Retail Technology News: June update
The Walmart app indicating drone delivery is an option.
Retailers in June focused technology efforts in areas including resale, sorting, and drone delivery.
Here are some of the most noteworthy and innovative technology stories as reported by Chain Store Age in June, starting with the most recent.
- Elton John sells wardrobe on eBay for charity To mark Pride Month in June, Elton John partnered with eBay in a charity resale event called "Rocket Man Resale" to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "Rocket Man Resale" featured hundreds of items from John’s closet, including affordable items such as historic concert T-shirts and baseball caps.
- Amazon Prime Day is coming – on these dates Amazon’s 11th annual Prime Day event takes place from 12:01 am PDT Tuesday, July 16 through midnight PDT Wednesday, July 17. Members of the Prime paid membership service will have exclusive access to millions of deals across more than 35 categories including electronics, kitchen, beauty and apparel.
- Office Depot launches business services program Office Depot LLC. is partnering with Dun & Bradstreet to offer a new business-to-business program called Power.Up which offers business owners credit, marketing, data, creative, and advertising services.
- Famed 'Say Yes to the Dress' retailer Kleinfeld Bridal enters resale A 70-year-plus bridal brand whose New York City showroom is the subject of a TLC reality series is launching a resale site. Kleinfeld Bridal is rolling out KleinfeldAgain.com, an online marketplace to sell and buy pre-owned wedding dresses.
- JCPenney automates sorting in $40 million distribution center upgrade As part of a self-funded $1 billion reinvestment strategy, JCPenney is unveiling a new upgrade to its 1.67 million-sq.-ft. Reno distribution center. JCPenney has invested $40 million in the facility to increase order efficiency and speed for online purchases.
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- Albertsons adds new channel to retail media network Albertsons Cos. is providing advertising partners more touchpoints to reach its customers. The grocer is debuting Collective TV, a solution that enables participating advertisers to target, measure and optimize campaigns across streaming, digital video, and soon, linear TV.
- Starbucks opens entertainment studio Teaming up with multimedia production and talent management organization Sugar23, Starbucks is introducing Starbucks Studios, which will help filmmakers create and produce original film, video and multimedia content.
- Apple takes personal approach with new AI platform Apple unveiled a proprietary AI system, called Apple Intelligence, that is focused on the needs of individual users. Described as a "personal intelligence" system for iPhone, iPad and Mac device platforms. Apple said the new platform combines generative AI with “personal context” to deliver "useful and relevant" capabilities.
- Walmart integrates drone delivery in app, expands AI, enhances pricing Walmart unveiled several new technology initiatives across its operations, including enhancing its drone delivery and InHome kitchen and garage delivery service, piloting an AI shopping assistant and the expanded rollout of digital shelf labels.
- Ikea makes history by offering real-life jobs in Roblox store Ikea has launched "The Co-Worker Game," a new virtual experience on the popular Roblox immersive gaming platform. This includes activities such as serving virtual meatballs in a metaverse version of the Ikea Swedish Food Market and Bistro, as well as arranging avatars of Ikea products in virtual showrooms.