TECHNOLOGY

Neiman Marcus unveils fantasy gifts — for those with deep pockets
Neiman Marcus’s legendary Christmas Book turns 90 this year, but age has not dimmed its over-the-top appeal. On Wednesday, the luxe retailer unveiled the 90th edition of its annual holiday catalog and, in keeping with past years, it includes a collection (12 to be exact) of indulgent—and very pricey — fantasy gifts.
Startups Spotlight: Physical Stores Focus on All Things Digital
As brick-and-mortar stores race to transform themselves amid the increasing importance and influence of e-commerce, many retailers are looking to in-store digital media displays to attract and engage potential customers. What’s more, new startups are bringing down the high cost of traffic-counting technology; making mobile marketing offers as painless as possible; and looking to virtual reality to create experiences that wow, immerse and educate consumers. Take a look at these:

ShopperTrak: Black Friday to reign supreme; new date for Super Saturday

Black Friday may have lost some of its allure in recent years, but it still comes out on top in a ranking of the busiest shopping days. Black Friday, which falls on November 25 this year, took the No. 1 spot in a ranking of the anticipated 10 busiest shopping days of 2016 by ShopperTrak, a Tyco Retail Solutions business unit. The second and third busiest shopping days are expected to be Monday, Dec. 26 and Friday, Dec. 23. (See end of article for the complete list.
Cycling retailer centralizes omnichannel experience

As omnichannel retailing becomes mission-critical, Performance Bicycle is making bold moves to merge its physical and digital experiences.
Study: Augmented reality revamps shopping experience

Digital disruptors continue to impact the shopping experience, and augmented reality (AR) is no exception. Specifically, 61% of customers reported that augmented reality has influenced where they decide to shop, according to “The Impact of Augmented Reality in Retail,” a report from Interactions, an experiential marketing firm and division on Daymon. The report, which is based on responses from more than 1,000 Americans, examines how AR has become a part of consumers’ shopping experiences.
Walmart jumps into free movie streaming

Walmart is making a bold move in the competitive on-demand digital content marketplace. Leveraging its free, premium video streaming service called Vudu, the retail behemoth now features “Vudu Movies on Us,” a program that offers customers the ability to watch “thousands of movie and TV titles for free, and on-demand, with limited commercials,” according to a company statement.
The New Retail: Omnichannel Strategies for Grocery Chains

The new retail is here and a sector that is definitely feeling the wave of this reality is the grocery industry. With the strong penetration of Aldi, Amazon’s move into online grocery, Wal-Mart’s purchase of Jet.com and the dreaded arrival in the U.S. of the highly competitive German grocery store Lidl, it’s no wonder grocers are fighting for survival in this ever-changing, highly saturated environment.
Department store chain gives more options for loyalty program

Bon-Ton Stores’ customers now have more opportunities to earn rewards. The department store retailer, which originally rewarded shoppers for using the chain’s Your Rewards proprietary credit card, can now earn loyalty points for every purchase they make — regardless of how they pay.
Report: Good deals ring in stronger holiday sales

Holiday sales may be on pace to increase this year, but sale-savvy shoppers will drive this boost. The 10th annual “Accenture Holiday Shopping Survey” found that 42% of consumers said they rarely or never expect to pay full price for an item during the holiday season, and this year is no exception.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. tries on a new — and friendlier — brand identity