TECHNOLOGY

ICSC: Physical, digital retail will converge to entice holiday shoppers
Physical stores still play a crucial role in holiday shopping. That’s one of the major themes of the International Council of Shopping Centers’ annual holiday forecast, which emphasizes that, more than ever before, shoppers will expect an omnichannel experience this season. The report predicts 3.3% year-over-year growth sales at physical stores this holiday season (compared to 2.2% increase in 2015). Including online sales for physical retailers, ICSC predicts sales will rise 3.5%.
PwC forecasts big uptick in holiday spending
In the strongest forecast so far this year, holiday spending is expected to reach its highest point since the Great Recession, led by strong digital sales. That’s according to PwC’s 2016 Holiday Outlook, which forecasts a 10% total rise in holiday spending over last year, and a 25% rise in digital sales. “The great news for all retailers is consumers are much more optimistic this holiday season,” said Steven Barr, PwC’s U.S. retail & consumer leader.

NRF, ICSC both predict solid increase in holiday sales to rise 3.6%

Two major retail organizations delivered some early holiday cheer to retailers. The National Retail Federation and the International Council of Shopping Centers issued their annual holiday forecasts on Tuesday, and both predicted holiday shoppers will spend more this year than they did last year.
11 Trends Expected to Drive Holiday Shopping

From increased budgets to a desire for free shipping to gifts for pets, PwC’s “2016 Holiday Outlook” report predicts the following trends will drive the upcoming holiday season: 1. Bigger holiday budgets: Shoppers will likely spend 10% more this holiday season; an average of $1,121 each. And consumers with annual household incomes less than $50,000 will likely increase their percentage spending levels even more than consumers overall.
Report: Customer expectations run high for holiday 2016

Retailers that can improve ordering, fulfillment, delivery, and customer service are on their way to a holly, jolly holiday. This is the message being conveyed by 500 shoppers surveyed in the “Consumers’ 2016 Holiday Shopping Expectations,” a report from Radi-al. Their responses revealed that they are not willing to negotiate when it comes to inventory visibility, free shipping or customer service this holi-day season.
Nominations open for most influential women in retail tech

Who are the leading women working in retail technology? Chain Store Age is accepting nominations for its annual feature recognizing female executives who are helping to transform the retail industry through technology. The “Top 10 Women in Tech” will celebrate the achievements of female executives from all areas of retail technology. The winners will be profiled in a special section of the January 2017 issue of Chain Store Age, as well as in an online report on chainstoreage.com.
Walgreens enhances loyalty program with new beauty club

Walgreens on Tuesday enticed its shoppers with a new loyalty program tied to its beauty department with the launch of Beauty Enthusiast, a beauty club within its Balance Rewards loyalty program. Cardholders who register for Beauty Enthusiast gain additional rewards on beauty and personal care items, as well as other benefits.
Amazon Prime ‘levels up’ with Twitch Prime

Amazon Prime launched its newest set of benefits, but these are targeting gamers. Bolstering its live streaming video platform Twitch, Amazon has intro-duced Twitch Prime. This membership-based service entitles members to exclusive discounts on pre-orders and newly released games; a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot, and a premium experi-ence on Twitch that includes a free monthly Twitch channel subscription.
Aldo creates single view of omnichannel shoppers

As consumers connect with their favorite brands, they expect a consistent shopping experience. With the help of Salesforce.com, The Aldo Group consolidated shopper data across its enterprise so it can create a singular shopping experience. By adding a cloud-based platform, Aldo gained 360-degree views of each shopper, a move that provides better insight into their preferences and allows the chain to engage with consumers more effectively.
No shopping on Turkey Day

For the second year in a row, Staples will close its stores on Thanksgiving. Shoppers, however, will be able shop the office supplies giant’s e-commerce site.