Retail Technology News: June update
Rugs.com debuted an AR try-out feature on its app.
Retailers in June 2026 focused technology efforts in areas including drones, augmented reality, and network operations.
Here are some of the most noteworthy and innovative technology stories as reported by Chain Store Age in June, starting with the most recent.
- Wonder to offer drone delivery in Texas Wonder, which in February 2026 announced it will open for business in Texas in 2027, is partnering with Zipline, an American robotics company that designs, manufactures and operates what it says is the world’s largest autonomous delivery system, to bring on-demand drone delivery to Wonder locations across Texas.
- How did Amazon perform during Prime Day? Depends who you ask Data from Adobe indicates Amazon Prime Day beat growth expectations, while Numerator analysis shows declines in some key metrics. The 2026 edition of Amazon Prime Day ran four days for the second time in a row (June 23-26) and also occurred in June for the second time ever.
- Stitch Fix expands AI style visualization capability Initially launched in beta by Stitch Fix in October 2025, Stitch Fix Vision is a style visualization tool based on generative AI. With Vision, customers receive personalized images of themselves styled in recommended looks and trends. Customers can now use the solution to create images of themselves in recommended looks.
- HelloFresh expands chilled fulfillment with warehouse robots Meal kit provider HelloFresh is leveraging 39 Locus Origin robots from Locus Robotics to support approximately 12,000 square feet of chilled fulfillment space, Locus Origin robots move orders directly from induction to drop-off, helping HelloFresh move products faster while maintaining order tracking.
- Gap builds on Google AI partnership to transform marketing Gap Inc. is leveraging an existing cloud and artificial intelligence partnership with Google to enhance its marketing activities. The initiative is designed to turn the retailer’s shared marketing organization into a more scalable, real-time growth engine based on data, AI and agentic capabilities in order to deliver more relevant content, improve owned marketing channels, strengthen customer retention and remove silos across its marketing ecosystem.
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- Advance Auto Parts AI-enables same-day fulfillment from stores Advance Auto Parts is expanding its utilization of artificial intelligence in its supply chain network. The retailer is broadening its deployment of the OneRail AI-based delivery orchestration platform to support same-day fulfillment across its store network and more dynamically coordinate deliveries across both its internal fleet and third-party delivery providers.
- Online rug retailer Rugs.com enables new app with augmented reality The new mobile app from Rugs.com includes an augmented reality-based virtual try-out feature providing shoppers more than 100,000 design options, AR-supported visualization tools, and deals sent directly to user smartphones. Key features include an AR tool that lets shoppers virtually place any rug in a room through the phone camera, viewing it at true scale on the floor to confirm size, color and style fit before ordering.
- EXCLUSIVE: Sportsman’s Warehouse unifies network operations Sportsman’s Warehouse has resolved network issues relating to expansion. Currently operating 145 stores nationwide with a selection of more than 60,000 products, each tailored to local outdoor activities and customer preferences, the retailer has selected a Hughes Network Systems turnkey managed SD-WAN solution, handling installation, security and ongoing management.
- Target to sponsor 'first-of-its-kind’ shoppable Bravo digital series NBCUniversal is launching what it describes as a "first-of-its-kind" shoppable Bravo digital series, called “Shop What Happens.” The summer-themed weekly series brings together some of Bravo’s best-known figures for conversations, games and cultural commentary spanning fashion, entertaining, beauty, travel, swim and seasonal trends. The content will be delivered in an engaging way for audiences to discover and shop curated Target products
- Grupo Coppel leverages AI for private label merchandising Grupo Coppel is utilizing First Insight AI decision tools as part of a broader $4.6 billion transformation growth strategy at its Coppel department store banner. Coppel is bringing predictive consumer signals into its merchandising process to help guide its private label strategy and support decisions across assortment, pricing and category growth.
