OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Q&A: Boxed co-founder talks about machine learning
Driven by the need “to solve problems for its shoppers,” Boxed is about to make it easier than ever for customers to reorder merchandise — without even having to think about it.
Visa program streamlines global QR code payment adoption
A new service is helping retailers adhere to newly introduced interoperability standards related to QR code-based payments. In a move to standardize emerging cashless payments, EMVCo, the global technical body that manages the EMV Specifications, released new global QR Code Payment standards — a move that will allow retailers to process mobile payments made through the two-dimensional machine-readable barcodes. Visa and the other EMVCo members worked to develop these new globally interoperable EMV specifications.

GameStop does an about-face on Thanksgiving

It's only July, but GameStop has jumped into the ongoing debate about whether stores should be open on Thanksgiving Day. After keeping its stores closed on Thanksgiving for the past three years, the retailer has told its employees that stores will be open for this year's holiday. The change was first reported by gaming website Kotaku.
The Rush to Deploy the Latest In-Store Technology is Compromising IT Security

Digital transformation is accelerating the pace of change within the store environment.
Discounter adds new hiring academy

Walmart is making good on its promise to open 200 learning centers by year’s end. The discounter is planning to open another employee training academy. The new location, which will be in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is expected to open by end of 2017, according to the Argus Leader, a division of USA Today.
Study: Majority of retailers feel 'vulnerable' to a data breach

While the number of cyber-attacks have declined in the last year, a majority of companies still feel susceptible to data threats. This was according to the “2017 Thales Data Threat Report, Retail Edition,” from Thales e-Security and analyst firm 451 Research. The study is based on responses from more than 1100 senior security executives, including in the retail segment, from across the globe.
Best Buy to restructure its tech army

Best Buy's Geek Squad is undergoing some changes. The consumer electronics retailer is eliminating about 400 Geek Squad positions, the StarTribune reported. The affected jobs are on the Geek Squad’s covert team, employees who mostly work from their own homes to provide remote technical support. The work will be outsourced to a third party, according to the report.
Lifeway’s merchandising gets a new plan

Lifeway Christian Stores’ shoppers’ needs differ from store-to-store — a factor that pushed the chain to revamp its merchandising processes. For the specialty retailer, this has meant pursuing macro- and micro-localization strategies. From the macro level, the company still wanted to manage assortments that deliver a consistent brand experience – not only in terms of the products offered, but also in how they are stocked and presented.
Department store chain improves inventory accuracy with RFID

The Bon-Ton Stores is speeding up how it restocks merchandise. The department store chain is replacing its manual, paper-based restocking process with a radio frequency identification (RFID)-based system. The solution, from Zebra, enables store associates to fully restock merchandise displays in a fraction of the time — a move that increases productivity and enables associates to spend more time servicing shoppers.
Amazon still exploring ‘cashier-less’ checkout projects

Don’t expect Amazon to stop experimenting with cashier-less grocery stores anytime soon. Despite announcing in June it would acquire Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion, the online giant will continue evolving its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go concepts, among other efforts. Its goal: to reinvent the way consumers shop for food, according to Business Insider.