Sat.Jun 26, 2021 - Fri.Jul 02, 2021

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Report: Store closures decline for the first time in 2021

Retail Dive

According to Coresight Research, 5.7% fewer stores have closed this year so far than during the same time in 2020.

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Walmart AI Tool Helps Pickers Find the Right Product Substitutions, Improving CX

Retail TouchPoints

Walmart is responding to the unique challenges out-of-stocks create in grocery ecommerce through the application of AI. While shoppers can’t choose their own substitutes when an item in an online order is unavailable, the solution aims to predict what they would have selected to help pickers make the right choice. “For example, imagine you’re a personal shopper looking for cherry yogurt for an online grocery order,” said Srini Venkatesan, EVP, Walmart Global Tech in a statement.

Consumer 328
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KFC Australia delivers “standout” result in FY21

Inside Retail

KFC Australia has led the growth of its local operator, Collins Foods, as more and more Aussies turned to convenience and brands they trust during the last year. According to Collins Foods’ CEO Drew O’Malley KFC Australia was its “standout performer” in FY21, with same-store-sales growth of 12.9 per cent and underlying EBITDA growth of 17.9 per cent.

Kiosk 279
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Employee-first tech could transform the retail experience chain

Retail Focus

The employee and customer experience are intrinsically linked. But are we equipping our retail staff with the right tools they need to take it to the next level? . Our retail brand, and the way it’s experienced by the customer, is now recognised as one of the biggest differentiators in the business. It drives our footfall and website traffic, increases willingness to pay and consumer loyalty, sets us apart from our competitors and even helps us attract top talent.

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Is Your Business AI-Ready? Find Out with Orium’s Maturity Model

Generative AI is poised to redefine B2B, but scaling AI success in this space isn’t without obstacles. From fragmented data sources and complex buyer journeys to operational inefficiencies, the road to AI-powered growth can be challenging. To achieve a competitive edge, understanding your organization’s AI-readiness is essential. Orium's Data & AI Maturity Model provides a quick, actionable way to assess your starting point.

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DSW adds self-checkouts as workers are hard to find

Retail Wire

DSW is testing self-checkouts in its stores in “response to hiring challenges,” according to Karen Cho, senior vice president of human resources at Designer Brands, the parent company of the shoe chain. The retailer has found it more challenging hiring part-time workers than in the past, even as its full-time associate ranks have remained relatively stable.

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Waterdrop Opens First U.S. Retail Flagship in Miami Beach

Retail TouchPoints

Waterdrop — a microdrink CPG brand — has debuted its first U.S. retail store in Miami Beach, Fla. Launched in Vienna in 2017, waterdrop operates 15 brick-and-mortar stores and serves 1 million+ customers across Europe. The brand expanded to the U.S. with its ecommerce business in spring 2021, now being followed by its first retail location on Miami’s iconic Lincoln Road shopping corridor.

More Trending

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Innovative new LEGO® Store launches on Fifth Avenue in New York with Broadway Musical spectacle

Retail Focus

An entirely new retail experience, the Fifth Avenue store features the most famous landmarks and icons of NYC built larger-than-life in LEGO bricks, alongside brand-new, one-of-a-kind immersions and interactive experiences with play at the heart. The LEGO Store on Fifth is the flagship location in a new retail format expanding globally. The opening is commemorated by the first new Broadway-style performance in over a year, assembled by an iconic team of award-winning choreographers, lyricists, p

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How to create hype with your in-store brand activation

Tokinomo

Customers step foot inside the store and they are bombarded with hundreds of options. 10 types of hair products, 20 brands that sell the same product with a different label, 7 different flavors, and scents for the same shampoo….

Marketing 200
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Gap to Close all 81 UK Stores, Seek Franchise Partners for Other European Markets

Retail TouchPoints

Gap will be shuttering all 81 of its stores in the UK and Ireland by the end of September 2021 as part of a strategic review of its European business. The Guardian estimates that the closures will result in the loss of more than 1,000 jobs. Shutdowns will begin in August 2021, but Gap isn’t exiting the countries completely — it will maintain its ecommerce business in the region and is looking for a partner to run that operation.

Marketing 279
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Lockdowns to be used only as “last resort” moving forward: PM

Inside Retail

The National Cabinet has agreed that, moving forward, lockdown measures will only be enacted as a “last resort”. The decision comes after industry leaders hit back at the inconsistent approach to lockdown each state premier puts in place, and how the confusion impacts businesses and consumers alike. Prime Minster Scott Morrison also unveiled a four-stage plan to get Australia through the Covid-19 pandemic, which he hopes will end with the country returning to business-as-usual life.

Returns 269
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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Amanda Adams, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

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Walmart’s private label insulin helps diabetics stay healthy and save money

Retail Wire

Walmart has launched its first-ever private brand insulin to help diabetics afford the medicine critical to controlling their blood sugar levels. Walmart’s private label insulin is priced between 58 percent and 75 percent that of branded alternatives on the market.

Marketing 190
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Bluewater secures debut flagship for sweet fashion concept: Vanilla

Retail Focus

Bluewater, one of Europe’s leading retail and leisure destinations, has announced the signing of a new accessible fashion concept brand Vanilla, for its debut standalone store following the success of its established online and concession presence. Located adjacent to H&M on Upper Thames Walk, the 3,616 sq ft Vanilla flagship store represents the first time trend-led, well priced fashion labels Blue Vanilla and Pink Vanilla will have a bricks and mortar home to showcase their collections in

Fashion 173
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The Future of Retail and AI

Retail TouchPoints

When Amazon Go launched in 2018, critics claimed that it would take more than a decade for autonomous retail to catch on. Fast-forward a couple of years and one global pandemic later, it’s clear that autonomous retail isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s evolved from a futuristic sci-fi concept to a safe option for shoppers to do their daily grocery shopping.

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What fashion can do for Ferrari

Inside Retail

With social media driving brand awareness as well as sales, more and more brands are choosing to diversify their product range or align with influential figures to flaunt their merchandise. Luxury car brand Ferrari has long offered a limited range of merchandise from keyrings to sweaters, but its latest foray into fashion is a new chapter in the brand’s evolution.

Fashion 246
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NEWS: SML RFID Delivers 98% Inventory Accuracy to Gina Tricot

I’m getting in touch with the news that fashion retailer, Gina Trictot, has achieved 98% inventory accuracy thanks to its partnership with SML RFID. Please see the full press release below, including exclusive quotes.

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Global Computer Makers Deliver Breakthrough MLPerf Results with NVIDIA AI

Nvidia

NVIDIA’s partners are delivering GPU-accelerated systems that train AI models faster than anyone on the planet, according to the latest MLPerf results released today. Seven companies put at least a dozen commercially available systems, the majority NVIDIA-Certified , to the test in the industry benchmarks. Dell, Fujitsu, GIGABYTE, Inspur, Lenovo, Nettrix and Supermicro joined NVIDIA to demonstrate industry-leading results training neural networks with NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPUs.

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How to Handle Difficult Customers

Hyken

Not long ago I covered six ways to handle angry customers. Often an angry customer and a difficult customer are the same. But that’s not always true. Sometimes difficult customers aren’t angry. They are just tough and demanding. That said, the techniques I cover in both of these posts can work, with a little tweak or variation depending on the situation.

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LEGO’s New NYC Flagship Inspires Customer Creativity, Brick by Brick

Retail TouchPoints

The windows at the new NYC LEGO flagship await their big unveiling June 25, 2021. At the first floor entrance, Lady Liberty and Hulk are ready to greet visitors. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images). A full-size LEGO taxi sits in the front window ready for visitors to take a ride. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images). The Tree of Discovery, made of 880,000 bricks.

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Carl’s Jr. new master franchise plans 27 new stores this year

Inside Retail

Carl’s Jr. will open up to 200 restaurants over the next 10 years in Australia under a new master franchise agreement. The burger brand’s parent company CKE Restaurants Holdings has signed an agreement with CJ’s QSR (Franchise) Group, which will now oversee expansion of the US brand across the country. Since introducing Carl’s Jr. to Australia in 2016 in Bateau Bay, New South Wales, the brand has grown to nearly 30 restaurants throughout Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and NSW under separa

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eCommerce in 2025: How Customer Experience Drives Online Retail Success

Speaker: Jennifer Wright and Nick Barron

2025 is right around the corner, and with it comes a new wave of consumer expectations, competitive pressures, and operational challenges. Success lies in finding the balance between operational flexibility and creating experiences that keep customers coming back. The future of retail belongs to those who can stay ahead of shifting customer preferences and marketing trends. 🔮 In this session, we’ll dive deep into what it takes to keep customers engaged and your operations nimble, no matt

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Small Business and the Importance of Simplified Email Security

Cisco Retail

Cisco Secure Email Cloud Mailbox was built with one guiding principle – simplicity. Of course, it’s easy for us to talk about the benefits of our cloud-native email security product and how easy it is to use. But don’t just take it from us! Every day, our customers are reaping the benefits of enhanced email security, which in turn increases productivity, profitability, and overall organizational functionality.

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General Mills expands its enhanced shared parental leave and other benefits

Retail Times

General Mills, the global food company, today announces changes to its UK and Ireland employee benefits plan designed to support families facing life-changing events such as childbirth, adoption and pregnancy loss.

Planning 140
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Ecommerce is Crowned King: Strategies for Keeping Pace with the New Reign

Retail TouchPoints

Online shopping is now the official king of retail. On average, ecommerce sales grew 32.4% year-over-year in 2020, with some retailers — such as Best Buy and Target — experiencing more than 100% growth. This massive shift to digital has forced retailers to rethink how they do business, communicate with their customers, and find creative ways to stay ahead in the evolving retail landscape.

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Welcome to Country: Australia’s first Indigenous marketplace takes off

Inside Retail

Australia’s first Indigenous-led online marketplace Welcome to Country is anticipating a boost in sales this week, as lockdowns across the country coincide with a social media competition to raise awareness in the leadup to NAIDOC Week. Like many online retailers, Welcome to Country is benefiting from the ‘cocooning’ trend, where spending on furniture and homewares spikes as people are forced to spend more time at home due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Fashion 246
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Is Your Brand AI-Ready? Find Out with Orium’s Maturity Model

Generative AI is reshaping retail, but achieving true AI success isn’t simple. Many brands face hurdles—underdeveloped data strategies, limited AI-ready infrastructure, or lack of seamless integration across systems. As you explore how AI can boost efficiency and transform customer experiences, understanding your business’s readiness is key. Orium's Data & AI Maturity Model offers a clear starting point.

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Women Rock-IT, or Rock-ET? Australian rocket scientist connects Earth’s framework from space

Cisco Retail

Flavia Tata Nardini, CEO of Fleet Space and Mission Chair of the Seven Sisters Moon Mission. This blog post comes from Flavia Tata Nardini, an Australian-based rocket scientist, CEO of Fleet Space, and the Mission Chair of the Seven Sisters Moon Mission, who has launched six nanosatellites into Low Earth Orbit to help power the Internet of Things. Learn how Flavia uses her STEM knowledge in space at Cisco’s upcoming Women Rock-IT broadcast on July 15th.

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Bed Bath & Beyond sales up 50% as consumers continue investing in homes

Retail Dive

Even as the country begins to show signs of recovery from the pandemic, the retailer's momentum isn't slowing, spurring it to raise its full-year outlook.

Consumer 137
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Timberland Launches Upcycling Program to Extend its Products’ Lifecycles

Retail TouchPoints

Timberland will launch ReCircled, a recycling and upcycling program that will fuel the retailer’s circular design and development cycle. The initiative is a major step in Timberland’s goal of having a net positive impact on nature by 2030, through reuse and promotion of regenerative farming practices. Starting in August 2021, ReCircled will let U.S. customers return any Timberland footwear, apparel or accessory to a Timberland store to either be repaired or refurbished.

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How Malaysian department store Pavilion is connecting with customers

Inside Retail

The retail industry in Malaysia has struggled during Covid, but shopping centre Pavilion in Kuala Lumpur has continued to find a way to reach consumers. Here, we chat with CEO of retail, Dato’ Joyce Yap, about the future of malls and how sector have evolved in the past year. Inside Retail: Malaysian retail has been reported to be at an all-time low.

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How to Maximize Amazon Sales and Crush the Competition

With over 9 million sellers on Amazon, online marketplaces are more crowded than ever. Whether you’re looking to fine-tune prices in real-time or align strategies across channels, this guide provides the tools to understand how to maximize sales and secure a lasting competitive edge. Download now to transform your pricing strategy and drive holiday success.

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Integration with Chuck Norris and Meraki APIs – Getting Started with ChatOps, Part 4

Cisco Retail

Two weeks ago we had our bot extract all message details and answer back to us. Today we’ll focus on how we can integrate it with a different API. Let’s review what we have learned until now in this blog series on ChatOps : How to configure a webhook to have Webex notify our bot logic about new messages. How to retrieve all details about a new message, including its text content.

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Coca-Cola ends use of non-recycled plastic in on-the-go bottles

Talking Retail

Coca-Cola Great Britain (GB) is now using 100% recycled plastic for its entire range of on-the-go bottles, in partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP). The move means that all plastic bottles of 500ml or less are to be made with 100% recycled plastic and will continue to be fully recyclable. The first 100% recycled 500ml bottles will start appearing on shelves from September.

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‘We are in the Business of Emotions, Not Transactions’: Exclusive Q&A with Neiman Marcus Group CTO Bob Kupbens

Retail TouchPoints

As the department store sector aims to reinvent itself for retail’s digital age, iconic retailer Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) is investing rapidly in technologies that will elevate its integrated luxury retail strategy across all channels. Responding to its customers’ desire for a more enhanced, elevated and personalized luxury experience, NMG announced plans to invest more than a half-billion dollars in digital technology over the next three years , through acquisitions like its recent purchase of

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How historic Japanese retailer Takashimaya is staying ahead of the times

Inside Retail

From using non-toxic paint in stores to digitising documents to avoid paper waste, more businesses are taking steps to make their physical operations more sustainable. That includes the Japanese department store chain Takashimaya. While its bold approach to sustainable store design entails high upfront costs, it will lead to long-term benefits in the future.

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Pricing for Profit: How to Set, Negotiate, and Succeed

Speaker: Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader

In today’s competitive market, pricing is more than just a number — it’s the cornerstone of profitability. The right pricing strategy ensures that you capture the true value of your offering, paving the way for sustainable growth and long-term success. Join Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader, in this exclusive session where he will explore how a well-crafted pricing approach balances customer perception with business objectives, creating a powerful tool for securing both competitive advantage a