From a new catalog for a childhood favorite to the upcoming announcement of Amazon’s Q2 results, here are some happenings in the world of retail to keep an eye on this week.
Amazon’s earnings
Amazon is expected to report its Q2 results after the markets close this Thursday. With the launch of both the Fire phone and Kindle Unlimited this quarter, we will be watching to see if these investments produce promising sales and net income for the company.
The answer for mobile tech can be found…at Disney
The Skift gave readers a glimpse into the future of m-commerce when it outlined some of the technological innovations happening at Walt Disney’s The Magic Kingdom. From beacon-based location devices to kiosks that make ordering “easier than shopping on Amazon,” retailers looking for examples of multiple in-store technologies working seamlessly together should look to the “most magical place on earth.”
Online tax bill
In an off-again, on-again maneuver, the Senate tied the Internet Access Tax Act to the Internet Fairness Tax Act, a move that earlier in the week failed to gain traction in the House. The act would require web retailers and out of state catalog companies to collect sales tax, but many have little hope that it will pass.
New track opens for Thomas the Tank Engine
This week, Mattel will publish the first of its tri-annual Wooden Railway catalog, exclusively selling a premium line for the Thomas & Friends brand. If it bodes well, the company might apply this direct-to-consumer model to other existing brands.
I’ve got the Powa
In a press release yesterday, m-commerce tech company Powa Technologies Group announced that it will expand its PowaTag app program used in UK-based Hypermart stores to 48 stores in Indonesia. Recently highlighted in a feature on six digital tools targeting impulse buyers, this company is one to watch in the expanding in-store mobile tech industry.
Target sets its sights on the back-to-school crowd
The discount retailer will use four YouTube stars to promote wares to millennials preparing to leave home this fall for college. The “Best Year Ever” marketing campaign will feature these video entrepreneurs in a series of 16 online video shows, with the first to start next Monday. The release dates span until Aug. 14, imitating the long back-to-school selling season predicted this year.
As always, be sure to check out the Retail Dive app throughout the day for up-to-date news and features covering the retail industry.
