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Hello and welcome back! We hope our US readers enjoyed a nice Fourth of July holiday week!
While we’ve heard a little less recently about virtual restaurants, we are hearing more about virtual stores. An article this week in ModernRetail suggested that they are a trend this summer that’s “part of retailers’ ongoing attempt to bring the fun of in-store shopping into e-commerce.” And while we do understand some of the benefits, like being able to better track shopper behavior, we don’t see this as more than a trend. Yes, creating a dynamic online shopping experience is important, but a virtual store just might be a bit too “bright shiny object”. So what are some alternate ways to experiment? Find ways to drive true customer value, like making stores (or better yet, your whole property) searchable. Create options for a pick-up or drop-off method of your choice. We’ve got a slew of other suggestions that we’d love to talk through with you – let’s chat!
This week we also caught up on how Amazon plans to leverage third parties for both deliveries and returns, what to expect for back-to-school season (yes, already!) and where you can expect to get vitamins delivered by drone. You can find us over on just LinkedIn for now…if you know, you know…
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TikTok could soon bring its new e-commerce store to the US [TechCrunch] TikTok could be launching an online retail store in the U.S. as early as next month. The in-app shopping section would feature TikTok’s own line of products — supplied by manufacturers in China — allowing the company to compete directly with Amazon, Shein, Temu and other major e-commerce platforms.
Relex Solutions debuts AI tool for retailers [GroceryDive] Relex Solutions is adding an AI tool to its offerings, creating an easier way for customers to access information about the company’s products and help teams work together more smoothly. The supply chain and retail optimization company is using the AI models that built ChatGPT to create Relex-GPT, a focused and secure AI program with access to Relex’s entire knowledge base.
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All Staples locations to accept Amazon returns [RetailDive] After first piloting the program at the end of last year, all Staples locations will now accept Amazon returns as of July 31. Nearly half of Staples’ almost 1,000 stores currently accept Amazon returns. Eligible unpackaged, unlabeled Amazon items can be dropped off at the full-service shipping area inside Staples stores.
Virtual stores are the experimental concept of the summer [ModernRetail] Retailers are increasingly taking elements of the in-store shopping experience into the digital space. Earlier this month, J.Crew launched an immersive virtual beach house store. Beauty brand Elizabeth Arden unveiled its new virtual store in May. That same month, K-beauty brand Laneige also launched its first virtual store, which features five virtual rooms and an interactive lab where shoppers can learn about the ingredients used in its products.
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Micro & Last Mile Fulfillment
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Amazon wants package delivery help from thousands of small businesses [RetailDive] Amazon aims to have more than 2,500 small businesses, ranging from florists to plumbers, deliver packages for it by the end of 2023. Partners with the company’s “Hub Delivery” program commit to delivering 20 to 50 packages daily for Amazon customers in their area, using their own staff and vehicles.
UPS’ chances of averting a strike are shrinking. How should shippers prepare for the worst? [SupplyChainDive] The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is escalating its rhetoric against UPS as the two sides attempt to reach a tentative labor agreement ahead of the expiration of their current five-year national contract on July 31. Economic terms like pay and benefits remain roadblocks in talks, and the Teamsters say they will strike Aug. 1 if a deal isn’t in place by then.
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ShipBob Taps Former Amazon Exec, Takes E-Commerce Services to Stores [The Wall Street Journal] E-commerce fulfillment provider ShipBob is extending its services from warehouses into stores as its retail customers look to fill more online orders from their existing outlets. The company named former Amazon.com logistics executive Melissa Nick as its first chief supply chain officer to spearhead an effort aimed at joining a push by retailers to make more use of physical stores to improve profit margins for online sales.
GNC Launching Drone Delivery Service [StoreBrands] GNC is testing an expansion of its delivery services with the launch of delivery by drone in select markets across the U.S. Teaming with Zipline, which touts itself as the world’s largest autonomous delivery system, the retailer will offer drone delivery this summer in Salt Lake City.
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Restaurants & Ghost Kitchens
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Deloitte Study Underscores the ‘Takeover of Takeout’ [FoodOnDemand] The new findings are from Deloitte’s latest restaurant report, “The Future of Restaurants: The New Normal and Beyond.” It surveyed 750 customers during March 2023, with two themes emerging: customers love the convenience of takeout and delivery and, when dining inside, the importance of a “frictionless digital experience” is paramount.
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The disappearing act of foodservice technology [Nation’s Restaurant News] As restaurant operators have become more tech savvy, the conversations around technology must-haves have mainly focused on consumer-facing products — from debates around kiosks and QR codes to whether a brand needs a digital rewards program. But operators are starting to wake up to the value of “invisible technology” that customers don’t see.
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Back-to-school spending to rise 15.7% this year: JLL [RetailDive] With ongoing inflation woes, parents plan to spend 15.7% more this year compared to last year’s back-to-school season, according to a new JLL back-to-school survey of more than 1,000 parents of school-aged kids. According to the report, more than half (55.2%) of parents plan to spend more money this year, in part to accommodate higher prices.
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The Inform Act just took effect — here’s how it aims to target organized retail theft [CNBC] The Inform Act, a bipartisan bill, requires online marketplaces to disclose and verify the identity of its sellers to deter the sale of stolen, counterfeit or harmful products. The bill came after retailers and trade groups lobbied Congress and blamed online marketplaces, such as eBay and Amazon, for what they called a surge in retail theft.
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Kim Kardashian’s Skims Is Opening Its First Stores Next Year [BNN Bloomberg] Executives are looking to open at least four stores next year and speed up expansion once those are in place. They’re considering placing shops in domestic markets that attract regional tourism, including Dallas, Atlanta and Miami.
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