TECHNOLOGY

Home furnishings giant launches augmented reality design app
Ikea is allowing its shoppers to virtually test drive merchandise before making a purchase. The home furnishings giant is preparing to launch a new augmented reality (AR) app. Called Ikea Place, the app allows customers to virtually place furniture in any space in their home, office, school or studio — and share the images. The app, which will be supported by Apple’s iOS 11 platform, will launch in late September.
Report: Walmart reorganizing U.S. store ops
Walmart is simplifying its U.S. business as it looks to respond more quickly to the accelerating pace of change in the retail industry. The discounter is consolidating its six divisional groups into four and its 44 U.S. regional groups to 36, reported Bloomberg.

Restaurant lets customers pay using their face

A new restaurant concept gives customers an easy — and high-tech way — to pay for their meal without having to take out their wallet or even their smartphone.
Target pairs associates with digital experts in 'innovation sprint'

Target Corp. has kicked off a partnership with BCG Digital Ventures to conduct a 14-week “innovation sprint.” For the project, BCG's experts (including designers, engineers and investors) are working side-by-side with five Target associates to develop new growth concepts and ideas. (The associates are middle managers from across Target's various divisions, reported the Star Tribune.)
America's most trustworthy brand is...

Face-to-face human contact is not necessary for a brand to make a strong connection with consumers.
Study: Majority of grocery sales are digitally driven

Digital's influence on grocery overall has nearly doubled year over year, and is now impacting the in-store experience.
Amazon rings up $500,000 in grocery sales in one week following Whole Foods Market deal

It only took seven days for Amazon to begin reaping the benefits of its acquisition of Whole Foods Market.
Report: Social media giant turns catalogs into buyable mobile ads

Facebook is helping retailers bring their catalogs to life. The social media giant introduced a new ad format that enables brands to distribute catalogs through mobile devices. Called "lifestyle templates,” the new format replicates the look of a print catalog, and also allows customers to make a purchase items directly through the Facebook ad, according to Business Insider.
Study: Marketers fear data quality is hurting digital ads

Relevant, personalized messages are key to driving engagement, yet the quality of sourced data is negatively impacting results. This was according to “More Data, More Problems: Trust, Transparency & Targeting in 2017.” The report from Bazaarvoice and Ad Age, is based on interviews of more than 300 agency and brand marketers.
Report: Mobile e-commerce sales to hit $250 billion by 2020

Mobile e-commerce sales will account for nearly half of all online commerce in just a couple of years. This was according to “A Mobile Mindset,” the second volume in the five-part series, “The 2017 UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper.” The report, from UPS, is based on input of over 5,189 comScore panelists who made at least two online purchases in a typical three-month period.