TECHNOLOGY

Home Depot adds ‘voice-activated’ shopping to the mix
The nation's largest home improvement retailer is getting in on the voice shopping game. Home Depot is joining Google Express this fall, a move that will give its customers the ability to shop just by speaking their orders. Google Assistant, the search giant's online shopping platform, resides on Google’s smart speaker Google Home and other smart devices.
Office supplies giant improves visibility across its supply chain
Office Depot is positioning itself to remove friction throughout its customers’ shopping experiences. The office supplies giant is partnering with Elementum, which provides a real-time supply chain platform that unifies procurement, logistics, manufacturing and inventory operations. By leveraging the company’s cloud-based Product Graph solution, Office Depot will gain global visibility across every segment of its business operations.

Abercrombie & Fitch names CFO

It's a homecoming for Abercrombie & Fitch Co.'s next finance head. The teen apparel retailer appointed Scott D. Lipesky as senior VP and CFO, effective October 2, 2017. Lipesky most recently served as CFO of American Signature Inc., a privately-held home furnishings company. Prior to that, he spent nine years with Abercrombie in a variety of finance roles, most recently as CFO of Hollister Co.
First Look: Amazon Books, Manhattan

Eleven and counting. That's where Amazon Books stands with the opening of its newest outpost.
Cloud computing to drive Billabong’s omnichannel experience

A board sports apparel retailer is taking steps to blend its physical and digital retail channels. Billabong is leveraging the Aptos Singular Commerce platform to support omnichannel retailing across its global enterprise. The cloud-based solution will merge the retailers’ physical and digital retail channels, and create a single view of customers, inventory and orders, among other operations.
Walmart hits major milestone—in Amazon's backyard

As the online delivery wars heat up, Walmart is expanding its grocery pickup service to the hometown of one of its biggest rivals.
E-commerce leader to open robotics-based depot in the Big Apple

Amazon is expanding its distribution fleet to the Empire State. The online giant plans to open a new 855,000-sq. ft. fulfillment center in the New York City borough of Staten Island. The facility, which is Amazon’s first fulfillment center in the state, will pick, pack and ship customer items, such as household essentials, books and toys.
Kohl's to partner with e-commerce giant on in-store shops

Yet another traditional retailer is partnering with Amazon, as the online behemoth continues to expand its presence in brick-and- mortar stores. Kohl's plans to add an Amazon "smart home experience' in-store shop, or "zone," in 10 select Kohl’s locations across the Los Angeles and Chicago areas starting in October. The spaces will allow shoppers to try out and purchase Amazon devices, accessories and smart home devices and services directly from the online retailer.
Gap Inc. shifting focus—and store footprint—to two brands

Gap Inc. is shifting its emphasis to its two best-performing brands — and realigning its store portfolio to reflect its new emphasis.
The mattress wars are heating up

There's more disruption in the mattress category at retail. West Elm has entered into a partnership with hot online mattress company Leesa Sleep, which will replace another hot online startup — Casper — as the home furnishings retailer's official mattress partner. The news come on the heels of Casper's announcement that it will open up more than a dozen pop-up stores in cities nationwide.