Shopify Challenges Square | Smartphones Boost Yoox Net-a-Porter Earnings | Uniqlo Rolls Out Fashion Vending Machines

Paytm, India's biggest mobile payments player, is adding chat functionality — and, as such, competing directly with WhatsApp — the nation's largest chat app. But it's not about taking on WhatsApp, says Paytm, so much as about taking a page from WeChat's book and offering more complete commerce functions. And with its 40 percent stake in it, perhaps even creating an Alipay/Ant Financial version of it. Read More...

Shopping malls are undergoing an evolution much like the rest of the retail industry. In this piece, we explore what's currently happening to these expansive buildings that are starting to lose department stores and how retailers are planning to stay afloat. Read More...

Retailers Seek AI Boost

As eCommerce moves forward and society becomes more used to using voice-activated devices like Alexa and Siri, retailers are starting to look to these AI-powered voice assistants for enhancing the customer service experience. In today's Voice Activated Tracker, we explore research in this area, along with how it may affect the retail industry. Read More...