Samsung Electronics marketing executive Rebecca Hirst anticipates that smart home technology and voice interaction will go mainstream, which could be a "game changer for loyalty." Hirst notes that adoption has been slow to start, as there's a psychological hurdle to establishing these devices in the home, but she adds that once they're over that, consumers will be able to see the opportunity.

Giant Food is hoping its partnership with Peapod will help it compete in greater Philadelphia's growing market for grocery delivery. Giant By Peapod currently is third for delivery market share in the city, ranked behind Instacart and Walmart Online Grocery.

Malicious PlayStation Network messages on PlayStation 4s are causing devices to crash and making them unable to reboot. To reduce this risk, users should set message rules to friends-only or off.

An initiative dubbed DRIVE -- Digital, Research, Informatics and Virtual Environments -- is focused on improving medical treatments for children using technology. Part of the project uses virtual reality to immerse children in a dinosaur-themed environment to keep them occupied as they're being treated.

Increased consumer confidence, low unemployment and a wide range of new products have led many consumer electronics distributors to be optimistic for the holiday season. Despite this, some report concerns that Chinese tariffs could cause an increase in prices.

Thrive Market has found success by bringing healthier food to the US middle class via delivery, offering an annual membership for $60 and wholesale pricing for natural and organic items. "It came down to really listening to the customer of what is the problem for someone who is middle class, middle America wanting to get healthy today," CEO Nick Green said.

US municipalities are debating what to do with recyclables, which have become less economical for processors because of China's restrictions on the quality of waste that can be exported there. "Smaller recycling companies aren't able to stay in business and are shutting down," said Richard Coupland, vice president of municipal sales at Republic Services.

Resellers of clothing including thredUP and Yerdle Recommerce are beginning to partner with apparel brands to sell unsold stock. The secondary retail apparel market represents about $20 billion annually and is growing, according to a thredUP report.

Carvana has erected building-size vending machines for its used cars in 14 cities, including Philadelphia, and also offers home delivery for purchases. Customers have seven days to make a return.

Serialization in the supply chain helps protect against counterfeiting and claims about poor delivery or handling, among other issues. Serialization can also help with reverse logistics by managing the location and identification of shipments.