CIO Mike McNamara explains why “less is more in tech” at Retail’s BIG Show.

Source: nrf.com

ex-Tesco now Target CIO gives 30 minute talk on technology and what works (and what doesn’t)

A Nike Store in Paris unveiled a new in-store machine which allows customers to test custom colors on sneakers using augmented reality.

Source: www.digitaltrends.com

Accenture said that the company replaced 17,000 jobs with automation, streamlining processes and boosting productivity without laying off a single employee.

Source: thestack.com

Samsung, an innovative leader in consumer electronics, mobile devices and enterprise solutions, has rolled out a 200-retail location endless aisle pro

Source: www.businesswire.com

The project is a win-win for Samsung and the third-party retailers as these retailers are able to transact through their own point-of-sale system which increases their bottom line.

Red Stag Fulfillment explains how Artificial Intelligence is altering how ecommerce stores & fulfillment warehouses operate to engage with customers!

Source: redstagfulfillment.com

Interesting infographic on AI in retail and more.

As concerns over a rise in express package thefts, FedEx and Walgreens pharmacies have inked a long-term deal to install 8,000 secure pickup/dropoff locations

Source: aircargoworld.com

An interesting dynamic of the shift to e-commerce has been a transfer of responsibility for package security, away from the retailer in the direction of the customer. Last-mile delivery companies have struggled with security issues as volumes have surged. A report from insuranceQuotes.com found that an estimated 23 million Americans had packages stolen from their homes in 2015.

In countries such as the U.K., regulations are stricter in an effort to head off these kinds of risks.

“Our research has shown that customers rank pharmacies as a preferred location for accessing their e-commerce shipments,” said Raj Subramaniam, executive vice president, chief marketing and communications officer for FedEx Corp. “The addition of Walgreens locations to the existing network of FedEx retail offerings will substantially increase customer access.”

The e-commerce giant just touted 100,000 new jobs, but it thrives on increasing automation wherever possible. Maybe there’s a local fix.

Source: www.fastcompany.com

Amazon will create 100,000 full-time jobs in the United States with full benefits over the next 18 months, the tech giant announced in a statement Thursday.

The company says the positions are for workers across the country and across all skill and experience levels. Most of the positions will be at fulfillment centers, including new ones under construction in California, Florida, New Jersey and Texas.

“Innovation is one of our guiding principles at Amazon, and it’s created hundreds of thousands of American jobs,” said Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos in a statement. “These jobs are not just in our Seattle headquarters or in Silicon Valley—they’re in our customer service network, fulfillment centers and other facilities in local communities throughout the country.”

Source: www.usatoday.com

That darn automation is just taking jobs, oops, I mean making jobs right and left…

MJ Freeway, whose sales and inventory system software is used by marijuana shops across the US, said it was the victim of a targeted cyber-attack.

Source: www.bostonglobe.com

Tracking software for where the marijuana originated will full audit trail went offline.  Someone hacked the servers.