Amazon has introduced a smart shopping cart that will track purchases as shoppers add them, then calculate the total for digital checkout so customers can avoid lines. The Dash Cart, equipped with cameras and sensors and designed for small to mid-size loads, builds on the company's "Just Walk Out" technology and will debut later this year at Amazon's new store in Los Angeles' Woodland Hills neighborhood.
Stop overpaying for address autocomplete Retailers like Michaels and DICK'S Sporting Goods are switching to Radar for address autocomplete and address validation, saving up to 90%. Radar's address autocomplete APIs are part of Radar Maps Platform, the cost-effective, all-in-one alternative to Google Maps and Mapbox.
New York & Co. parent RTW Retailwinds filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday, with plans to shutter all of its stores and potentially sell its intellectual property and e-commerce arm. The company, which operates 387 retail stores in 32 states under the New York & Co., Fashion to Figure and Happy x Nature brands, suffered from store closures and supply chain issues brought on by the pandemic.
Walmart is considering a requirement that shoppers wear masks at all of its stores, CEO Doug McMillon said Monday. The retailer currently requires masks at about 3,700 of its more than 5,000 US stores, depending on mandates from governors or others.
Apple is asking store employees to work remotely to continue serving shoppers who are looking to buy products or who need support, as the retailer recloses some stores due to rising COVID-19 cases. "This is not the experience that we want to have for our customers. So we really want to make sure that we are moving to where our customers are, to help them during this very challenging time," said Apple executive Deirdre O'Brien.
Kroger cashiers have stopped giving change as a nationwide coin shortage, caused by falling cash sales in the pandemic, is crimping the supply of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. The grocer is giving shoppers the options of using credit or debit cards, having their change applied to a Kroger loyalty card, rounding up the total to support the company's Zero Hunger|Zero Waste program or using exact change.
More retailers are finding the value in building health care into their businesses, with Walgreens teaming up with VillageMD on a $1 billion deal to open 500 in-store primary care clinics over the next five years. Walmart has also invested in opening primary care clinics, and CVS will convert 1,500 of its stores into "HealthHubs."
Retailers are looking to provide quality, contactless shopping experiences as consumers return to stores during the pandemic. Multibrand retailer Showfields developed an app that allows shoppers to avoid touching things while browsing, MySizeID has seen use of its contactless body measurement technology increase by 800% amid the pandemic and Brookfield Properties is teaming with Fit:Match to offer digital sizing tools at three shopping centers.
A new robot designed by MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory team and Ava Robotics
could help grocers by using a special UV-C light fixture to kill the coronavirus. The light is attached to the autonomous robot's base and the machine can cover 4,000 square feet of surfaces in 30 minutes, killing about 90% of the virus, designers say.
NRF has expressed opposition to tariffs on French luxury goods being considered by the Trump administration in response to a Digital Services Tax law passed by France last year. "The US should negotiate multilateral solutions and not place tariffs on US imports, especially now as US businesses and consumers are working through economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic," NRF's Jonathan Gold said.
Starbucks Coffee Company President and CEO Kevin Johnson will join NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay in a candid conversation about how Starbucks is responding to the pandemic, the evolution of its Third Place and customer behaviors, and how the company is adapting to the new COVID-19 economy on Thursday, July 16 at 11:30 a.m. ET. Register now for this free Retail Leadership Series webinar sponsored by Salesforce.
Ben Halliwell is the vice president of customer personalization at Inspire Brands, where he examines how consumer attributes allow retailers to customize experiences that grow sales. In this Q&A, Halliwell shares how the coronavirus is accelerating digital adoptions and how retailers can build brand and customer affinity. Halliwell will also present at NRF NXT All Access, an online event for digital retailers taking place July 20-22. Read more.
Chipotle Mexican Grill is answering consumers' calls for low-carb options with cilantro-lime cauliflower rice. The chain will test the new ingredient at 37 Denver locations and 18 stores in Wisconsin starting this week.
