Retail Technology News: March update
Lowe's Style Studio.
Retailers in March 2025 focused technology efforts in areas including AI-based supply chain tracking, immersive 3D design, and visual search.
Here are some of the most noteworthy and innovative technology stories as reported by Chain Store Age in March, starting with the most recent.
- Walmart deploys AI for fresh produce monitoring and forecasting Walmart is deploying custom-built solutions on the Cropin generative AI-equipped agricultural intelligence platform to improve the accuracy of efforts to forecast yield, monitor crop health and predict seasonal transitions of fresh produce across its U.S. and South American markets.
- Old Navy partners with Radar for rollout of AI-powered RFID technology In a multi-year, phased rollout, Old Navy has tapped Radar to implement its real-time inventory tracking technology into more than 1,200 stores nationwide. Radar’s RFID and AI platform will enable Old Navy to precisely manage inventory and give store associates the real-time information they need to instantly find products anywhere in the store
- Buy Buy Baby re-opening online in May; offers tokenization Beyond Inc., the parent company of Bed Bath & Beyond and Overstock which purchased Buy Buy Baby from Dream on Me for $5 million in February 2025, is reopening the specialty baby products retailer on Thursday, May 8, 2025, three days before Mother’s Day.
- Yum! Brands teams up with Nvidia to develop AI solutions — including voice ordering Yum! Brands, the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, is partnering with Nvidia to accelerate the development of innovative AI technologies to manage a variety of tasks at its restaurants around the globe. The companies plan to develop technology which will support and scale Yum’s existing proprietary cloud-based Byte By Yum! platform.
- Ulta Beauty to launch third-party marketplace Ulta Beauty Marketplace is scheduled to open fall 2025. The retailer said the marketplace will be a curated platform offering "cutting-edge tools and powerful tech," as well as dedicated support from a marketplace team.
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- Lowe’s expanding Apple Vision Pro kitchen design pilot Lowe’s Companies Inc. is refining and testing an experience that lets customers use immersive 3D layouts to virtually design their kitchens. Designed exclusively for Apple Vision Pro, which is controlled by a user's eyes and hands, Lowe's Style Studio allows customers to enter an immersive 3D kitchen scene.
- Associated Food Stores automates distribution center Associated Food Stores (AFS), which operates corporate and member stores across the Intermountain West, is now utilizing an automated platform with robotic case pick capabilities from Symbotic at its distribution center in Farr West, Utah. The grocer hopes to improve a variety of enterprise supply chain workflows, including expanding its assortment.
- Amazon continues Google competition with launch of new visual search features Amazon has been unveiling a variety of visually-based features that build on efforts to become a search platform. The online giant, which is beta testing a Google-type search-based mobile shopping feature that connects app users to other brands’ e-commerce sites from product search results, has launched the following six visual search features in recent months:
- Home Depot rolls out suite of generative AI tools for customers Home Depot is introducing "Magic Apron," a proprietary suite of generative AI tools designed to help customers answer how-to and product questions and assist them with home improvement projects. Magic Apron is available 24/7 to assist with detailed product and project questions. The platform is based on large language models (LLMs) and trained on Home Depot’s proprietary project knowledge and product catalog, as well as information from across the Internet.
- David’s Bridal continues shift to bridal media company David’s Bridal is building on efforts to become a "rising tech and media company" with a new business strategy called "Aisle to Algorithm." The new strategy is described as an asset-light, AI-powered business model that integrates retail, media and wedding planning, and prioritizes AI-driven personalization, first-party data and an expanded retail media network.
