ICYMI AND WHAT WE ARE READING – June 2022
- Juanita Neville-Te Rito
- Jun 21, 2022
- 3 min read
We make it easy for you to keep up to date with what's happening in the world of retail. Check out what we are reading this month and why.
Retailers grapple with e-commerce’s drag on profits: report
Pure-play e-retailers are twice as likely as brick-and-mortar retailers to report that they’re unprofitable (44% versus 20%) and are nearly twice as likely to say they are struggling to make the investments necessary to improve profitability (69% versus 39%), according to a survey of global retail leaders conducted by Ipsos for Publicis Sapient and Salesforce.
How Apple's entry into buy now, pay later could impact the competition
Apple is officially launching Apple Pay Later as part of the iOS 16 Apple Wallet update. The Apple Pay Later model is similar to existing services such as Afterpay and Klarna which have been credited with helping brands grow significantly. Key players have scaled back or experienced a slowdown in growth as the market becomes more saturated – it will be interesting to see how Apple’s entry will impact the market.
Taco Bell Defy
Brooklyn Park is now home to Taco Bell defy where they have re-imagined the typical drive-through experience. Previous one-window models are known to cause queues during busy lunch rushes as cars funnel through. This store however, has four drive-through lanes. Customers place their order at a kiosk and their order comes to them via a vertical lift system with the entire process only taking only 2 minutes.
First look at Amazon’s first ever physical store – Amazon Style
Dedicated to apparel and accessories – Amazon Style sells a range of brands from Calvin Klein to Levi’s as well as brands that have never been in a physical store before such as Amazon Essentials and Amazon Aware. This store seamlessly blends technology into the shopping experience with machine learning to help customers find clothes and personalize recommendations as well as QR codes so customers can find out what is currently on sale. Shoppers can use the Amazon Shopping App to scan items into a fitting room or send to the counter to purchase.
H&M tests smart mirrors at COS stores in a bid for a more personalized experience
Smart mirrors will be located in fitting rooms as well as on shop floors. These mirrors can identify customers’ products, including size and colour as well as provide personalised product styling recommendations. The smart mirrors on the sales floor enable virtual try-on and styling as well as new checkout, delivery and returns.
Could Zara’s decision to charge a fee for returns to drop-off points create a domino effect across the industry?
A McKinsey & Co study highlighted that identifying the root cause of returns as one of the first steps retailers must take to reduce returns. However other studies indicate that 7 in 10 retailers do not have a good understanding of the root cause of their returns.Retailers can’t (and shouldn’t) eliminate returns, but they can (and must) reduce them: improve internal processes to reduce the operational anomalies and errors that lead to preventable returns, and offer shoppers a best-in-class returns experience.A bold move or just what the industry needed?
A report details those Aussie retailers using biometric facial scanning on customer store entry
We aren’t entirely sure that Choice’s characterisation of the use of this technology is entirely accurate but check out who is using this technology to capture customers’ biometric data.
What we are reading
I found the article’s reading roundup interesting because it brings together ideas from different industries and encourages people to keep learning from a wide range of perspectives. When I was trying to understand insurance and personal finance topics alongside my studies, I spent time researching liability car insurance airport freeway to learn how coverage decisions affect everyday costs and protection. It reminded me that staying curious and learning from different sources helps build better knowledge and decision making over time.
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This is a well-curated and insightful roundup that captures how quickly the retail landscape is evolving. From the profitability challenges in e-commerce to innovations like smart mirrors and cashier-less experiences, it really highlights how technology continues to reshape both operations and customer expectations.
What stands out is the balance between innovation and the underlying operational challenges—such as returns management and profitability pressures—which are critical areas for leadership to address. It shows that while new technologies create opportunities, they also demand more strategic decision-making and adaptability from leaders.
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I really enjoyed reading this post because it perfectly captures the changes happening across industries and how businesses are rethinking strategies to keep up with new challenges. The insights about innovation and adaptability really stood out — they’re so relevant for anyone studying or working in human resources today. It reminds me how useful it is to look at real company examples when working on human resources assignment examples, as they show how theory truly applies in practice. Posts like this not only broaden our understanding of current trends but also inspire new ways to approach learning and professional growth. Thanks for sharing such an informative read that connects academic thinking with what’s actually happening in the workplace. For those…
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