Mon.May 24, 2021

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Leek United Derby Street branch reopens after refurbishment

Retail Focus

Leek United Building Society has reopened its flagship Derby Street branch following a six-week transformation. The new look branch features several zones where customers can undertake traditional counter transactions, browse products and services, and enjoy relaxed and comfortable conversations in formal and informal meeting spaces. The modern surroundings incorporate an innovative community area for seminars and educational events as well as digital screens and video conferencing facilities.

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Clothing, Home Décor and Travel Purchases Expected to Soar Over Memorial Day Weekend

Retail TouchPoints

This Memorial Day offers retailers an opportunity to benefit from pent-up demand: 48% of Americans plan to shop for something over Memorial Day weekend this year, according to a survey by BlackFriday.com conducted through Kelton. Additionally, 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home, an increase of 60% over 2020, according to AAA.

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Retail news around the globe

Inside Retail

Clarins opens new boutique at Great World. French skincare brand Clarins has unveiled a new boutique at Great World, a mixed-use development near popular tourist spot Orchard Road in Singapore. The spacious boutique offers the full range of Clarins products, including skincare favourites, body care bestsellers, and the signature Open Spa Service. The suite of treatments available at the third Clarins Open Spa are designed to offer pampering and relaxation to time-poor consumers.

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Australian BNPL Company Zip Acquires Europe and Middle East Providers

Retail TouchPoints

In another sign of the global growth of buy now, pay later services, Zip Co Ltd. will purchase the European BNPL provider Twisto and the UAE-based Spotii Holdings Ltd. These latest acquisitions follow Zip’s purchase of Quadpay in September 2020. Zip already owned a portion of Twisto, and plans to buy the remaining shares for approximately $108.5 million , with the deal expected to close in Q4 2021.

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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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Gucci Garden: The rise of gaming in fashion storytelling

Inside Retail

Digital games are designed to be a deliberate environment for play, connection and exploration. But for a long time, the games community has been excluded from mainstream media, with many assuming they’re child’s play. Now, the gaming world is muscling in on fashion marketing and social media, and for good reason. A deep subculture of gamers has existed since the earliest recorded video and computer games of the ’50s and ’60s.

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Chico’s Taps the Power of Personal Connections to Virtually Connect Associates and Shoppers

Retail TouchPoints

When women’s apparel retailer Chico’s first sought to modernize its retail experience, the goal was to offer customers a more robust, personalized shopping experience and the ability to engage with its associates anywhere, and on any device. In 2018, the brand partnered with Salesfloor to deploy a new mobile platform for associates — known as StyleConnect — combining clienteling and mobile checkout with a customer-facing interface embedded on the retailer’s ecommerce site.

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No Retail BI, No Future: Business Intelligence Tools Will Drive the Retail Industry’s Offline Transformation

Retail TouchPoints

Prior to the pandemic, brick-and-mortar retailers were already facing fierce competition from online marketplaces. Purchasing online often meant access to a better selection of (and global access to) products, more convenience, and, in many cases, cheaper deals. The COVID-19 pandemic conditions not only provided consumers access to products they couldn’t buy at locked-down physical retailers — online shopping also enabled them a safer way to procure both essential and non-essential items.

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CommBank app to gain e-commerce offer through Little Birdie partnership

Inside Retail

Online shopping startup Little Birdie has received $30 million in funding from the Commonwealth Bank, which will integrate its e-commerce offer into the CommBank app for users to shop while they bank. Little Birdie provides users with over 70 million products to search, compare, and track, and can be notified of price drops, sales events and exclusive offers through AI technology and a community of savvy shoppers.

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Retailers want their shoppers in a private label state of mind

Retail Wire

Chains are looking for their own brands to stand out against products offered by their suppliers and rival retailers. That has led a wide range of companies including CVS, ShopRite, Target, Whole Foods and others to invest more in product ingredients and packaging. “The younger generation doesn’t give a hoot about brand names,” says Jerry Cole, managing director of Starpoint Consulting Group.

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Why outsourcing employees could be the key to surviving the next disruption

Inside Retail

In the wake of the dramatic shift in trading and operations brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become abundantly clear that many retailers need to scale up their operations to keep pace with the ‘new normal’. And with the businesses that grew through the pandemic having, generally, been the those that were prepared for a quick but seismic shift in operations, such as a bigger push into online than would have otherwise been made, the flexibility of a retailer’s workforce has never been m

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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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Target debuts new branding campaign

Retail Wire

Target has unveiled a new branding campaign, the first under Cara Sylvester, who was named the retailer’s chief marketing officer in February. The campaign, which includes the introduction of a new tagline, is part of Target’s goal of communicating and engaging in “meaningful, authentic connections” with its customers. The retailer is unveiling new messaging tomorrow — “What we value most shouldn’t cost more” — when the campaign kicks off.

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Coles ramps up safety for online delivery of alcohol

Inside Retail

Supermarket giant Coles has joined a coalition of some of the world’s largest liquor companies to promote better standards of alcohol sale and prevent underage consumption through online purchasing. The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) aims to address the harm of overconsumption of alcohol on a worldwide scale, and promote the understanding of responsible drinking behaviours.

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Consumers spent $900 billion more at online retailers in 2020, but local still has a future

Retail Focus

In recent times, online shopping has been booming. In fact, according to a report from the Mastercard Economics Institute , consumers across the globe spent $900 billion more at online retailers in 2020 versus the prior two-year trend. Online shopping certainly has its benefits. Not only is it convenient and allows shoppers to browse for a variety of products with ease, but you can also have items delivered directly to your door without needing to leave the house.

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Can the Google Store take a bite out of Apple?

Inside Retail

Google is set to make its bricks-and-mortar debut this summer with the opening of its very first physical retail store in New York City, sparking much interest from retailers globally at a time when so many are moving online. At the Google Store, customers will have the opportunity to browse and buy Google products including Pixel phones, Nest smart devices, Fitbits and Pixelbooks, or simply drop in to collect an online order.

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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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What Is Explainable AI?

Nvidia

Banks use AI to determine whether to extend credit, and how much, to customers. Radiology departments deploy AI to help distinguish between healthy tissue and tumors. And HR teams employ it to work out which of hundreds of resumes should be sent on to recruiters. These are just a few examples of how AI is being adopted across industries. And with so much at stake, businesses and governments adopting AI and machine learning are increasingly being pressed to lift the veil on how their AI models ma

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Greater China sales soar for Vans, Supreme parent VF Corporation

Inside Retail

In a year when apparel group VF Corporation experienced a 12-per-cent fall in group sales, its Greater China business saw revenue surge 24 per cent, and the company has strong expectations for the new fiscal year. VF, which owns brands including Vans, The North Face, Timberland, Dickies and Supreme, expects global sales to increase by around 28 per cent in the new financial year as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on retail trading operations in North America and Europe lessens.

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Spar’s own-label BWS range wins medal haul

Talking Retail

Spar’s own-label wine and spirit has secured prizes at five international competitions. The retailer won prizes at the International Wine Challenge, the International Wine & Spirit Competition, the International Spirits Challenge, the Global Masters, and the Sud de France Top 100 competition. The symbol group took home a total of 29 awards at the annual.

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First-Hand Experience: Deep Learning Lets Amputee Control Prosthetic Hand, Video Games

Nvidia

Path-breaking work that translates an amputee’s thoughts into finger motions, and even commands in video games, holds open the possibility of humans controlling just about anything digital with their minds. Using GPUs, a group of researchers trained an AI neural decoder able to run on a compact, power-efficient NVIDIA Jetson Nano system on module (SOM) to translate 46-year-old Shawn Findley’s thoughts into individual finger motions.

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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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5 Top Customer Service Articles of the Week 5-24-2021

Hyken

Each week I read a number of customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too. How To Thank A Customer For Their Business | Tips, Tricks, & Budget-Friendly Ideas by Philipp Wolf. (Custify) It’s crucial for those who are loyal to you to make sure they feel appreciated by going the extra mile for them.

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Big candy is taking cannabis knockoffs to court

Retail Wire

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, a division of Mars Inc., has filed a lawsuit against five companies for selling items with similar packaging and ingredients as theirs, but with one key difference. The lookalike products all contain various amounts of THC, the substance in marijuana that creates the high associated with the drug. Other big candy brands, including Hershey, have filed similar suits in recent years.

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Jealous Sweets adds foam sweets to portfolio

Talking Retail

Confectionery brand Jealous Sweets has added a Foams range to its portfolio, in a move designed to “empower” retailers and customers with plant-based products made from responsible sourced ingredients. The Foams range consists of two variants – Berry Foams and Juicy Foams – in 125g sharing bags (£2). The brand said 92% of UK consumers. This story continues at Jealous Sweets adds foam sweets to portfolio.

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BJ’s Wholesale opening first clubs in Pittsburgh area

Retail Wire

BJ’s Wholesale Club announced that it will open two clubs with gas stations in the Pennsylvania townships of Ross and South Fayette. The locations represent the chain’s first two in the Pittsburgh area. “We’ve made great progress accelerating the pace of our new club openings in the last few years and we’re looking forward to opening six new locations this fiscal year,” said Bill Werner, executive vice president of strategy and development. “We’re

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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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The Best 3 New Tools We’ve Added to the DevNet Tech Stack

Cisco Retail

Cisco DevNet is the platform on which we host Cisco’s constantly-updated API documentation, 1,100+ Code Exchange entries, 54 DevNet Sandboxes, and 740 Learning Labs. Here at DevNet, we believe in practicing what we teach. So our platform is built on an evolving, modern hybrid infrastructure. We’ve learned a lot in the building, and refining, of this ambitious collection of services.

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Americans go hunting for treasure in discount stores

Retail Wire

Discounters Ross Stores and TJX Companies are reporting that shoppers are returning to stores as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and a growing percentage of Americans get vaccinated against the virus. “Our business model now resonates more than it even did pre-Covid,” said TJX CEO Ernie Herrman.

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Exposing hidden cyber supply chain risks

Cisco Retail

We’re all tired of shortages. Things we took for granted are now hard to find or cost a lot more. Maybe you opened a new online account to locate that thing you need. Ah, the feeling of relief when it finally arrived. But what if that’s when your real troubles began? Let’s rewind. When you opened that new account, you added a new vendor to your personal supply chain.

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Inflation making consumers more budget conscious

Retail Wire

Eighty-six percent of Americans report having to pay more for products than they had been and yet 72 percent have not seen a corresponding bump in their earnings. This has led to some belt-tightening with 83 percent of consumers planning to make adjustments to avoid exceeding their household budgets.

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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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Kendra Scott introduces first men's collection

Retail Dive

The launch, set to debut in stores and online June 7, comes as jewelry retailers ramp up product lines that are specifically marketed to men.

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Gig workers opting for permanent jobs

Retail Wire

The number of independent contractors is falling in the U.S. labor market as companies look to add more permanent employees and gig workers choose regular paychecks and benefits over remaining independent.

Marketing 100
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Judgment day for API attacks: Spotting the friendly robots amidst the foes

Mulesoft

In part one of this blog series, we covered the robots driven to disrupt your business and online operations (DoS and DDoS attackers). In this sequel, we’ll step further into the robot universe and discuss often ignored scraper robots, along with mitigation strategies for dealing with the data leakage from these attacks that threatens your […].

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Google/Shopify deal could give Amazon some competition

Retail Wire

A deal that enables sellers on Shopify’s e-commerce platform to sell on Google’s properties — Shopping, Maps and YouTube — is a potential game-changer in the company’s competition with Amazon.com on both the retailing and advertising fronts.

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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.