Zales Sparkles with New Store Concept
US jewellery retailer Zales has launched a new next-gen store concept – The Edit
What Main Street Can Teach Silicon Valley About Building Loyalty
Andrew Helms, SumUp’s U.S. CEO, argues that Silicon Valley’s focus on rapid growth overlooks the loyalty built through personal trust on Main Street. He highlights how small‑business owners create lasting relationships by remembering customers, offering fair pricing, and showing genuine...
When Heavy Products Make Global Sense
Freight‑right founder Robert Khachatryan argues that heavy, high‑margin products—like commercial fitness equipment or laser welders—can thrive in cross‑border ecommerce despite shipping complexities. By examining visitor geography and freight quotes, merchants can identify overseas demand that justifies freight, duties, and taxes....
Currys Upgrades Payment Tech
UK retailer Currys announced a partnership with payment processor Stripe to overhaul its checkout infrastructure. The integration will replace legacy systems with Stripe's unified payments platform, enabling faster, more secure transactions across online and in‑store channels. Currys expects the upgrade...
New Ecommerce Tools: December 31, 2025
The end‑of‑year roundup spotlights a wave of AI‑enhanced ecommerce solutions, from MobiLoud’s real‑time mobile‑app analytics dashboard to Hosted.com’s upgraded WordPress infrastructure. CPGIO expands its accelerator reach by adding more than 40 retail channels through partnerships with Nordstrom, Chewy, Lowe’s, Faire...
Drugstore Chain Rossmann Taps Diebold Nixdorf for Expansion
European drugstore giant Rossmann has selected its long‑time technology partner Diebold Nixdorf to drive its expansion into Switzerland. The agreement adds comprehensive managed services through Diebold Nixdorf’s eServices portal and new retail hardware, including self‑checkout and POS systems, building on a model...
The True Cost of Device Downtime: How Mobile Failures Damage Customer Loyalty
Retail device downtime is eroding customer loyalty, with 60% of shoppers ready to switch brands after a single bad experience. Half of in‑store mobile endpoints run outdated operating systems, and a quarter cannot be upgraded, exposing retailers to freezes, ransomware...
The Psychology of AI SERPs and Shopping
AI-generated search overviews are reshaping how consumers find information and products. A Pew survey in March 2025 found 58% of U.S. adults saw an AI Overview, and only 8% of them clicked a traditional link, compared with 15% click‑through when...
7 Steps Retail Leaders Can Take to Protect Customer Experience During Peak Seasons
Retail leaders face intense pressure during holiday and promotional spikes, requiring precise demand forecasting and flexible staffing. Updating knowledge bases, creating real‑time command centers, and stress‑testing systems ensure agents can respond quickly and accurately. Automation—through AI routing, chatbots, and CRM...
New Books: Swiftynomics, UX Skills, More
The newest business titles spotlight a shift toward people‑centric strategies, from Misty L. Heggeness’s *Swiftynomics* highlighting women’s economic power to B. Joseph Pine II’s *The Transformation Economy* urging firms to align with consumer aspirations. Other releases focus on UX‑business alignment, emotional drivers...
How Money Launderers Are Exploiting E-Commerce
Online retailers are becoming prime targets for sophisticated money‑laundering schemes that exploit refund processes, third‑party marketplace sellers, and cross‑border payment channels. Criminal networks use these digital pathways to shift illicit proceeds quickly, sidestepping traditional banking oversight. The rise of platform‑based...
Walmart Expands Drone Delivery
Walmart has expanded its use of drone delivery in the US with tech partner Wing
Walmart Switches to Nasdaq
After decades on the NYSE, retail behemoth Walmart has debuted on the Nasdaq stock market
Holiday Shoppers Tapping Mobile Device to Buy, Desktop for Returns
Adobe’s holiday shopping data shows mobile devices accounted for 52.4% of online spend between Nov 1 and Dec 12, while desktops handled the majority of returns. Overall returns fell 2.5% YoY, but are projected to jump 25‑35% after Christmas. Consumers have already...
Goodwill Central Texas Pilots ReNu to Transform Operations, Employee Experience
Goodwill Central Texas has rolled out ReNu, an in‑house production platform that replaces its legacy POS system and adds AI‑driven dynamic pricing and channel optimization. The pilot, active in six stores, automates item valuation and directs inventory to the most...
Why Calls Still Matter in Retail
Retail businesses increasingly rely on phone calls to convert leads and gather actionable data. Implementing IVR, AI call agents, call‑tracking analytics, and predictive modeling creates a data‑driven, omnichannel experience that shortens queues, personalizes interactions, and filters low‑quality calls. Coordinating these...