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Amazon's cashierless Go stores may come to an airport near you
Airport shopping is mostly about perfumes, booze and overpriced electronics, but that could soon change. Amazon has reportedly inquired about installing its cashierless Go stores at several US airports, according to Reuters. Emails from a public records request revealed that Amazon asked for meetings with managers at San Jose and Los Angeles international airports and received a positive response. "I am looking forward to moving forward with the Amazon Go technology at the airport," wrote one airport IT manager.
Nike's new NYC flagship store is fueled by its mobile app
New York City's 5th Avenue shopping district is home to iconic brands like Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Versace and Adidas, but for the past few months a big member of that list has been missing: Nike. The company closed its flagship NikeTown store at the end of 2017, reportedly in part because it didn't want to be a tenant of the Trump Organization. But Nike never planned to leave 5th Avenue for good, and now it's back with a 68,000-square-foot, six-story space called the "House of Innovation 000." The store, which opened today, was designed with the Nike app in mind -- in what the company is calling a blueprint for its future retail locations.
How Rebecca Minkoff uses tech to make her fashion stores stand out
Nike and Adidas aren't the only lifestyle brands designing their retail spaces with technology in mind. Others such as Rebecca Minkoff, a fashion label based out of New York City, are taking similar steps by implementing things like smart mirrors and, most recently, self-checkout at its boutiques. Although the latter feature is far less advanced than what Amazon's Go grocery stores will offer, it's yet another example of how the brick-and-mortar landscape is changing in several industries.
Inside Adidas' new tech-infused store in New York City
Not to be outdone by Nike, Adidas has opened a new flagship store in New York City. And, just like its rival, the German company packed the space with loads of technology. Inside the four-story, 45,000-square-foot space, on the corner of 5th Avenue and 46th Street, you'll find a virtual-reality experience and a wearable system designed to help you find the best running shoe. Let's take a look at what other tech Adidas is featuring at its biggest retail store yet.
Nike's new store in New York City is loaded with tech
SoHo is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in New York City. It's home to hundreds of shops from some of the most popular brands, including Apple, Adidas and, as of last month, Google. Now you can add Nike to this list. On November 18th, the sportswear giant will open a five-story 55,000-square-foot space loaded with technology, from 3D-printed decorations (pictured above) to a Kinect-powered basketball court. There are also other simple, yet useful, things such as Apple Pay support and large touchscreens on walls that help you call an associate or buy products on the spot.
Sonos' flagship NYC store hosts a massive wall of speakers
Sonos may be in the middle of a restructuring phase, but it isn't wasting any time rolling out its plans for the near future. Today, the company unveiled its first-ever retail store in New York City. The 4,200 square foot space, located in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, features seven listening rooms designed to let consumers experience Sonos products firsthand. But the most outstanding decor is what you see above, known as The Wall of Sound. It's a 17-by-24-foot installation made up of roughly 300 Sonos speakers, of which eight are plugged in and active.
Amazon may open its first East Coast bookstore in NYC
Given how Amazon has done its best to put the brick-and-mortar bookstore out of business, it's still odd to see the company building retail locations of its own. But CEO Jeff Bezos said the company would keep doing it after opening a store in Seattle and announcing plans for one in San Diego, and now we're hearing rumors about the location for the next store. The New York Post says that Amazon will soon be going toe-to-toe with the many wonderful booksellers that can be found around NYC.
Amazon's retail plans could include a lot more than books
Amazon is taking steps to make its brick-and-mortar dreams come true, according to Recode. Its sources confirm that the e-retailer aims to open not just more book shops, but also other types of retail stores in the future. They also echo The New York Times' revelation that the company has no immediate plans to open as many as 400 bookstores, "but they could not rule out that eventual outcome." If you recall, a shopping mall CEO claimed that Amazon is planning to launch 300 to 400 physical book shops. That same CEO issued a carefully crafted follow-up statement clarifying that his words were "not intended to represent [the company's] plans."
Circuit City is coming back
RadioShack's recent demise isn't keeping Circuit City from getting back into the retail business. According to Twice, a publication that covers tech industry news, Circuit City is preparing to return soon. The report claims the company, which filed for bankruptcy in 2008, will be opening a new store in Dallas, Texas this coming June, led by the efforts of a new ownership group. Circuit City's also said to have the support of many major brands, including Canon, Intel and Sony, after holding successful meetings at CES 2016.
Ralph Lauren starts testing interactive fitting rooms in NYC
Ralph Lauren isn't afraid to experiment with new tech. Last year, the brand introduced a smart shirt for athletes, designed to measure performance with conductive silver threads and other tracking sensors. To add to this, Ralph Lauren's announced it will begin testing interactive fitting rooms at its Polo flagship store in New York City. These smart mirrors, created by a startup called Oak Labs, are capable of recognizing a customer's clothing pieces via RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags and displaying these on a large touchscreen. Once that happens, you can request different sizes and colors of items in your possession, which are then brought over to you by a Polo associate. From there you're able to keep trying on different looks or simply check out -- and if you don't speak English, there's support for Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and Portuguese.
Canada calls dibs on Microsoft's first permanent international store
Canadian Windows fans rejoice! The rumors have panned out, as Microsoft opened its first permanent non-US retail location on Friday at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto. To celebrate this milestone, the company had a grand opening event with special guest Wayne Gretzky and a performance by the band Train. For the sake of die-hard Windows fans everywhere, here's hoping Microsoft is just scratching the Surface of its international expansion plans.
iPad minis ready for next-day, in-store pickup
Instead of waiting two weeks for delivery, customers who want an iPad mini now can reserve one for in-store pickup, according to a report in AppleInsider. Similar to the iPhone 5, customers can use Apple's reservation system to secure an iPad mini at their local store and pick it up the next day. Inventory is updated at 10 PM each night, and customers should prepare to reserve their mini as close to that time as possible. I used the online reservation system to order an iPhone 5 last week and it works great when supplies of a device are limited.
Apple to open first Swedish retail store
A visit to a mall in Sweden by Swedish site IDG.se has confirmed (by the familiar black covering and the Apple logo) that there is indeed a new store opening up near Stockholm. The Täby Spectrum shopping center will host that country's first Apple Store, starting on September 15. Apple's been laying the groundwork in Sweden for a while now, filing a business registration certificate last November, and hiring for the store earlier this year. But the company is now getting closer than ever to actually selling items in the store. And there are more stores on the way: Apple is also planning to open stores in the Harbour Street district of Stockholm, as well as in a brand new mall location near the southwestern city of Malmö. We've heard a lot in the past about how quickly Apple trying to expand in China, but that's not the only foreign land Apple is aiming to open up for business. [via MacRumors]
Microsoft's first international store set to open this fall in Canada
Living it up in the True North and wishing there was a Microsoft Store near you to take advantage of that subsidized Xbox 360 deal? Or, you know, give Windows Phone a run for its money? Well, if all goes according to plan, you might be able to do just that pretty soon -- this fall, to be exact. According to Canadian Reviewer, Redmond's own Tedd Ladd has told the site his company's about to open up one of its decorated retail shops in Canada later this year, with Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto being chosen as the place to help kick things off internationally. Currently, all of Microsoft's 20 B&M stores are in the US of A, so this would mark the outfit's first outside of the States -- and surprisingly enough, Ladd also mentioned this will be the 31st when it opens, perhaps hinting that there's some more on the way.
Best Buy details its 50 big box store shutdowns in the US, most will close by May 12th
We knew Best Buy planned to close 50 of its big box retail locations by the end of its 2013 fiscal year, and now (just days after Mike Mikan took the CEO-reigns from Brian Dunn) it's detailed all of the stores that'll be getting the boot. As it stands, two locations have already been shut down, with six others set to close before the year is out -- and the company hopes to clear out the remaining 42 before May 12th. Employees at most of the stores were informed of the news this weekend, and despite the impending closures, the company says it'll try to re-position them within the company or offer up severance packages. Past that, Best Buy is also reaching out to the customers of these stores, noting that they'll still have other nearby locations to choose from -- try-before-you-buy online shoppers rejoice. There's still no specific word about the 100 Best Buy Mobile stores it hopes to setup, but more information will be forthcoming later in the year. Hit up the press release after the break if you'd like to parse the full list of affected locations or find out more details about the planned closures.
Best Buy to close 50 big box US retail stores, open 100 Mobile stand-alone outlets in 2013
Still driving to your local Best Buy to fondle all the latest gadgets before swiping your card, or hopping to the web to pull the trigger? That tradition could be short-lived, if you happen to live near one of 50 big box retail stores that the company plans to shutter in 2013. The move was announced alongside Best Buy's Q4 earnings report, which includes action items aimed to trim $800 million in costs by 2015. The closings will no-doubt come along with staffer reductions, some of whom could be transferred to one of 100 Best Buy Mobile "small format stand-alone stores" set to launch next year. While an unfortunate move for some customers and employees, it does show some foresight on behalf of BBY management, who likely recognize a continuing shift to online purchasing, and a greater emphasis on mobile devices, which require significantly smaller showrooms, cost less to ship and could offer greater margins to boot.
Apple Stores construction suppliers
Apple recently released its Supplier Responsibility Progress Report for 2012 and, for the first time, provided a list of 156 suppliers. This list covers 97% of the companies that supply Apple with materials, manufacturing and assembly of its products. Now that we know which companies are behind Apple's hardware, the folks at ifoAppleStore compiled a list of manufacturers that build Apple's retail stores. The list contains 141 companies including household names like Benjamin Moore and little known names like BGT Bischoff. Just like it does with its line of mobile devices and computers, Apple pays attention to even the smallest design details. ifoAppleStore's research suggests Apple seeks out little-known companies to supply distinct building materials for its retail stores. Not only does Apple use unique items, the company supposedly designs its stores to be consistent across the chain. The same door knob you see in the Boston store will be present in the San Francisco store, too. If you're curious about which company provides Apple with coat hooks, head over to ifoAppleStore for its list of retail store suppliers.
Apple just arrived at Grand Central Terminal, we hop aboard (video)
For many New Yorkers, Grand Central Station Terminal is where you go to escape the island -- not to leisurely browse aisles of iPhone accessories, or pop in for a Genius Bar appointment. But apparently Apple has a slightly different vision for the city's transportation hub, opening its fifth NYC store along the main hall's 23,000 square foot east balcony. We dropped by for the grand opening this morning, which came complete with the standard Apple Store t-shirt giveaway and what seemed like hundreds of red shirt-clad retail employees. As NYC's gateway to Connecticut, Grand Central is typically incredibly crowded during rush hour, but the enormous sunlight-filled main hall was packed to the brim today with spectators -- eager customers queued up in a hallway out of view, beginning early this morning. The store itself is huge, occupying the entire east balcony and several side rooms, with a large genius bar, training area and accessory alcove at either side. Eager to pop in for a visit? Thumb through the gallery below to step inside, and jump past the break to experience the cacophonous chaos at Grand Central.%Gallery-141464%
Telstra opens 'Androidland' store in Australia with a little help from Google
No, that's not the latest addition to Google's Mountain View campus. That is Telstra's brand new Androidland store, which has just opened its doors in Melbourne, Australia. The store was built with some degree of co-operation from both Google and Android handset makers (including Google-trained experts that are available to help customers), and it offers a whole range of different Android products for sale, along with other Google-related attractions like a giant, multi-screen display for exploring Google Earth. Telstra also claims that it's the "world's first" Android store, although there's no word on any plans for additional stores (either from Telstra or other carriers). Head on past the break for a quick video tour. [Thanks, Hayden]
Retail training video shows Apple Store behind the scenes
Here's your chance to get a humorous behind-the-scenes look at an Apple retail store. The employee-made video is an entertaining look at Apple's Steps of Service which are introduced during a new employee's Core Training. The first five steps according to the video spell out APPLE: A – Approach the customer with a "warm welcome" P – Position, Permission, Probe - Tell the customer what you want to do, ask permission, and then ask them questions to determine their needs. P – Present the appropriate product solution that fits their needs. L – Listen to their concerns. E – End with a fond farewell and an invitation to return. The video is a rare look at Apple's closely guarded retail polices. Other official training videos reportedly exist, but they have never leaked out like this. According to a Macrumors commenter, this particular video was filmed after hours by employees and was shown once at a store meeting. It was left to die on the Internet until Macrumors stumbled upon it and brought it back to life. [Via ifoapplestore]
