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Apple will open its first India retail store in 2021
If Apple is going to keep iPhone sales going in a market that's cooling down, it may have to court regions where it previously hasn't sold well -- and it appears poised to do just that. CEO Tim Cook told attendees at Apple's annual shareholder meeting that the company would start selling its products online in India later in 2020, and would open its first official retail store in the country in 2021. The tech firm was waiting for government approval to run the branded stores itself rather than relying on a local partner. Apple doesn't want "somebody else to run the brand for us," Cook explained.
Staples is opening podcast studios in six Boston stores
Staples' latest ploy to get people into its retail stores is podcast recording booths. This week, the podcasting company Spreaker announced that it's part of a collaboration bringing recording spaces to six Staples stores in the Boston area. The booths are part of a new Staples Connect model, in which the retail stores offer coworking and community event spaces.
Groupon is done selling you junk
For most folks, Groupon is probably synonymous with dirt-cheap spa days, wine tastings or trips to the fancy escape room across town. Open the app, however, and for every experience on offer, there's a listing for a faux-leather purse, off-brand latex mattress or sheepskin comfort slipper. Now, as part of its turnaround plan, Groupon is going to pull out of selling products in order to get back to the good old days.
Online sneaker drop cancelled thanks to bots
Nike SB -- the company's skateboarding division -- teamed up with Strangelove Skateboards to produce a pair of limited edition Valentine's Day Dunks. The pink and red color scheme was an instant hit with sneakerheads, and Strangelove planned to release the shoes on its website over the weekend. However, bots -- which are programmed to purchase sneakers faster than any human could -- broke into the online store and wreaked havoc. As a result, Strangelove was forced to cancel the online release outright, and advised customers to hunt down a pair of the sneakers at their nearest brick-and-mortar dealer. At this point, it seems like bots have gone from a shady line-cutting tactic to a full-on headache for retailers.
Apple is closing all mainland China stores due to coronavirus outbreak
The coronavirus outbreak is having a tangible impact on the tech world, and Apple is serving as a textbook example of its effect. The company is closing all its retail stores and corporate offices in mainland China through February 9th out of an "abundance of caution" and in consultation from experts. Apple had initially closed three stores, but this shuts down a full 42 locations across the country.
Amazon may offer hand recognition payments to other stores
Amazon's rumored hand recognition payment tech might be useful beyond paying for produce at Whole Foods. Wall Street Journal sources say the company is developing hand-based checkout terminals that it would sell to "coffee shops, fast-food restaurants" and other stores that tend to have repeat customers, not just Whole Foods. It's also clearer as to how the technology might work. The system would reportedly start by linking your payment card to your hand, asking you to insert your old-school plastic and scan your hand before you could pay using your hand alone.
Amazon may open checkout-free supermarkets early next year
There have been plenty of rumors about Amazon's plans to shake up the grocery industry with cashierless stores. The latest is that Amazon plans to launch checkout-free supermarkets in the first quarter of 2020. The company may also license its Amazon Go cashierless tech to other retailers, a person close to the project told Bloomberg.
Amazon says it'll roll out a new grocery store format next year
Amazon is wading further into the physical retail world as it confirmed plans to open a different type of grocery store in 2020. Reports earlier this year suggested Amazon was working on a low-cost grocery format as an alternative to Whole Foods and Amazon Go.
Polestar is opening its first North American EV store
If you want to get a close look at Polestar's cars and check out its relatively novel retail experience, you may need to plan a trip to Canada. Polestar has announced that its first retail partner in the Americas, and thus its first "Polestar Space" in these areas, will be in Montreal. The team still has to pick a location in the city, but you can shop the brand's electrified cars starting in 2020.
Tesla may open 'Centers' to get around pro-dealership laws
Tesla may be planning an end-run around state laws that bar direct car sales and protect dealerships. Electrek sources claim the automaker is planning to open "Tesla Centers" in major urban areas that would theoretically avoid legal trouble by focusing on the sale of energy, not cars. These large outlets would offer sales, service and delivery seven days a week, even in states where "blue" laws prevent conventional car dealerships have to stay closed on Sundays. The strategy would take effect in the fourth quarter of this year.
Toys 'R' Us debuts a new website, but you're really buying from Target
Just in time for the holiday season, the Toys "R" Us website is back, with one big difference: Target is powering the revived ToysRUs.com. When you go to complete a purchase on the latter, it redirects you to Target's website to check out.
IKEA will produce more energy than it consumes by 2020
Many companies are pouring money into renewable energy, but how many can say they're producing more than they need? IKEA thinks it will, at least. Its holding company Ingka revealed that IKEA will generate more renewable energy before the end of 2019 than the energy its stores use. The firm only expected to draw even by 2020. The furniture chain added that it had invested about $2.8 billion in solar and wind energy over the past decade, and told Reuters that it intended to continue funding that renewable tech, including two stakes in American solar farms this week.
Walmart will reportedly stop selling e-cigarettes
Walmart seemingly isn't taking any chances in light of recent concerns about e-cigarettes. CNBC and Yahoo Finance both have obtained a memo indicating that the retailer will stop selling e-cigarettes at all of its US stores (including (Sam's Club) after clearing through its existing inventory. The growing levels of "regulatory complexity and uncertainty" around e-cigs is to blame, the company reportedly said.
Inside Apple's redesigned 'cube' store in New York City
Just in time for the launch of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, Apple is finally re-opening the doors to its flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Better known as "the cube," the iconic 77,000 square feet space has been closed for renovations since 2017, but Apple is ready to let customers back in starting this Friday. Before it opens to the public tomorrow, though, we got a sneak peak. And frankly, it doesn't just feel renovated, it feels like a completely new store, especially underground, where everything is brighter and more spacious than before.
Amazon's search could push customers toward in-house products
Amazon reportedly tweaked its product-search algorithm to favor products that are more profitable to the company. People who worked on the algorithm say the change could give Amazon's own brands a boost, The Wall Street Journal reports. If Amazon is intentionally using search to promote its own goods, it will likely draw more criticism from antitrust regulators.
Apple Watch Studio lets you pair any band and case
To date, you've had fairly limited ways to create Apple Watch band and case combos -- retail only has a small number of each to try out, and even the web configurator only lets you go so far. You won't be left wondering for long, at least. Apple has unveiled a Watch Studio for its retail and online stores that will let you pair any band with any case. That's 1,000 pairings, Apple said. The company didn't outline the differences between the two (besides retail's advantage of physical try-ons, of course), but the in-store crowd will get to see combinations on iPad kiosks.
Juul will require retailers to scan IDs before selling its vapes
By May 2021, anyone looking to purchase a Juul e-cig will have to have their ID scanned. Juul announced today that it will soon require all retailers to use an updated point-of-sale (POS) system. When Juul products are scanned, the POS will prompt the retailer to scan the customer's ID. Anyone under the locally mandated age will be prohibited from buying Juul products. The POS will also block sales of more than one vaporizer and four refill packs, so users won't be able to buy in bulk and presumably share with their underage friends.
Razer's largest store yet opens in Las Vegas on September 7th
Soon, you won't have to make a pilgrimage to San Francisco if you're determined to visit a Razer store in the US. The gaming giant is opening its largest store yet, and just its second in the US, at The LINQ Promenade in Las Vegas on September 7th. The shop (not yet pictured) will span 2,400 square feet across two floors, and it'll once again be characterized as a "gaming hangout" that serves as both a social space and a place for Razer to hawk its wares. The lower floor will have 10 gaming stations to host esports tourneys, while the mezzanine above will have a streaming "lounge" for online broadcasters.
Walmart pulls displays for violent media after El Paso shooting
Some politicians are rushing to blame violent video games for mass shootings, and Walmart is apparently quick to respond to this fear. Leaked internal memos revealed that the retailer (which served as the venue for the El Paso shooting) is rushing to pull all store displays that include "violent images or aggressive behavior." This includes demos and events for some console games, movies playing in the electronics section and hunting season videos. It's particularly concerned about anything depicting "combat or third-person shooter" games.
Nike's app powers Foot Locker's new NYC store
Over the past few years, Nike has heavily invested in making its stores more tech-oriented. A big part of that strategy is integrating its Nike app with the company's physical spaces and trying to make it easy for shoppers to do things like instantly pay for product and scan items to check if they're in stock. You can do all of that in the application, at the Nike store, without having to interact much with store associates. Nike says its customers love these type of features so much that it is now bringing them to Foot Locker, one of its biggest retail partners. The Foot Locker Washington Heights Community Power Store, located in uptown New York City, marks the first time Nike's shopping tech will power (part of) a store that isn't one of its own.
