TECHNOLOGY

Lidl to make U.S. debut June 15—with low, low prices
German discount grocer Lidl is set to shake up the competition with prices that promise to turn up the heat on its U.S. competitors, who are already engaged in a price war. Lidl on Wednesday revealed the locations of the first 20 stores it will open this summer in the United States, starting on June 15. (See end of story for listing). The stores — in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia — are the first of up to 100 locations the grocer plans to open across the East Coast by next summer.
Fast-food giant’s delivery service expands
More hungry customers can now get their Big Macs, fries, beverages and desserts delivered right to their door. As of Wednesday, May 17, McDonald’s is expanding its delivery service to customers in Los Angeles, Chicago, Columbus and Phoenix. Through its partnership with UberEats, the company’s “McDelivery” program now encompasses up to 1,000 restaurants in the United States.

Received a favorite Mother’s Day gift? Thank a chatbot

This year, consumer spending for Mother's Day was on pace to reach a record high. According to the National Retail Federation's annual study, shoppers were set to spend $23.6 billion, spending an average of $186 per mom. And everything from flowers, gift cards and clothing to jewelry, personal services and consumer electronics were on shopping lists. But did all that shopping land the perfect gift?
Apple launches new store initiative

Apple wants to give its shoppers more reasons to visit its stores than to make a purchase or visit the Genius Bar.
Study: Handbags, purses, personalization top Mother’s Day

While handbags and purses have historically been considered a “risky gift,” times are a’ changin.’ In fact, handbags and purses were the most popular gift for Mother’s Day 2017, representing six of the top 10 gifts for the holiday. Overall, the accessories category led the top gifts purchased for Mother’s Day, according to data from Loop Commerce. Results were based on sales made on the company’s GiftNow platform.
Online home furnishings retailer delves deeper into AI

Wayfair is streamlining the way its shoppers navigate its vast online catalog as they search for specific looks. The retailer launched “Search with Photo,” a new feature that leverages artificial intelligence to make it easier for shoppers to find their desired furnishings. Shoppers can now simply snap a photo to find and purchase specific products that match the looks they see and love.
Study: Email subscribers on the rise, post-engagement lags

New subscribers are bolstering marketers’ subscription bases by leaps and bounds, yet click rates continue to decline. New subscribers make up an average of 6% of marketers' subscriber bases. This is an 8% increase year-over-year (YoY), and 30% jump over the last three years, according to “Q1 2017 Email Marketing Compass: The New Age of Email Marketing,” a report from Yes Lifecycle Marketing.
Online retailer brings baby products cross-border

As demand for American baby products increases among Chinese shoppers, Babyhaven not only saw an opportunity, it ran with it. Babyhaven is an online retailer of baby and children’s merchandise in the United States. Like other brands however, the company is feeling pressure from competitors like Amazon, Walmart, and other traditional category retailers, such as Babies “R” Us, that can not only compete on price, but can offer speedier delivery windows.
E-retailer offers fulfillment services

Newegg is adding supply chain support to its portfolio. The electronics-focused e-retailer launched Newegg Logistics, the company’s branded logistics solution designed to help e-commerce sellers streamline order fulfillment, shipment and returns. Based on the many years it spent refining its own e-commerce logistics operations, Newegg’s service will help other businesses break into online sales.
Report: Snapchat ads use augmented reality

Snapchat’s newest filters are moving beyond the selfie. The company is rolling out a new augmented reality ad division that lets users overlay marketers’ life-like filters on any photo they snap with their smartphone, according to ReCode. Warner Brothers is the unit’s first advertiser, tying the lenses to promote its new movie, “Everything, Everything.” Dunkin Donuts and Netflix are next in line to launch the service, the report said.