Fri.Apr 22, 2022

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During #RICE22, Attendees Can Dive Deep, Go Broad or Both

Retail TouchPoints

Perhaps you’re laser-focused on discovering ways to maximize ecommerce revenue; perhaps you seek store designs that promote experiential retail, but on a budget; or maybe you want to determine whether live shopping and the metaverse are a fit for your business. Good news: you can satisfy your curiosity on these and dozens of other topics in one place, the 2022 Retail Innovation Conference & Expo , coming up May 10-12 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

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Number of Americans collecting jobless benefits hits 50-year low

Retail Wire

The number of Americans collecting jobless aid fell to about 1.42 million last week. The last time the number was that low was in February of 1970. The Labor Department said jobless claims inched down to 184,000 last week.

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Amazon Launches $1 Billion Fund to Support Fulfillment, Logistics and Supply Chain Innovation

Retail TouchPoints

Amazon is creating a $1 billion venture investment program, the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund (AIIF), with the goal of supporting innovation in customer fulfillment, logistics and the supply chain. The AIIF will focus on companies with solutions that can incrementally increase delivery speed and further improve the experience of employees working in warehousing and logistics fields.

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Fed expected to get more aggressive with interest rate hikes to curb inflation

Retail Wire

“Inflation hawks” tend to argue for interest rate hikes in order to check inflation, whereas “doves” petition to keep rates low in order to stimulate economic growth. It appears as though the hawks are squawking loudest at present. The Federal Reserve last month raised the interest rate for the first time in over four years and many are now calling for stepping up the amount and frequency of the rate hikes to push back inflation, an issue that is front of mind with most A

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From Data to Decisions: Maximizing Retail Potential with AI

Speaker: David Azoulay, Marc Stracuzza, Román Tejada, and guest speaker Sucharita Kodali

Imagine a retail landscape where every interaction is personalized, every decision informed, and every opportunity maximized 🤔✨ Join us for an exploratory journey into the heart of AI-driven retail innovation. We’ll unveil the transformative potential of AI and data analytics in shaping the future of omnichannel personalization and e-commerce.

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Cardboard Bears to Ocean Plastic Watches: 4 Unique Ways Companies are Innovating Sustainability

Retail TouchPoints

Almost every retailer has a plan to green its operations, from sourcing more sustainable products to adopting solar power, and on Earth Day these efforts are brought to the forefront. At a time when 84% of companies have incorporated corporate social responsibility into their business strategies, it can be hard to develop programs that stand out as truly unique.

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How to Make Coherent Optics Small and Pluggable: Cisco Optics Podcast Episode 23 notes

Cisco Retail

Episode 23 of the Cisco Optics Podcast is now posted! See below for episode notes. Podcast episodes are now being added to the Cisco Optics playlist on YouTube ! Cisco Optics Podcast Episode 23. Cisco Optics Podcast Episode 23. How to Make Coherent Optics Small and Pluggable, with Tom Williams. Part 4 of 5. Coherent optics have been the go-to solution for high-end optical transport systems for years.

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The USPS has an answer to late packages, it’s redefining lateness

Retail Wire

Currently, the U.S. Postal Service considers a first-class package late if it arrives three or more days after it’s posted. The service is in the process of moving more of its package deliveries to ground in order to save on air transport costs. The move will necessarily result in slower package deliveries overall, and so the USPS is resetting its standards so that 30 percent of first-class packages will be seen as “on time” if they arrive within four or five days.

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Cardboard Bears to Ocean Plastic Watches: 4 Unique Ways Companies are Innovating Sustainability

Retail TouchPoints

Almost every retailer has a plan to green its operations, from sourcing more sustainable products to adopting solar power, and on Earth Day these efforts are brought to the forefront. At a time when 84% of companies have incorporated corporate social responsibility into their business strategies, it can be hard to develop programs that stand out as truly unique.

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Musk lines up financing to buy Twitter for ‘the future of civilization’

Retail Wire

Elon Musk revealed on Thursday that he has arranged $46.5 billion in financing to buy Twitter, and the extent of the personal financial risk he is taking and the way he proposes to leverage assets have many analysts talking today. Typically in such a buyout, the assets of the company being acquired are used to secure loans and investments that make up the majority of the funds used, but Mr.

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Automation or Programmability: Which Is better For DevOps?

Cisco Retail

A few years ago, I was tasked with solving a problem at work: I had to figure out how to stay in compliance with a National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) audit requirement for properly tracking and logging security vulnerabilities in our technology and applications. We had only a rough collection of functions in our software and network management tools that could do this, and those didn’t satisfy the auditors.

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The Personalization Playbook: 2024 Strategies

Did you know—74% of IT leaders are looking to improve their tech stack to offer better personalization? It’s impossible to ignore the importance of personalization, but it comes with challenges. How do you do it with a tight budget? What about customer privacy and the use of data? The Personalization Playbook is packed with research and insights from Orium, Talon.One, and Bloomreach and gives IT leaders answers to these tough questions, helping them shape 2024 strategies for personalization.

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Big, international product companies are passing on higher costs to consumers

Retail Wire

Companies as diverse in their offerings as Nestle, Danone, Tesla and United Airlines all have one thing in common — they have all been enjoying strong sales demand despite higher prices in recent months. “We stepped up pricing in a responsible manner and saw sustained consumer demand,” said Nestle, which reported a 7.6 percent increase in organic sales in its first quarter.

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Report: 80% of US shoppers use buy now, pay later to avoid credit card debt

Retail Dive

However, critics have raised concerns about installment services saddling consumers with more debt and urged for regulatory scrutiny.

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Carl Icon condemns McDonald’s for ‘animal welfare violations’

Retail Wire

Investor Carl Icon says he currently holds only 200 shares of McDonald’s stock, but that hasn’t stopped him from advocating on behalf of the pigs the chain uses in its product production. “McDonald’s’ Board of Directors … is failing shareholders and stakeholders by presiding over animal welfare violations, supply chain lapses and what I perceive to be a hollow environmental, social and governance (‘ESG’) agenda,” he wrote.

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Costa Coffee to trial new recyclable fibre lids ahead of possible UK-wide roll out

Retail Times

Costa Coffee, the Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop, has today announced the launch of new trial of 100% fibre lids. Made from renewable plant-based material, the lids are 100% recyclable and will be available at 150 Costa Coffee stores across the UK, until stocks last.

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Mapping Digital Transformation: Retail’s Strategic Shift

Speaker: Jennifer Wright, Michael Scholz, Jasmin Guthmann, and Scott Canney

Digital transformation in retail is so much more than new technology. You need to get your whole organization, from entry-level workers to executives, on board with the new tech, new skills, and culture changes that digital transformation brings. Leading this mindset shift can be a daunting task… but that’s where this webinar comes in! Join our panel of experts as they guide you through the challenges of digital transformation, preparing you to avoid common mistakes and make the most of incredib

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Best Buy is selling haul-away recycling to consumers

Retail Wire

Best Buy’s new Standalong Haul-Away service will come to customers’ homes and truck away unwanted tech equipment and appliances for a $200 fee. There are a set of rules and restrictions on the number and type of items the service will accept. Members of Best Buy’s Totaltech program will receive a 20 percent discount on the service.

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5 Eco-Friendly Tips for a Greener Learning Journey

Cisco Retail

When I was growing up, Earth Day was always one of those annual events on the school calendar that generally would fly by without much attention. Occasionally we’d have a teacher who would discuss the evils of pollution and its effect on the ozone layer. Then, if we were lucky, we’d go outside with the entire class and plant a tree. But, for the most part, Earth Day didn’t garner the visibility of other more noted holidays.

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Flagship Starbucks Roastery employees in Seattle vote to join union

Retail Wire

The National Labor Relations Board released news yesterday that employees of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle voted 38-to-27 in favor of union representation by Workers United. The location is the second in Starbucks’ home city to unionize, a move seen as a personal blow to CEO Howard Schultz who recently returned to the helm and has been working hard to counter the unionization movement at his company.

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Learn About Small Businesses Giving Back This April

Small Biz Trends

With Earth Day on April 22, Spring is a popular time for businesses to focus on giving back. However, charitable giving has become an important part of running a business all year long. Many entrepreneurs prioritize charitable giving to causes important to them. And employees and customers may even be more likely to support companies that focus on this type of giving.

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Planning the Architecture of Your Modular DXP

Are you considering moving away from a monolith platform and over to composable architecture? Join experts from Google Cloud, GroupBy, and Orium as they discuss the benefits of moving to a modular digital experience platform. In this masterclass, uncover key indicators that show your brand is ready for a modular DXP, and learn how to lay the foundation for composable commerce.

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Automation in Retail

Cisco Retail

Automation means different things to different people. From marketing automation to network automation, workflow automation to equipment automation, using technology to automate tasks or functions allows retailers to focus on delivering the best customer experiences. It also allows retailers to rely on automation to address permissions for the network or online order fulfillment and notification.

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In the News: Grants From $10K Up To $500K Up For Grabs for Small Businesses

Small Biz Trends

Local and state governments are keenly aware of the challenges small businesses are facing right now. Beyond the difficulties brought on by the pandemic, inflation and supply chain issues are now compounding the problem. And this is why grants have become an invaluable tool for many small business owners. Even if you haven’t thought about applying for a grant before, now is a great time to see what your community is offering.

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Brightpearl Launches ‘Growth Hacking’ Podcast For Online Retailers 

Retail Minded

Bristol, UK, and Austin, Texas-based tech firm, Brighpearl , is launching its first podcast, the ‘ Lightning 50 E-Commerce Growth Hacking ’ show, on Thursday, 21st April 2022. Hosted by industry expert Caroline Baldwin, the podcast is a weekly 15-minute bitesize show in which Baldwin interviews retail luminaries from high growth companies. . Each guest on the show has been recognized as being one of the fastest growing online businesses in the world, having made the cut for Brightpearl’s ‘ Light

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Take a Business Writing Course Online

Small Biz Trends

In the middle of every successful business interaction, there is effective communication to see the deals through. Business communication skill is a vital element of every business. Business writing is one of the most important forms of communication. From composing emails to writing reports and presenting them, business writing is a necessary skill for every entrepreneur.

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How Personalized Customer Experiences Drive Retail Growth and Revenue

Speaker: Shaunna Bruton - Associate Director of Product Strategy at Orium | Sam Panzer - Director of Industry Strategy at Talon.One | Frank Passantino - Director of Product Management at Bloomreach

More and more, customers are expecting a better personalized CX. But can retailers actually deliver? Data from McKinsey shows that companies that excel in personalization increase their revenue by 40%, but despite these numbers, retailers struggle to implement customer personalization strategies. So what are the potential solutions? Join us to gain a better understanding of the current retail landscape and learn what you can do to translate personalization strategies into practical implementatio

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Working Backwards to Drive Forward Progress

Cisco Retail

Imagine that you’re starting a large and complex project with many dependencies and stakeholders. How do you focus on the pieces of that project that matter most to stakeholders across your enterprise and focus less or not at all on elements that won’t? In a recent project focusing on crafting and deploying Infrastructure as Code (IaC) in multi-domain and cross-architecture environments, our Customer Partner Experience Chief Technology Office (CPX CTO) team had to think through how each stage an

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Rite Aid rejected an unsolicited buyout offer

Retail Dive

The drugstore retailer dismissed the off-market proposal as not credible, but kept the door open for future offers.

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The Future of Car Kiosks in the Auto Industry

Frank Mayer

Editor’s Note : This blog post was originally published in 2018 and has been updated to reflect the most current industry news. The car buying method has changed immensely. Customers no longer refer to glossy brochures, instead preferring an internet search to visit a car brand’s homepage and find a nearby dealer. With digital sales tools, car buyers come to a dealership armed with more insight than before.

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The Weekly Closeout: REI expands run assortment and Farfetch enters beauty

Retail Dive

The outdoors retailer will also improve employee training in the category. Meanwhile, the luxury platform will offer a "curated edit" of beauty items.

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Retails Next Frontier: Exploring and Proving the Value of AI

AI is everywhere. It’s in customer service interactions, product recommendations, marketing outreach, and yes, even commerce experiences. But not every use of AI provides the same value to your brand. In this masterclass, experts from Constructor, commercetools, Contentstack, and Orium discuss how AI can complement your composable tech stack and help bring in immediate ROI.

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Join Your Local Penny-farthing Spin Class

Small Biz Trends

This article, " Join Your Local Penny-farthing Spin Class " was first published on Small Business Trends.

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UK brand Vieve launches one of world’s first vegan protein waters

Retail Times

Vieve, one of the UK’s leading protein water brands, has announced they are among the first in the world to launch a range of vegan protein waters. The hydrating plant-based protein solutions are aimed at the ever-growing market of vegan and flexitarian consumers looking for an easy and convenient plant-based protein boost without the added sugars, fats or excess calories.

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Harrods celebrates highly anticipated opening of H beauty Bristol

A1 Retail

H beauty offers beauty products and services from over 86 of the world’s most iconic and innovative brands for beauty lovers to enjoy. Harrods is proud to celebrate the opening of H beauty Bristol, the brand’s fourth standalone beauty store in the UK, this time located in The Mall, Cribbs Causeway. Offering an unparalleled beauty utopia, the 25,300 sq.ft. space brings together a diverse portfolio of must-have products and exceptional services from over 86 international beauty brands for customer

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Grain Importing Nations Are Hurting From Rising Freight Rates

LS Retail

©iStock/darksite Trade flows of grains are undergoing significant shifts. The war in Ukraine will put further pressure on grain-importing countries in Africa and Asia as a reduced number of vessels for delivering cargoes drives up shipping rates, according to the head of the International Chamber of Shipping. In addition to the situation in Ukraine, freight rates are also being affected by China’s efforts to battle the spread of Covid-19.

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2024’s Retail Odyssey: Going Small, Artificial, and Augmented!

Speaker: Kelly Goetsch - Chief Strategy Officer at Commercetools | Jason Cottrel - CEO & Founder at Orium | and guest speaker Brendan Witcher - VP, Principal Analyst at Forrester

Significant modifications are on the horizon for digital commerce in retail and customer experience come 2024. The pace of tech shifts will intensify, businesses are set to defund legacy solutions, and attractive opportunities will surface as social and retail media players join forces. To stay ahead of the curve, digital leaders are experimenting with less risky initiatives and scaling back on outdated projects that no longer yield impactful results.