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Facebook’s pop-up store has everything from clothes to burger sauce
The last thing you might expect to find inside a Macy's store is a space decorated by Facebook. But that's exactly what people in Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Antonio, San Francisco, Seattle, Pittsburgh and New York City will see when they visit The Market, a curated collection of established and up-and-coming brands that Macy's features as a shop-within-a-shop at select locations. Through a partnership with the retailer, Facebook this week launched its first-ever pop-up store, which is going to put a spin on The Market and feature 100 "digital-native" brands inside Macy's. Digital native, essentially, means they've either advertised on Facebook or Instagram.
Facebook opens small business pop-ups in nine Macy's stores
Facebook is bringing around 100 digital-native brands and small businesses that have found success on the social network and Instagram to physical retail locations. It's opening pop-ups at nine Macy's stores as the holiday shopping season gets underway.
Macy's will use VR to let shoppers 'see' furniture in their homes
Macy's is turning to mobile checkout options and virtual reality in an effort to get more people in its stores. The former uses the store's app (naturally) and aims to make getting out of the mall easier. The latter is for designing a room's look with furniture and furnishings.
Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 360-degree video
Let's be honest: no matter how much you like watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, it loses a lot of its thunder if you aren't in New York City to witness it first-hand. However, you might get a better feel for it with the 2016 event. Macy's, NBCUniversal and our corporate overlords at Verizon are planning to livestream the parade in 360 degrees as soon as it kicks off on November 24th at 9AM Eastern. If you have a browser or device that can handle 360-degree YouTube video, you too can watch the floats and marching bands almost as if you were streetside. There will be numerous 360-degree cameras placed at "strategic points" on the route to add a dash of variety. No, this won't help you skip the less-than-enthralling segments, but those so-so moments will at least will be more immersive than ever before.
Verizon and AT&T are opening mini-stores in 250 Best Buys
Best Buy announced a pair of independent agreements on Tuesday with both Verizon and AT&T, according to Re/Code. The deal will reportedly see both brands receive dedicated floor space within 250 of the electronics chain's locations by the end of the year. In many cases, both AT&T and Verizon outlets will be located in the same Best Buy. Each mini-store will range from 90 to 180 square feet and be staffed by Best Buy Associates specifically trained in each brand's products and services. These agreements follow similar pacts struck with Apple, Samsung and Microsoft (not to mention Best Buy and Macy's), all of whom are angling to reach consumers without having to invest in independent storefronts of their own. Best Buy has not released financial details regarding the agreements. [Image Credit: Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press]
Macy's is testing mini-Best Buys in select stores
If you're planning on doing some holiday shopping at Macy's this fall, you might encounter goods from another retailer. The department store announced today that it would test Best Buy outlets in 10 of its locations starting in November. Best Buy employees will staff the 300-square-foot sections that'll offer a smattering of phones, tablets, wearables, audio gear and more. In terms of brands, Samsung is the only company mentioned by name, but you can likely expect a few more notable choices to be available as well (Beats, Jawbone, etc.). Samsung has dedicated floor space inside Best Buy locations alongside the likes of Apple and Sony after all, so the direct mention isn't too much of a surprise. The store inside a store setups will remain in place into 2016, when Macy's and Best Buy plan to take stock before plotting the best course of action. [Image credit: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Macy's fights online shopping with a tablet in fitting rooms
The internet changed the way people shop, and Macy's is well aware of this. In an effort to compete with successful online retailers like Amazon, Macy's wants to rethink the shopping experience for its customers. According to a Bloomberg report, the retailer has started testing smartphones and tablets to upgrade dressing rooms in the women's athletic and swimsuit departments. These devices, provided by the company for use in-store, let people request and try on different items without having to go out of the room and get those themselves. Once a customer finds something they like, the delivery arrives via chute. Yes, a chute.
Shopping online doesn't mean you have to skip the tailor
Before the end of the year, Macy's and Bloomingdale's will offer custom tailoring for clothes you purchase online. How does that work? Well, thanks to a new startup from Men's Warehouse founder George Zimmer, you just buy the clothes, and when they're delivered a tailor comes to you to ensure the proper fit. As you might expect, the on-demand option is only available in certain areas... for now. Los Angeles is the first pilot city, with other trials planned for New York City, San Diego, San Franciso and the states of Washington, Oregon and Florida. Don't live in any of those places? Fret not, the option is set to go nationwide this fall.
CBS to broadcast your social media posts alongside Macy's parade
CBS' coverage of Macy's parade last year featured viewers' Instagram photos shown on screen -- this year, it's expanding audience's participation even more. The network will use the same service it used in 2013 called Vidpresso, but instead of showing just Instagram pics, it'll also air tweets and Facebook status updates. Anchors or the people behind the camera merely have to choose the posts they want to broadcast, and they'll show up instantly as tickers or graphics, without the need for further editing. Vidpresso, which was founded by former Engadget editor Randall Bennett, provides broadcasters an affordable way to get viewers involved in discussions on air. It needs only some pieces of hardware (a Blackmagic Ultrastudio 4K and a scan converter, among a handful of others) and a subscription to the service. The system needs to know that you want your posts shown on TV, though. So, you'll have to take a break from prepping that turkey, make those profiles public and tag every post you don't mind showing the whole country with #tdaycbs.
Apple Pay launches Monday with support from Starbucks, Macy's and others
Apple has just kicked off the iPad extravaganza with a big piece of news about its Apple Pay initiative. It'll launch this Monday, and now has the support of 500 US banks along with major retailers like Starbucks, Macy's, McDonald's, Disney, Walgreens and Target. To remind you, Pay will make it possible to use your iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at the till (or online) instead of pulling out a credit card, since they're the first Apple handsets with contactless NFC. It'll work in conjunction with the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, and let you use any credit cards you've stored in Passbook. Meanwhile, the new iPhones' Secure Element chip encryption is fenced off from iOS and iCloud, so that even Apple itself can't see confidential purchase information. If you're good with all that, you can give it a crack starting October 20th -- a partial list of retailers is available here.
Macy's will give you location-based discounts through your iPhone
Macy's experiments with location-sensitive shopping have apparently paid off -- in the wake of a successful trial, the retail behemoth has unveiled plans to put iBeacons in all of its stores. Once they're activated this fall, you can get discounts and other promos on your iPhone as you wander through the store; you only need to install the Macy's app and keep Bluetooth turned on. There will only be regular deals at first, but an upgrade in the spring will offer department-specific discounts. You may get a special deal on a coat right as you're swinging by the men's or women's clothing sections, for instance. You're probably not going to go out of your way to shop at Macy's just to see bargains appear on your mobile screen, but this could be a useful perk if you're already a frequent customer.
Macy's tests location-specific store discounts using Apple's iBeacon (video)
The Bluetooth-based iBeacon feature in iOS 7 is theoretically ideal for retailers -- they can offer location-sensitive deals without having to track shoppers using GPS. We're about to find out how well it works in practice, as Macy's has just started testing Shopkick's iBeacon-derived ShopBeacon service in a closed beta. Stores in New York's Herald Square and San Francisco's Union Square now carry transmitters that send discounts and recommendations to participating iPhone users when they pass nearby. Whether or not Macy's offers the feature to the public will depend on the success of the trial, but it may not be long before your favorite store is more than eager to greet you.
Shopkick rolls out iBeacon feature shopBeacon at Macy's flagship stores
I can't speak for the rest of you, but ever since Apple showed off iBeacon technology, I've been waiting for the day that I can walk into a retailer and have my iPhone recognize it. Thanks to Shopkick's new shopBeacon transmitters at flagship Macy's stores on the US coasts, customers will get a chance to experience it for the first time. Shopkick announced today that the new iBeacon feature is live and ready to ping your iPhone with notifications about store deals, customer recommendations and, of course, Shopkick-specific rewards as soon as you set foot in the retailer. As shoppers move between departments, the app will provide additional information about specific products and produce reminders about items the user has "Liked" in the past. OK, so it's basically a really smart version of a department store circular (with a dash of Minority Report), but at least someone is finally getting some use out of iBeacons. But not me, because I'm based out of the Midwest, where apparently we're not ready yet for the latest tech.
Google looks to compete with Amazon Prime, offer speedy delivery service in 2012
You ordered a nifty thing. Now the nifty thing has to make your day by arriving. Then you'll have your nifty thing and a warm and nifty feeling inside. Evidently, Google's following this very line of thinking, as it appears to be in talks with various retailers and shippers to create a service that lets customers receive their wares within 24 to 48 hours. According to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, the company's effort is motivated by the success of Amazon's Prime service, which allows customers to receive many purchased items within a day or two for an annual fee of $79. Google, in turn, has apparently pitched the project to retailers such as Macy's, Gap and OfficeMax. Under the proposed system, when shoppers place an order on an affiliate's website, Google's system could kick in to offer them an option for same-day or possibly next-day delivery, said a person familiar with the matter. Sources indicated that Google plans to start a pilot test of the service in the San Francisco Bay Area sometime in 2012, which -- by then -- we'll have far more serious issues to deal with than tracking numbers.
Google Maps 6.0 hits Android, adds indoor navigation for retail and transit
Google's already put its stamp on the great outdoors, what with its Street View fleet chronicling the well-trodden ways of our world for Maps. Which is precisely why Mountain View's turning its attention inward for that next, great navigation innovation, as it attempts to chart a course through the wilds of indoor spaces. Hitting the Android Market in the U.S. and Japan today, the company's ever-popular app gets a full version bump to 6.0, bringing with it the inclusion of retail and airport floor plans. The newly added indoor maps don't quite offer the turn-by-turn navigation you've come to know and depend upon (that's outside-only for now), but the provided layouts should help usher you along to the nearest bathroom, clothing shop or elevator. There's no fancy equipment at use, either. All of your positioning information is culled from the same set of data (including GPS) used for "My Location," although here it's been optimized to detect movement along the z-axis. What does that mean for you, dear end user? Try a nifty feature called "Automatic Floor Detection" that'll keep track of your progress as you move about from escalator to escalator. Google's also endeavoring to extend its indoor reach, opening up its mapping inventory with a self-service tool (currently in beta) that'll allow business owners to upload floor plans directly to Maps. If you're itching to test the tech out, you'll want to find yourself at one of the dozen-plus airport partners scattered across the country, in addition to transit hubs and major retail outlets both stateside and in Japan. Familiar commercial forces like Macy's and Takashimaya have opted-in to the indoor location service, but your best bet's going to be IKEA -- which has agreed to roll the feature out to all of its stores nationwide. So, whether you're rocking Android 2.1 or the forward-facing 4.0, prepare to let your Googlefied smartphone almost always be your guide. Follow past the break for additional shots and a video demo of the indoor geo-location in action.
Google Catalogs iPad app digitizes catalogs, no more coasters
We all know what catalogs are good for: starting fires in the fireplace, light reading in waiting rooms and makeshift placemats. Oddly, Google has decided to take these perfectly useful glossy dead trees away from us with the introduction of Google Catalogs, a free iPad app. Like most shopping apps, users can zoom in, learn more and purchase products through a company's website, but this one adds a slick little twist: collages. Put together a particularly sweet L.L. Bean ensemble and want to share it with Mom? No glue stick or scissors required. Check out the video after the break.
Item-level RFIDs get support from big retailers, track your every purchase
Toilets, cows, and Germans have all been tagged by RFIDs, but according to a new study, it's footwear and fashion that top the demand for radio-enabled tracking. In a report released yesterday, ABI Research said more than three-quarters of a billion RFID tags will be used in global apparel markets in 2011, with retailers like Walmart, Macy's, and JC Penney leading the way. Item-level tracking isn't new -- in fact we saw something similar in 2006 -- but with the likes of Walmart on board, the system is expected to grow as much as 60 percent in the next three years. The study suggests inventory and security as driving factors in the adoption of RFIDs, but we've got our suspicions. And anyway, we don't want anyone to know how much we spent on that Material Girl leopard print shrug -- not even a machine.
Kinect demo returns to NYC Macy's through October 17
Macy's is bringing the Kinect demo "experience" back to its New York Herald's Square store through October 17, with four titles to test drive. The historic department store will also sell the Xbox 360 with Kinect bundle via its online store beginning November 4. Just don't tell Gimbel's about it.
Kinect demos available next week at Macy's
Microsoft's assault on the "expanded audience" begins in earnest, with Kinect demo stations being set up in one of the least GameStop-like retailers imaginable, Macy's. People who go into stores in 13 cities across the US, looking for Martha Stewart furniture or the like, will have an opportunity to experience the controller-free gaming ... experience starting July 15. The retailer will also give away one Kinect per day at macys.com between August 12 and September 10. The locations are much more spread out than the other Kinect demo locations (Microsoft Stores), so you have a better shot at being able to find one near you -- or you could just go outside and start waving your arms, in the hope that one of the Kinects will notice. We don't know how good those cameras are. You can see the list of stores after the break.
Macy's exec. becomes Activision chief creative officer
NEW! Brad Jakeman, Chief Creative Officer $250,000k (or more) +bonuses Activision's sleek and sporty addition jumps into the role of newly-created CCO position, this former Macy's marketing exec will leave you wanting more as he takes over all media, marketing, global advertising and consumer research for the company. function tabGrouping() { var current_selected = ""; this.changeSelection = tabChangeSelection; function tabChangeSelection(new_tab_id, update_master_current_tab) { if (document.getElementById(current_selected)) { deactivateTab(current_selected); } current_selected = new_tab_id; activateTab(new_tab_id, update_master_current_tab); } function activateTab(which_tab, update_master_current_tab) { if (document.getElementById(which_tab+'_holder') != null) { document.getElementById(which_tab+'_holder').className = "tabHolder activeTab"; document.getElementById(which_tab+'_label').className = "pdpTabLabel activeTab"; document.getElementById(which_tab+'_content').className = "tabContent activeTabContent"; } } function deactivateTab(which_tab) { if (document.getElementById(which_tab+'_holder') != null) { document.getElementById(which_tab+'_holder').className = "tabHolder inactiveTab"; document.getElementById(which_tab+'_label').className = "pdpTabLabel inactiveTab"; document.getElementById(which_tab+'_content').className = "tabContent inactiveTabContent"; } } } .tabsPanel { width:100%; } .tabContainer { width:100%; } .tabContentContainer { clear:left; background-color:#FFFFFF; border:1px solid #CCCCCC; position:relative; top:-1px; margin-bottom:-1px; } .pdpTab { margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; } .tabCorner{ position:absolute; top:-1px; left:auto; right:0; z-index:4; } .pdpTabLabel { padding-left:8px; padding-right:8px; padding-top:5px; padding-bottom:6px; background-color:#CCCCCC; } .tabHolder { border-top:1px solid #CCCCCC; border-right:0; border-left:1px solid #CCCCCC; border-bottom:0; position:relative; float:left; margin-right:2px; } .tabtext { font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; font-size:12px; color:#323232; } .activeTab { background-color:#FFFFFF; z-index:3; cursor: default; } .inactiveTab { background-color:#CCCCCC; z-index:0; cursor: pointer; } .tabContent { background-color:white; padding:8px; min-height:135px; } .activeTabContent { display:block; } .inactiveTabContent { display:none; } pdp_info_tab_group = new tabGrouping();pdp_info_tab_group.changeSelection('pdpInfoTab1',0); details shipping & returns Suits, Thomas Pink Shower washable Imported 'Ideal candidate for the position' - CEO of Activision, Mike Griffith Strengthens company for global domination Web ID: L33t3x3c
