TECHNOLOGY

Mass promotions don’t cater to customer demand — or drive sales.   By adding a new platform that streamlines the entire promotional planning process, Toys “R” Us Canada is leaving behind vague promotions in favor of more targeted communications based on shopping behavior, store traffic, inventory and customer service.  

A report has Amazon considering its next foray into the grocery segment, but in a manner that would require very little human intervention.      Amazon is reportedly contemplating a two-story, automated supermarket that would feature a staff of robots on the second floor that fulfill orders for shoppers waiting on the main level, according to The New York Post.  

Unified commerce has become the holy grail of retail as companies embark on the next-generation of the store environment — one that drives a top-notch, frictionless, non-frustrating and valuable customer experience.  

Ivanka Trump-branded items will soon be a thing of the past at Nordstrom.  

After a decade-long increase, Valentine’s Day sales may be less rosy this year.   U.S. consumers are expected to spend an average $136.57, down from last year’s record-high $146.84. Total spending is expected to reach $18.2 billion, down from $19.7 billion last year, which was also a record, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics, which surveyed 7,591 consumers about their Valentine’s Day plans.  

Pinterest is taking its search program to the next level.   The social media site now offers Search Ads, a feature that enables retailers to run ads as “pinners” type keywords into the search bar. The program, which started as a limited test, is now comprised of a full suite of features, including keyword and shopping campaigns that are shown in search results, as well as new targeting and reporting options, Pinterest’s head of global sales, Jon Kaplan, said in the company’s blog.  

Through the deployment of mobile data capture solutions, retailers can gain a wealth of real-time operational data and insight. On the front end, consumer barcode scans provide enterprises with valuable insights into shopping behavior and help to strengthen consumer relationships. On the back end, mobile barcode scans provide retailers with real-time snapshots into how products move through their supply chain.  

In a strategic move to bolster its logistics network, Amazon will build an air cargo hub in Kentucky.   The online retailer agreed to a 50-year lease for approximately 900 acres of property from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The project site, which rivals the size of global hubs of top cargo airlines — is estimated to cost $1.49 billion, ReCode said.