Convenience retailers are seizing on the electric vehicle (EV) charging opportunity to drive sales, as consumers wait around with little to do but shop. Last month, for instance, Texas-based convenience store chain Buc-ee’s, which has nearly 50 locations, announced a strategic agreement with Mercedes-Benz for...
The luxury industry is reportedly facing a slowdown as shoppers sober up after their pandemic spending spree. This slowdown has left luxury brands with a growing pile of unsold stock, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Friday (Dec. 8). Sales across the sector rose by...
J.P. Morgan Payments processed a record number of card-not-present transactions in Europe on both Black Friday (Nov. 24) and Cyber Monday (Nov. 27). The firm processed 18.2 million transactions on Black Friday and 19.6 million on Cyber Monday, Ludovic Houri, co-head of EMEA Payments &...
The rise of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT has thrust generative artificial intelligence (AI) into the driver’s seat of retail technologies, prompting brands across industry subsegments to reassess their strategies. This development follows retailers’ years-long efforts to leverage AI’s earlier iterations to support novel...
Business-to-business (B2B) organizations striving for simplicity and a better customer experience have no shortage of cues for the way things could be improved. Alisa Ellis, VP, Operations Modernization at Discover® Global Network, told Karen Webster that her own network offers up some hints as to...
The FinTech IPO Index found some renewed momentum this past week, gaining 3% over a five-day stretch that saw platforms lead names to the upside. Robinhood shares soared 30.5% in the several sessions since the company, as reported at the end of last month, boosted its...
As Walmart is observing a reduction in customers’ grocery expenses due to the use of appetite-suppressing medications, Amazon is exploring opportunities with third-party grocery providers to enhance its presence in the grocery market. These actions come as both retailers, like everyone else, grapple not only...
New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris has hailed a Thursday (Dec. 7) court decision that upholds the state’s new check cashing regulation announced in January. “Today’s decision is a win for New Yorkers who depend on check cashers to access their money,” Harris said in...
When it comes to Lululemon and its customers, the brand seems to create a retail cult following, leaving many to wonder: What’s the secret sauce that makes these customers so committed to this athleisure temple of sorts? “One of our competitive advantages is our ability...
