Technology

Join John Lawson as he runs through 15 ways to acquire news customers in 30 minutes.

Tory Burch and Fitbit are merging fashion and fitness. Burch has designed a collection of accessories for the fitness tracker, including a brass pendant necklace and a brass-metal hinged bracelet, both of which feature Burch's signature open-fretwork design, as well as a silicone bracelet in the brand's signature colors and prints. "Wearable technology is an exciting new category, and we're [pleased] to be partnering with Fitbit to offer a unique collection of accessories that transform the fitness tracker into a stylish piece of jewelry that's versatile enough to go from day to evening," Burch told Women's Wear Daily.

The connected home space is getting crowded with Staples Connect, the newest platform looking to simplify peoples’ lives by putting them in constant contact with their home or business. Staples plans to roll out its Staples Connect home automation platform to 500 stores and will offer lower prices on the Connect Hub and feature new wearable products and support from some big technology names. Staples Connect was introduced in the fall of 2013 in select stores and online as a home and office automation platform, competing with Google's Nest, Lowe's Iris system and Home Depot's new Wink platform.

By October 2015, U.S. credit card networks and merchants will adopt EMV payment systems and point-of-sales technology. EMV chip technology, named after its creators — Europay, MasterCard and Visa — will replace the dated magnetic stripe technology currently on major credit and debit cards in favor of tiny computer chips. With the deadline looming for merchants to update their card readers to be compatible with EMV payment technology, it's critical for retailers and card providers to understand the implications of the change.

A Target staffer explained the reason for the delays and offered cookies to customers waiting in line to check out at the downtown Minneapolis Target store Sunday night. Target confirmed Sunday night that a "glitch" in its system had caused delays at registers at some of its U.S. stores, but added that it's not in any way related to a data security issue or a hacker. Customers around the country took to social media Sunday night reporting long checkout lines due to ­registers not working. Target didn't elaborate on the exact problem or problems. 

It's a question retailers everywhere are grappling with: How do they get shoppers to turn off their computers and back into the store? Lowe's thinks it may have found the answer: give them something they can't get online. The home improvement retailer announced on Wednesday that it will transform the in-store experience by building a 30x30 virtual reality room that enables customers to view a 3-D representation of their renovation projects before they start with demolition. The proprietary technology, developed in partnership with SciFutures technology firm, starts by letting shoppers design their ideal room on one of the store's iPads.

RadioShack has entered the smartphone and tablet repair business. The Fort Worth-based retailer thinks it can increase traffic to its stores by becoming the first national chain to provide in-store, same-day service on popular mobile devices. Some repairs will be done in an hour or even while a customer waits. "Fix It Here!" stations have been added to more than 284 company and franchise stores as part of a pilot program. Results are encouraging enough to expand it to 700 stores by year-end, said CEO Joe Magnacca.

Sears has unveiled Connected Solutions powered by Shop Your Way — experiential shops that bring together an assortment of smart, connected home and personal automation products. "With a presence in more than 13 million homes annually, dominance across the appliance, fitness and tools categories, and knowledgeable associates, Sears is uniquely positioned to lead this category," said Jim Pearse, vice president of consumer electronics for Sears Holdings. "We're presenting products ‘up and running,’ enabling our customers and Shop Your Way members to discover and learn how they connect, work and fit into their daily lives."

Leveraging mobility and new digital technologies is a smart move for the retail industry, especially as it seeks to engage younger consumers accustomed to using mobile devices to communicate, browse and play. But as with any new endeavor, retailers should proceed with caution and pay heed to the following:

Every retailer from small local boutiques to global superpowers has tried to keep up with the exploding demand for shopping online. However, in the past year, retailers and brands are understanding more and more the need to deliver a memorable in-store experience that elevates shopping to an activity in itself while strengthening the relationship between the consumer and the brand. This experience is integral in turning shoppers into customers that will stay loyal to your brand no matter what new channels technology may bring.