TECHNOLOGY

Well-known retail analyst joins Shoptalk team
Shoptalk, the nex-gen retail and e-commerce event, has named Sucharita Mulpuru, as chief retail strategist. The company is also expanding with a new networking program.
Report: Millennials find a new use for retail-specific gift cards
A majority of millennials are purchasing gift cards, but not for the obvious reasons. According to a new report from analyst firm Mercator Advisory Group, nearly three-in-five young adults said they bought refillable retailer-specific gift cards during the previous year, up from less than half of shoppers who reported making these purchases in the 2015 study. The biggest jump was among 18- to 24-year-olds, which climbed from 44% to 53%; followed by those aged 25 to 34, which increased from 48% to 57%.

Meijer launching home delivery service

Meijer is jumping into the increasingly crowded food delivery arena. In a move to deliver even more convenience to its time-starved shoppers, the Michigan-based retailer launching an app-based grocery delivery service in Detroit and southeastern Michigan.
PetSmart prepares for more ‘connected' customer experience

PetSmart is no stranger to “using every connection to bring pet parents closer to their pets.” Reinforcing its mission statement, PetSmart will add a next-generation platform that will unify the omnichannel shopping experience, and make it easier for the brand to engage with consumers throughout their path-to-purchase.
Nordstrom reaps its own rewards from redesigned rewards program

With an eye on personalization and engagement, Nordstrom revamped its Nordstrom Rewards program -- a move that has earned the chain 1.7 million new members since its launch in May. "We heard from our customers that they wanted a more personalized and flexible loyalty program," said Chris Holloway, VP of loyalty, Nordstrom.
Toys 'R' Us lands American Girl

In a deal that comes right before the all-important holiday selling season, Toys “R” Us has entered into an exclusive partnership with one of the toy industry’s premier doll brands. Mattel’s American Girl division announced a multi-year partnership with Toys “R” Us that will make the toy giant the first — and only — U.S.-based retailer to feature American Girl in-store shops.
David’s Bridal future-proofs in-store network

In effort to protect its organization from potential data breaches and prepare for the delivery of new omnichannel services, David’s Bridal is modernizing its failover network.
Lowe’s reboots customer engagement with in-store robots

Eager to streamline the in-store shopping experience, Lowe’s will introduce a fleet of retail service robots this fall throughout select stores in the San Francisco Bay area.
Special webinar on the network connectivity during the holiday rush

Don’t miss this Chain Store Age webinar on retailers’ most important selling season: the holidays. Entitled “Holiday Uptime: Preparing your network for the holiday rush,” the presentation will offer tips for developing a network outage plan and offer advice on how to issue-proof a network. It will also reveal common network traps overlooked by retailers.
Sears reenters category it exited four years ago

Sears Holding Corp. is hoping to capitalize on the upswing in home improvement projects. The retailer announced it is bringing back paint and related accessories to its stores under three different brands: Craftsman, Weatherbeater and Easy Living. It’s the first time the Craftsman brand will be extended to the paint category. Sears will test the new offerings in 23 stores nationwide before a chainwide rollout.