TECHNOLOGY

Specialty retailer offers its own version of Prime Day
Sur La Table is inviting shoppers to its version of Black Friday in July. Replacing multiple smaller weekend sales that typically run throughout the month, the kitchenware retailer is introducing a one-day shopping event called “Lime Day.” The sale, which is set to launch on July 10, will feature more than 300 lime-themed items on sale for up to 75% off.
Nike in pilot with online giant
Nike is opening up shop on Amazon. The sportswear giant has entered into a pilot program with the online giant to sell a limited (at least initially) selection of footwear, apparel, and accessories on the online site. Nike products have long been available on Amazon, but only through unauthorized third party sellers. This will be the first time that Nike has sold directly on the Amazon.

Another grocer launches same-day delivery

Regional supermarket operator Shnucks is the latest grocer to offer customers same-day delivery.
CSA Q&A: Tractor Supply CIO talks about success with BOPIS

For Tractor Supply Company, buy-online-pickup-in-store is proving a win-win, for both itself and its customers. With more than 1,600 stores in 49 states, Tractor Supply is the nation's largest operator of stores dedicated to a rural lifestyle. Online and offline, it offers a wide range of merchandise, from welders and generators to an-imal care products to men and women's workwear. Stores are typically located in towns outlying major metropolitan markets and in rural com-munities.
Specialty retailer steps up unified commerce efforts

Vitamin World’s commerce and supply chain operations are undergoing a digital transformation.
Study: Social media key to July 4th sales

Plenty of consumers will be shopping for deals over Independence Day— and they plan to use social media to find them. Forty-three percent of consumers plan to shop for deals on Independence Day, according to a survey by ChargeItSpot. When asked what resource they will use to hunt down deals and sales, the majority of respondents (37%) said social media, followed by online deal sites (17%) and mobile coupon apps (17%) – meaning in-store shoppers are finding their deals online.
Amazon taking Prime Day to a new level
Report: Merge physical and digital channels to better target shoppers

To step up customer-centricity efforts, retailers must use channels in tandem if they want to deliver personalized experiences.
Study: Fast Web performance outshines rich online experiences

To stand out in a highly saturated digital marketplace, retailers’ must deliver fast speeds that drive top-notch experiences. This is according to “E-commerce Performance: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What’s Next?” The report, from Retail Systems Research (RSR), evaluates 80 major retail websites on page speed performance, as well as end user experience.
The new forces shaping the retail industry are…

Affluence is out. So are the days of the mass market. A new report projects 10 years out and reveals three fundamental principles that are shaping tomorrow's consumer packaged goods and retail industries: trust, influence and personalization. In a preview of its 2017 Global Future Consumer study, A.T. Kearney predicts the death of the scale economy that focuses on catering to affluence in favor of one driven by the influence of industry stakeholders, particularly by the hyper-connectivity of the younger generations.