Source: paymentfacilitator.com

The CDO role is changing dramatically. Here are the skills today’s world demands. A McKinsey & Company article.

Source: www.mckinsey.com

Good article from McKinsey trying to outline the Chief Digital Officer.  Does a good job of it.  The relationship angle is very important. Thanks to Alex Richardson!

To contend with the rise of online shopping, brick and mortar stores have been using digital technology to create greater in-store experiences.

Source: www.examiner.com

Excerpt: Augmented reality allows the customer to virtually try on clothes: Many retailers have unlocked the potential of augmented reality in recent years. The technology overlays virtual information onto the real world using smartphones or tablets. It has the ability to bring an image, label or display to life meaning customers can engage with stock on an entirely new level.

For example, Topshop have created augmented reality fitting rooms to enhance the shopping experience by allowing shoppers to try on clothes virtually without having to undress. The built-in camera tracks a person’s body and superimposes a 3D model of the garment on the customer.

From the retailers side, exhibition stand providers Skyline Whitespace have pointed out that augmented reality can also be used to analyse consumer behaviour. Any device that encourages customer engagement has the potential to gain valuable data. This data in turn can be used in future marketing campaigns and to refine advertising.

Interactive OOH advertising engages the senses: Out Of Home (OOH) advertising refers to ads that reach consumers while they are, unsurprisingly, outside the home such as posters and billboards. OOH is often regarded as the most effective method of marketing. Research from the Outdoor Media Centre found that 88% of shoppers notice outdoor ads and 72% can be tempted into buying the product or service advertised.

OOH advertising is becoming increasingly interactive as more focus is placed on customer engagement. 44% of UK adults think that digital poster screens that allow them to “click and collect purchase” would be useful to retailers. This has led some to wonder whether we could see fast food drive-through windows replaced by interactive posters and Amazon order screens on the high street.

Food manufacturer McCain installed bus shelter posters that featured 3-D fibreglass baked potatoes. The potatoes heated up and emitted the scent of cooking potatoes with the press of a button. Having grabbed the attention of those waiting at the bus shelter, the posters dispensed coupons to buy the product at discount price.

Outdoor marketing is also moving away from the traditional poster. Creative production agency REWIND created an interactive vending machine after being asked by Holiday Autos to capture the essence of summer. The vending machine was re-coded and filled with bottles of summer-related scents. A credit-based payment system was developed which allowed consumers to tweet the machine to gain usable currency.

Beacons alert customers to promotional offers: Beacons work by sending small packets of data to smartphones via Bluetooth. They can be used to trigger things like push messages, app actions, and prompts. Originally used to alert customers to discounts within a store, beacons are becoming more versatile in the ways they can enrich customer experience. Take for example a new customer who is unfamiliar with the layout of a store. Shoppers can download the shop’s app, enable beacons and discover where to find particular items via beacon information sent to their mobile device.

Fashion magazine Elle is at the forefront of retail beacon technology. It displays a selection of their “top picks” as selected by their editors on mobile apps. A consumer who uses the app gets a push notification if they are within distance of a store that stocks one of the top picks. If the customer opens the notification and goes to the store, they receive another notification with a promotional offer.

Smart shelves prevent stock from running out: Finding that a product is sold out is one of the most frustrating occurrences for both the consumer and retailer. Out-of-stock shelves cost retailers 4% of their annual revenue. This is why many stores, particularly supermarkets, are turning to smart shelf technology.

With smart shelves retailers can monitor inventory in real time using embedded sensors. Employees are alerted when stock is running low or when a theft has been detected. Product prices also change according to promotions, ensuring accurate pricing for customers and saving time for employees who are no longer required to reprice various items.

13-year-old Alex Thorne is the chief play officer for Toys R Us Canada. He joined Melissa Lee on “Fast Money” to present the hottest toys of season.

Source: www.cnbc.com

On Dec. 31, after a successful three-year tenure, Alex Thorne will call it quits at Toys R Us. But he won’t be cashing in his 401K to buy a condo in Boca; he’ll be trying out for a starring role in his school play.

That’s because Thorne has aged out of the position of “chief play officer” at the Canadian division of the company that was purchased for $6.6 billion as part of an LBO in 2005.

Now, it’s time for the 13-year-old to “retire” and hand over the reins to the coolest job on the planet.

MALAGA, Spain — The European Vending Association reports that the first staging of its EVEX event achieved its objectives of highlighting the value of the vending industry to the public and the European authorities.

Source: www.vendingtimes.com

Elected as a representative of the machine manufacturer segment is Paolo Ghidotti, N&W Global Vending. Jeff Alsop of Crane Payment Innovations is chosen as a representative of the Payment Systems and Vending Solutions segment, and Lavazza’s Sergio Telesco is elected from the Ingredient Suppliers category. 

ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – According to UPS Monday is the busiest shipping day of the year. Which means those packages will soon be arriving at your doorstep. Twenty-three million Americans have had packages stolen, according to a new report by Princeton Survey Research Association.

Source: fox2now.com

Access Points allow customers to pick up packages at 8,000 locations nationwide.  UPS officials predict the busiest deliver day of the year will be December 22nd.  They are scheduled to deliver about 36 million packages, which is one million more than last year.

Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) today released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a food concessionaire in the kiosk at the entrance of Pier 1. BBP is seeking inventive and creative proposals from quality operators with solid backgrounds in the food service industry. BBP’s intention is for the concession to complement the ambience and aesthetic of the park and surrounding area while providing a convenient service to the public

Source: www.brooklynbridgepark.org

Through this RFP process, BBP hopes to capture the diversity and originality of local fare by featuring a fresh and original concession at Pier 1. The site is noteworthy for its past success in a neighborhood defined by robust culinary offerings. With nearby restaurants including longtime favorites, respected institutions, and groundbreaking newcomers, concessions at Brooklyn Bridge Park have distinguished it as a prominent contributor to the area’s food culture.

Responses to the RFP will be evaluated on the basis of their fee offer, operating experience, proposed capital investment and design, planned operations and financial capability. BBP will look favorably upon responses that include environmentally friendly practices and an awareness of the role of the concession as an integral part of the surrounding community.

There will be an informational session and site tour at 11:00am on December 18, 2015. Responses to the RFP must be submitted to BBP by 3:00pm on January 5, 2016. For more information, please visit our Business Opportunities page.

Twenty-three million Americans have had packages stolen, according to a new report by Princeton Survey Research Association. Just this week, police in southwest suburban Riverside issued an alert about package thefts. How can you outsmart the thieves?

Source: abc7chicago.com

All types of mobile apps. An app called Doorman is also available in Chicago. There are some free options, too, such as the Amazon lock boxes popping up at area 7-Elevens and other stores. You can also get your packages delivered directly to FedEx or UPS stores.

UPS also just launched another, new free service: UPS Access Point. Customers can pick up packages at 8,000 locations nationwide.

“It is really convenient that I can personally pick it up and not risk anyone stealing it,” Allison Poteet said.

Daffodils flower shop in Bucktown is one of those locations.

Avanti Markets held its fourth annual Operator Meeting in San Antonio, TX on December 1st through the 3rd. This year’s meeting achieved new attendance records from the previous year with over 230 attendees throughout the two-day conference. 

Source: www.vendingmarketwatch.com

The big news was Avanti announced a new program that offers a Lifetime Guarantee for all kiosks. Jim Brinton, CEO stated “I have always said that as Avanti reaches some scale we would be giving back to those Operators that have helped us reach those milestones.  I feel that one of the biggest concerns for Operators has been not knowing the lifespan of a Kiosk since this equipment is new to them, and what those unknown costs would be to maintain or replace that Kiosk.  A lifetime warrantee just removed that question and certainly will let our Operator family sleep better at night,” 

The meeting ended with a raffle of equipment sponsored by vendors of Avanti Markets. One of the most exciting items was an Executive Kiosk that was sponsored by Slabb Kiosks, Inc. Other vendors that donated items for the raffle were MEI Group, Genesis Décor, Minus Forty Technologies, Mobile Merchandiser, and Premier Wireless. Each year the meeting concludes with awards handed out to operators to recognize individuals for specific categories. The Awards and honorary winners are as follows Coffee Spotlight Recognition awarded to PGI Services/Specialized Markets; Micro Market Legislative Advocate awarded to both Advantage Food & Beverage and Continental Vending; New 2015 Operator Spotlight awarded to Jackson Brothers of the South; Operator of the Year awarded to Continental Services; Growth Performer of the Year awarded to Monumental Vending; Customer Appreciation awarded to Canteen of Coastal California.  “We want to thank all of our operators and suppliers for their continued support in making our annual meeting a success to all that attended,” said Brinton. 

Chip and PIN was designed to prevent fraud, but it also created a new opportunity for criminals that is taking retailers by surprise. Known as “forced authorisation”, committing the fraud requires no special equipment and when it works, it works big: in one transaction a jewellers store lost £20,500. 

Source: www.benthamsgaze.org

This type of fraud is already a problem in the UK, and now that US retailers have made it through the first Black Friday since the Chip and PIN deadline, criminals there will be looking into what new fraud techniques are available.