-Z-Boy continues upgrading virtual 3-D product imaging La-Z-Boy Inc. is integrating upgraded, API-based product imagery generation technology from 3D Cloud (formerly Marxent) across all of its digital shopping channels. The 3D Cloud system generates an image for every possible product and style combination, enabling La-Z-Boy to showcase its full assortment of customization options. When scaled over the next few years, La-Z-Boy expects the solution will deliver 16 million individual renders on demand.