TECHNOLOGY

Walmart jump starts the holidays with layaway return; reveals 25 must-have toys
The nation's largest retailer is gearing up for the holidays with the early return of its popular layaway program and stocking up on exclusive toys. The program went into effect on Sept. 1. Again this year, there is no opening fee for customers to start a layaway account, and they only need to put down 10% (or $10, whichever is greater).
California grocer’s educates customers at the shelf’s edge
Raley’s is helping its customers make more informed food purchasing decisions in-store and online. Called the Raley’s Shelf Guide, the program features icon-based shelf tags that educate shoppers about current food trends and industry research — and also sets stricter standards for packaged food claims. Overall, the service is creating label transparency when it comes to helping customers understand packaged goods’ ingredients, food processing and nutritional value.

Home Depot adds ‘voice-activated’ shopping to the mix

The nation's largest home improvement retailer is getting in on the voice shopping game. Home Depot is joining Google Express this fall, a move that will give its customers the ability to shop just by speaking their orders. Google Assistant, the search giant's online shopping platform, resides on Google’s smart speaker Google Home and other smart devices.
Office supplies giant improves visibility across its supply chain

Office Depot is positioning itself to remove friction throughout its customers’ shopping experiences. The office supplies giant is partnering with Elementum, which provides a real-time supply chain platform that unifies procurement, logistics, manufacturing and inventory operations. By leveraging the company’s cloud-based Product Graph solution, Office Depot will gain global visibility across every segment of its business operations.
Abercrombie & Fitch names CFO

It's a homecoming for Abercrombie & Fitch Co.'s next finance head. The teen apparel retailer appointed Scott D. Lipesky as senior VP and CFO, effective October 2, 2017. Lipesky most recently served as CFO of American Signature Inc., a privately-held home furnishings company. Prior to that, he spent nine years with Abercrombie in a variety of finance roles, most recently as CFO of Hollister Co.
First Look: Amazon Books, Manhattan

Eleven and counting. That's where Amazon Books stands with the opening of its newest outpost.
Cloud computing to drive Billabong’s omnichannel experience

A board sports apparel retailer is taking steps to blend its physical and digital retail channels. Billabong is leveraging the Aptos Singular Commerce platform to support omnichannel retailing across its global enterprise. The cloud-based solution will merge the retailers’ physical and digital retail channels, and create a single view of customers, inventory and orders, among other operations.
Casper extending reach into brick-and-mortar

Online mattress start-up Casper is getting more upfront with shoppers. The fast-growing company plans to open some 15 pop-up shops in cities across North America, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The pop-ups are scheduled to launch in October 2017, and will remain open through spring of 2018.
New stores fuel online growth

Brick-and-mortar stores are crucial to supporting a retailer's e-commerce growth.
The mattress wars are heating up

There's more disruption in the mattress category at retail. West Elm has entered into a partnership with hot online mattress company Leesa Sleep, which will replace another hot online startup — Casper — as the home furnishings retailer's official mattress partner. The news come on the heels of Casper's announcement that it will open up more than a dozen pop-up stores in cities nationwide.