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Shopify’s first physical space opening in Los Angeles (BETAKIT)
The new space will act as a hub providing merchants with in-person support, as well as access to events, and workshops aimed at helping them gain new skills and level up their offerings.
DMS Recommends: Microsoft Presents: Digitizing Retail, a Technology Checklist (DIGITALMAINSTREET)
If you run a retail business—like a storefront or shop—this guest post from Microsoft is for you! It identifies some of the activities and technologies that can digitally transform your business to help improve sales, margins, marketing, and more.
Secondhand marketplace letgo expands into video listings (TECHCRUNCH)
Letgo, the secondhand goods marketplace, has launched new features aimed at helping sellers: video listings and automatic pricing suggestions that leverage image recognition and AI technologies.
Waymo strikes new partnership with Walmart, other retailers, to provide rides in self-driving cars to customers (MASHABLE)
Waymo cars will transport customers to Walmart, where they’ll simply pick up their pre-ordered and paid for groceries, and head home via robot chauffeur.
Amazon announces plans to open fulfillment centre in Caledon (BETAKIT)
Amazon’s latest facility is expected to create approximately 800 jobs in the Greater Toronto Area.
Google CEO confirms Target as big cloud customer, continuing retail moves toward AWS competitors (GEEKWIRE)
Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Target “is migrating key areas of its business to the Google Cloud platform.”
The RealReal snags $115M to expand brick-and-mortar (PYMNTS)
The round was led by PWP Growth Equity, with additional participation from new investor Sandbridge Capital and existing investor Great Hill Partners.
How AI and empathy could modernize the role of retail associates (BETAKIT)
“We should work towards using automation and AI to our advantage, but it will start with understanding how they work.”
EBay to accept Apple Pay, offer seller financing through Square (RETAILDIVE)
The Apple Pay announcement comes several months after eBay announced a shift away from its onetime subsidiary PayPal for payment processing and a plan to work with new partner Adyen to manage these processes itself.
Four Ways AI Is Leveling The Retail Playing Field Versus Amazon (FORBES)
Retailers need to identify their specific strengths and weaknesses and implement AI accordingly to engage with customers effectively.
RetargetLinks sole Canadian company accepted to Techstars’ first Asia accelerator
(BETAKIT)
Techstars and Rakuten launched the accelerator to support startups developing technologies in ecommerce, online marketing, and mobile communication.
