Automated retail is a burgeoning space, with sales growth via many unattended retail devices significantly increasing. However, the industry faces challenges from old machines that haven’t been updated and the deployment of EMV-enabled cards/methods in the U.S. And in coffee retail, Starbucks is amplifying its brand with the Global Coffee Alliance and a...
Social media platforms are aiming to harness their contextual commerce potential. TikTok, which is mostly a destination for users seeking short-form videos, is now looking to better monetize its service. And in restaurant innovation, Domino’s has become a leader in mobile and digital technology as it blazes its own path in the...
Americans are heavy consumers of caffeine, drinking plenty of coffee and soft drinks. Brands such as Phocus, however, are providing consumers with healthier beverage alternatives with options like caffeinated water, available in several flavors without calories or added sweeteners. Phocus can be found in retail locations throughout...
With so much happening on the world stage between Davos and the Lunar New Year, headlines in the U.S. last week might have run the risk of fading into the background. And that would be a shame since the theme of those headlines centered around...
Consumers are using mobile order-ahead for additional purposes beyond ordering and payment, as they tap into apps to search for menu items and coupons. But fraudsters continue to haunt the mobile order-ahead space, which is concerning for restaurants and diners who use mobile apps. The latest digital ordering developments, however,...
Merchants have to participate in eCommerce if they want to maintain relevancy in today’s economy, but their engagement in online transactions also exposes them to new forms of fraud. Legacy security methods such as rules engines cannot keep pace with modern fraudsters, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based behavioral...
Gig workers drive passengers with ridesharing services or conduct tours, comprising a growing segment of workers. Many of their payments, however, are sent through slow or complicated methods. Paper checks are still popular with firms that pay freelancers, even though workers want faster digital payments. And...
Consumers pay a significant amount of money for beauty products, with much of the prices set by middlemen. Function of Beauty, however, aims to create a more functional direct-to-consumer (DTC) model designed to pair shoppers with custom-picked haircare products. And in tech, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)...
Furniture is helping to build a larger retail ecosystem, with the value proposition of Oliver Space centered around providing furnishings, along with design help, to consumers who are moving. The company, for its part, provides furniture to customers in exchange for monthly fees from customers. And in technology rentals,...
