Articles by Brianna Ahearn

  1. Zappos Launches First Physical Retail Location 12/1/2014

    In October 2014, Amazon announced it would be opening its first physical retail location in New York City. Now Zappos, an Amazon-owned company, plans to open its own physical location. The company shared the news in an announcement on the Zappos blog, and announced they were launching the shop, The Zappos.com Pop Up Shop Showroom Store in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of a collaboration with ShopWithMe, a technology company that integrates online and in-store experiences with smart POS systems for retailers.

  2. Target Adds In-Store Mapping To App 11/24/2014

    Target shoppers can now navigate through their local store using the app's new indoor mapping capability to find what they need.

  3. Amazon Tests Taxis For Same-Day Delivery 11/17/2014

    Amazon has expanded its delivery options for Prime members in a number of ways in recent months, including adding Sunday delivery for multiple locations as of May 2014. The retailer is constantly looking for ways to get customers' orders shipped quicker. The company is now testing a new way to get same-day orders direct to the consumer's door in a matter of hours, by using taxis, reports The Wall Street Journal. The testing is underway in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

  4. New Survey Emphasizes Brick-And-Mortar's Vital Role 11/14/2014

    A new survey about the future of the brick-and-mortar has revealed interesting data about how the “traditional” retailer will evolve, and what retailers must do to keep up with the ever-changing pace of retail. The survey, administered by EKN, was the Second Annual Future of Stores Benchmark, and was underwritten by HP, Tyco, and Xerox. The end data demonstrated how “in order to provide the expected omni-channel experience to customers, retailers need to re-train the store through four key properties including store design and branding, personalization, omni-channel hub and operations and the intelligent store.”

  5. Amazon To Offer Free Shipping For Other Retailers 11/14/2014

    Amazon Prime members have access to free 2-day shipping with the retailer, but Amazon will soon let customers enjoy free shipping on third-party websites. Technology news outlets such as Re/Code began reporting the offer, and the first store to offer the option, AllSaints. The British clothing retailer will be the pilot store, but more retailers are expected to follow suit.

  6. Mobile App Purchases To Drive Sales This Holiday Season 11/6/2014

    As retail analysts make their predictions for the 2015 holiday shopping season, Artisan Research surveyed 500 mobile app users in September 2014. The group has released their results, and the data indicates to retailers that mobile apps will be a heavy factor in driving consumer product browsing and purchases this holiday season.

  7. Starbucks Explores Delivery Options For Mobile App Orders 11/6/2014

    Coffee retailer Starbucks has already invested in technology to help consumers get their drinks and food efficiently. The company recently announced they're integrating a delivery feature into their existing mobile app, which is currently available for iPhone and Android devices. The option will be available for consumers in 2015. While information on the exact launch date of the delivery feature is unknown at this time, Starbucks has yet to announce what markets will be able to enjoy the service.

  8. GameStop Plans To Use Augmented Reality In-Store 10/17/2014

    GameStop, one of the leading providers in retail games, has launched a new imitative designed to keep shoppers coming into their physical locations. The retailer's digital revenue was over $200 million last year, and downloads are only gaining in popularity. The company is estimated to have an annual revenue of $10.29 billion this year. On October 12, Fortune.com reported GameStop is preparing to take on the digital scene with an innovative way to make shopping at a GameStop location an “experience.”

  9. Macy's Doubles Holiday Workforce, Announces Earliest Black Friday Hours Yet 10/17/2014

    Macy's shoppers will have a chance to get their bargain deals a little earlier this Black Friday. It seems every year retailers announce new hours for Black Friday shopping, and Macy's was the first retailer to state their new earlier hours. This week, Macy's announced consumers can begin shopping on Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. The news was reported by Time.com and other news outlets, and confirmed by the retailer. The Black Friday hours are two hours earlier than the retailer's 2013's Thanksgiving Day opening time of 8 p.m.

  10. Macy's New Point-Of-Purchase Terminals Add To Omni-Channel Fulfillment Strategies 10/16/2014

    Retailer Macy's has implemented several new initiatives to make customers' shopping experiences a bit easier, such as same-day shipping, Macy's Wallet, and a large-scale Shopkick beacon installation. Now Macy's is trying to make it easier for shoppers to browse in their store and make purchases without waiting in a checkout line.