Walmart challenges Amazon, turns to proprietary cloud model

Not every organization is capable of building out a cloud network from scratch, but the retail giant is likely doing so in response to Amazon's successful AWS.

By Naomi Eide • Feb. 14, 2018

Amazon reportedly speeding up Alexa responses with AI chip

Near zero response time is key to closing deals as the smart speaker competition heats up between the e-commerce giant, Google and Apple.  

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 14, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

How artificial intelligence is shaping retail

More retailers are leaning on AI as a tool, tapping into the tech to improve customer service and support supply chain functions.

By Retail Dive staff

Alibaba throws $1.3B into brick-and-mortar strategy

The Chinese retailer continues to balance its e-commerce dominance with growing, diversified investments in brick-and-mortar retail.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 13, 2018

7 retail execs envision the future of stores

Executives from Best Buy, The Home Depot and MM.LaFleur share their visions for the future of retail at Future Stores Miami. 

By Corinne Ruff • Feb. 13, 2018

Target and Honeyfund enhance registries with actual experiences

The retailer is bulking up baby and wedding registry options, and another partnership with Pinterest is adding visual search technology to the registry app. 

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 12, 2018

Badgley Mischka debuts interactive runway app for NYFW

Audiences at the show can share feedback through "like" and "love" buttons, helping the brand decide which styles to bring to market.

By Robert Williams • Feb. 12, 2018

L.L. Bean to embed data-gathering sensors in coats, boots

The outdoors retailer wants to gain insight into what customers do with its apparel by using Internet of Things sensors to deliver data to a blockchain system.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 12, 2018

Alibaba pays $486M for 38% of Chinese big data firm

Competition is heating up in China's stalled retail market, so Alibaba bought into a retail data company hoping to jump start sales.

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 9, 2018

Walmart’s Store Assistant brings in-store value to mobile app

The retailer's revamped app offers a barcode scanner, product search bar, customer reviews and Walmart Pay, among other useful in-store services.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 8, 2018

Walmart and Covergirl partner on AR-enabled mobile web sales

Shoppers can visit Covergirl's mobile website to try on five new looks using immersive technology.

By Robert Williams • Feb. 8, 2018

Birchbox leads the way in website performance

Many e-commerce retailers have improved site performance with a new focus on speed, but still need to be more diligent about monitoring other aspects of website health, according to a study by Shoppimon.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 8, 2018

At Home Depot, in-store innovation is a new kind of project

"Random acts of digital tend not to work," and human connection is key, Albert Vita, head of strategy insights and visual merchandising, told attendees at the Future Stores Miami conference.  

By Corinne Ruff • Feb. 8, 2018

Lowe's sees the future of employee education with Holoroom

The home improvement retailer is using virtual reality to train employees on the use of in-store equipment and how to better serve customers.

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 7, 2018

Farfetch reportedly developing in-store mobile features

The luxury retailer aims to stay relevant via mobile innovations aimed at personalizing the brick-and-mortar experience.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 7, 2018

81% of retailers will use unified commerce platforms by 2020

This marks a big increase from prior years as retailers step up efforts to create and support omnichannel operations.

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 6, 2018

Why retailers should stop waiting for a universal mobile wallet

The promise is intriguing, but brands are already doing mobile payments better on their own, writes Katie Jansen, chief marketing officer of AppLovin.

By Katie Jansen • Feb. 6, 2018

Walmart's Store No. 8 buys VR startup

The retail giant's acquisition of Spatialand, unlike most of its recent takeovers, is unlikely to move the needle on sales for the immediate future.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 6, 2018

Amazon Go is more like Amazon 'Uh oh'

This ground-breaking concept should strike fear in the hearts of retailers, but not because it's an awesome new concept, but because it's the latest pyramid-like contract with America, writes Christopher Walton.

By Christopher Walton • Feb. 6, 2018

JD.com and Fung align for AI development

Walmart's partner is increasing its commitment to developing technology as the retailer eyes new markets.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 5, 2018

Untuckit pilots RFID on New York's Fifth Avenue

The fast-growing men's casual apparel retailer is buttoning down its inventory optimization and tracking with RFID.

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 5, 2018

30 minutes with 35-year retail veteran Mike Edwards

The former CEO of Lucy, Borders and eBags recalls how the demise of the second largest bookseller was "the ultimate wake-up call." Those lessons and more have made Edwards a believer that technology is the path to retail success. 

By Corinne Ruff • Feb. 5, 2018

What does ‘mobile’ actually mean in the affiliate world?

Determining the best strategy for a company requires defining what "mobile" means for your business, writes Acceleration Partners's Matthew Wool.

By Matthew Wool • Feb. 5, 2018

EBay, Mashable launch shoppable content

The online marketplace partnered with Mashable to embed shoppable icons in stories and images, which lead the customer to similar items sold on eBay.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 5, 2018

Analyst: Walmart a ‘logical buyer’ for Blue Apron

The troubled meal kit company is starting to turn things around and could make for another valuable e-commerce purchase by the world's largest retailer, according to Gabelli & Co. analyst Matthew Trusz.

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 5, 2018

Apple takes a page out of Amazon’s e-book market share

The tech giant's update to its e-book app is the latest move by a major competitor to challenge Amazon's content stronghold.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 2, 2018