Digital Innovation

Merchants and brands say they’re entering the metaverse by releasing non-fungible token (NFT) projects or buying land in virtual worlds like The Sandbox and Decentraland. The reality is neither brands nor NFT owners are in the metaverse because it hasn’t been built. They're exploring digital worlds, sure, but we can't have multiple "metaverses." And as…

On Tuesday, Whole Foods opened its first store that allows customers to skip the register entirely. The store, located in Washington, D.C., uses Amazon.com's "Just Walk Out" technology. (Whole Foods is owned by Amazon.) Customers scan their Whole Foods app, credit card or Amazon app when they enter; sensors and cameras detect what items the customer…

The past two years have seen a monumental shift in how businesses function, especially small to midsized businesses (SMBs). At the onslaught of the pandemic, many SMBs struggled to stay afloat. However, the quick adoption of digital e-commerce platforms enabled many to achieve agility and resilience amid challenging times. Today, SMBs are poised for growth…

If there’s one major takeaway from last week's National Retail Federation's (NRF) Big Show, it’s that the accelerated evolution of the retail industry and shift to digital channels isn’t letting up anytime soon. NRF announced that e-commerce spending was up 11.3 percent during the 2021 holiday season, providing further evidence that online shopping continues to grow…

Walmart appears to be venturing into the metaverse with plans to create its own cryptocurrency and collection of non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, reports CNBC. The big-box retailer filed seven new trademarks late last month that indicate its intent to make and sell virtual goods, including electronics, home decorations, toys, sporting goods and personal care products.…

Nike announced that it bought virtual sneaker company RTFKT for an undisclosed sum, as the sportswear giant looks to quickly expand its footprint in the fast-growing “metaverse,” reports CNBC. Formed in 2020, RTFKT also makes NFT collectibles and memes. The virtual products and experiences company uses technologies like augmented reality, blockchain authentication, NFTs and game…

In this episode of Total Retail Tech Insights, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Seb Reeve, director of market strategy at Nuance Communications, a speech recognition and artificial intelligence software company. Reeve discusses a few highlights from a recently released report by Nuance in conjunction with Total Retail, "How Retailers Can Leverage AI for Superior Digital CX," and how…

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, in-home eating demand surged. On cue, PepsiCo launched two direct-to-consumer websites — PantryShop.com and Snacks.com — to meet the shift in demand enabling buyers to order PepsiCo and Frito Lay products directly from the company. This feat was accomplished in barely four weeks with a minimalistic site design and a…

Experience maturity is about how sophisticated, consistent and connected your customer experiences are as a whole. It’s centered around your organizational structure and how rapidly you can affect changes and updates to those experiences. If your organization is “experience mature,” it's offering distinct omnichannel experiences that are tailored and as regular as you want them…

The 2020 holiday shopping season challenged retailers more than any previous peak season. As safety-conscious consumers cautiously flocked to previously less utilized methods that included online shopping; buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS); curbside pickup; home delivery; and more for their seasonal gift-giving needs, retailers had to adapt quickly and scale these capabilities to meet…