In-Store Technology

Retailer of the Year: Barry Beck, Founder and COO, Bluemercury
October 11, 2017 at 4:02 pm

Since founding Bluemercury 18 years ago with his wife, Marla, Total Retail’s 2017 Retailer of the Year Barry Beck’s leadership has helped the brand become one of the fastest-growing retailers. Under his leadership, Bluemercury has grown to nearly 200 stores (it grew its store count by more than 50 percent in 2016), has operations in more than 30 states, and employs nearly 2,000 people. (Bluemercury was acquired by Macy’s in 2015 for a reported $210 million.) Learn more about Barry Beck in this wide-ranging interview.

Sephora Names Mary Beth Laughton EVP, US Omni Retail
October 11, 2017 at 2:13 pm

Beauty retailer Sephora has promoted Mary Beth Laughton to executive vice president of U.S. omni retail. Previously, Laughton was senior vice president of digital. “Mary Beth is a visionary and strategist with a deep understanding of how customers are evolving,” said Calvin McDonald, chief executive officer and president of Sephora Americas. “During her time at…

Costco Launches Same-Day Grocery Delivery
October 9, 2017 at 11:53 am

Costco announced last week that it's offering customers same-day grocery delivery. On Thursday, the company announced two new delivery options: two-day delivery for dry goods, and same-day delivery for orders that include fresh foods. The same-day service will be powered by grocery delivery company Instacart. The same-day delivery option, available in “most metropolitan areas,” lets…

Speed (or a Lack Thereof) Kills: Why App Performance is a Priority for Target
October 3, 2017 at 1:20 pm

In a session last week at the Shop.org conference in Los Angeles, Grace Glenny, director of site merchandising at Target, discussed how the big-box chain is ensuring its mobile app is primed for performance — without sacrificing functionality — to give its customers the instantaneous shopping experiences they’ve come to expect. Target has recently shifted…

Disney is Using Technology to Bring its Magic to Retail
September 27, 2017 at 2:14 pm

Disney has built its iconic brand on delivering magical experiences to consumers, from its theme parks to its entertainment business (movies, TV shows) to its licensed merchandise. The fourth division of the business, retail, was more challenged in accomplishing this goal. In a keynote presentation yesterday at the Shop.org conference in Los Angeles, Michael White,…

Winning the Personalization Revolution With Machine Learning
September 22, 2017 at 4:58 pm

Imagine this: A shopper walks into an apparel store looking to find the perfect pair of jeans and top for a night on the town. Instead of the shopper stressing over finding the right ensemble without any help, a store associate opens up the customer’s shopping profile on an enterprise mobile device and identifies a…

Digital Signage in Retail
September 20, 2017 at 9:36 am

When retailers have problems with store ad management, communication and displays, digital signage is the answer. Digital signage is a rapidly growing tool used among retailers large and small. This e-book will allow retailers to discover how digital signage draws in customers, represents your brand, and displays memorable ads that drive sales.

Mind the Gap: 4 New Stats to Keep in Mind About Male and Female Shoppers
September 6, 2017 at 12:13 pm

Perhaps to no one’s surprise, women and men approach some aspects of shopping differently. Our recent research uncovers some important distinctions between the two genders that would be useful for retailers as they develop marketing strategies to reach these different demographics. Here’s what 1,500 consumers told us — plus three tips on how retailers should…