Apparel Blockchain Tracking

The application here looks at tracking in the supply chain. Linking to RFID efforts is also interesting.

Nike, Macy’s Run Blockchain Trial With Auburn’s RFID Lab in Coindesk
Mar 6, 2020 at 06:00 UTC

Blockchain might help major apparel brands from Nike to Macy’s better share product data across the retail supply chain, according to a white paper Auburn University’s RFID Lab published Wednesday.

The study, named the “Chain Integration Project" (CHIP), saw those retailers and others run Hyperledger Fabric nodes on a slice of their mammoth supply chains. The study found blockchain to be a promising way to share serialized data after following tens of thousands of products including Nike Kids’ Air Force 1 shoes and Michael Kors parkas as they moved between distribution centers.

RFID Lab is one of the most prominent outposts for U.S. retailers’ experiments with emerging supply chain tech, but Blockchain Fellow Allan Gulley said it’s a relative newcomer to distributed ledger technology. And so CHIP, which began in 2018, became a blockchain trial by fire for the Auburn research institute.  ... " 

Macy's Pushes Popup Stores, Works with Facebook

Macy's is also partnering with Facebook, to produce a multiple channel interaction.  With expert commentary.

Macy’s expands in-store pop-up concept with Facebook’s help    by George Anderson in Retailwire

There were high hopes for “The Market @ Macy’s” when the retailer launched its turnkey in-store pop-up concept earlier this year. Now, the department store retailer is adding the concept to new stores and looking to take the buzz surrounding The Market to a new social level via a partnership with Facebook.

Yesterday, Macy’s announced that it was expanding the Market to two more of its locations, one at the Lenox Mall in Atlanta and the other at Century City in Los Angeles, to bring its total to 12 across the country. The chain has added the concept to its most heavily trafficked stores, including its Herald Square flagship in New York. The new pop-up areas will also be larger — nearly double the size of the first Market spaces, CNBC reports. .... " 

Macy's and Storytelling

Had previously mentioned how Jungle Jims did this.   Also saw at the recent UC Business Summit saw presentations about their approaches.  More to follow on that.

Macy’s latest acquisition is all about STORYtelling   by George Anderson in Retailwire

Macy’s, Inc. announced that it has acquired STORY, an experiential concept store in New York. STORY’s founder and CEO, Rachel Shechtman, will join Macy’s as the company’s brand experience officer focused on the retailer’s in-store experience.

STORY completely changes its store layout and merchandise every four to eight weeks, focusing on a new theme with each changeover. The concept, which was founded in 2011 by Ms. Shechtman, a former brand consultant for Kraft and TOMS shoes, emphasizes brand collaboration as it builds unique retail experiences for consumers. .... " 

“It’s exciting to have a national stage to leverage STORY’s learnings and relationships to create impact at scale,” said Ms. Shechtman. “I’m energized by the opportunity to further build new customer experiences across the Macy’s portfolio, while also continuing to pursue new business models and brand partnerships.” ...  '

Macy's Using Virtual Reality for Furniture Sales

Really a pretty old idea, was one of the first ideas we examined for demonstration and sales.    I encountered IKEAs approach in-store  just a few days ago, well done, but not enough AR to understand how your choices would fit in.   Also drove home the point that for store and online experiences the consumer needs to be able to use the system quickly.  Its different in research.   We experimented with it to understand how product would exist on shelves with other products.   See also approaches that mix VR, AR and physical digital displays, such as John Milby's Full Scale Virtual Research (FSVR).

Macy’s will use VR to sell furniture in 50 stores by summer
 By Jeremy Horowitz  @Horowitz  in Venturebeat

VR and online shopping are often portrayed as enemies of brick-and-mortar retail, but shopping mall anchor Macy’s plans to embrace both technologies in a bid to improve its sales, reports FurnitureToday. Speaking at the ShopTalk retail conference in Las Vegas, Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette announced that he will bring VR furniture-selling tools to 50 stores by this summer and plans to offer the immersive shopping technology in “as many stores as possible.”

According to Gennette, the virtue of virtual reality is its ability to “sell more furniture with less, or even no, square footage devoted to displaying it.” Macy’s piloted a VR system that let customers use a tablet to add furniture to a room, move the pieces around until they seemed optimal, then experience the fully furnished room using VR. The system enabled customers to feel more comfortable about furniture fit and “significantly increased” both total transaction sizes and sales of items that Macy’s carries but didn’t keep on site.  .... " 

Macy's Promotes Pop-Ups in Markets

I cover the local chain Macy's retail Innovations, they have been quite innovative.  Will Pop-up stores work in a brick store environment?   Jungle Jim's does this, but it seems not to great success.   Likely to do specifically with product, design and other contexts.  Refreshing also key.  Below further expert comment.

Macy’s launches in-store pop-up concept for brands  by George Anderson

"Potentially [the pop-up brand being the seller of record] makes it easier for Macy’s to bring in more interesting, emerging products."  ... Jason Goldberg   SVP of Commerce and Content Practice, SapientRazorfish

Macy’s has launched a new pop-up concept that allows brands and other companies to sell their products and services on the ground floor of the retailer’s stores.

The Market @ Macy’s is being pitched as a turnkey operational solution enabling companies to gain additional exposure to the department store’s customers without a long-term commitment. Those filling pop-up locations pay a fee to Macy’s for the space while keeping all the sales revenue. Space is rented with a one-month minimum requirement and rates are based on location. .... " 

Lowes and Macy's Want to Help with the Smart Home

More retailers join into the outfitting of the smart home.

Lowe’s and Macy’s join rivals chasing smart home opportunity

by Tom Ryan   and Expert Comments in Retalwire

"Retailers have a finite period of time to convince customers that they are the destination for smart home devices."   -  Joan Treistman

Move over Best Buy and Amazon.com, Lowe’s and Macy’s want to also help consumers transform their homes with the Internet of Things (IoT).

Last week, Lowe’s announced it is opening 70 in-store shops dedicated to helping consumers discover and buy smart home devices.

The rollout follows the successful pilot of SmartSpot shops in three Lowe’s locations last fall operated by b8ta. The collaboration with the software retailer will continue. Described as “retail-as-a-service,” b8ta’s model relies on manufacturers paying a monthly subscription fee to be in the store.... " 

Benefits of RFID Data in Retail

Recently received, quite interesting. 75 pages based on Macy's data.
From the Platt Research Institute.

The new PRI Working Paper, Quantifiable Benefits and Analytical Applications of RFID Data, analyzes historical data provided by Macy's related to its RFID program. RFID technology provides unprecedented visibility into the location of retail merchandise and, therefore, provides benefits that may include reduced inventory requirements, enhanced omni-channel fulfillment, influence sales, improved customer satisfaction, reduced markdowns and labor costs, as well as improved supply chain coordination. ... " 

The research detailed in this 75-page Working Paper is focused on four Use Cases:

Display Audit.
Inventory Accuracy.
Single Unit Fulfillment.
Back to Front.

The use of RFID technology in Macy's Stores has resulted in improved display compliance, inventory accuracy, and making single merchandise units visible and available for sale.

"To our knowledge, this is the most extensive set of data made available on the quantifiable attributes associated with RFID within a retail store," said Steven Keith Platt, Director and Research Fellow, Platt Retail Institute, and Research Director, Retail Analytics Council, Northwestern University. "We would like to thank Macy's for its ground-breaking work with item level RFID and its participation in this study."   .....' 

Macy's to RFID Tag Everything

We were early innovators in the RFID tagging space. Saw it expand widely at the case level.  I now see this as an area where you can use some of the same learning for the internet of things,    The 'thing'  here simply announces its ID number to a reader or beacon.

Especially useful where you are seeking the ability to look for key value equations for visibility into the supply chain.  A powerful analytic tool.  Here the point is made that there is real value into letting the customer 'see' the supply chain.  Macy's taking the process to the item level for everything, still unusual in retail.  Described below in Retail Wire, with discussions.

Macy’s to RFID tag everything by George Anderson

Macy’s plans to expand its use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to track every item in its stores and fulfillment centers by the end of next year. The move is expected to give the department store the visibility into its supply chain needed to fully deliver on the promise of a seamless omnichannel shopping experience for its customers.

“I don’t know how, in an omnichannel, data-driven … world, you can take data accuracy lightly,” Bill Connell, senior vice president of logistics and operations at Macy’s, told RFID Journal. “The customer base is increasingly demanding. ‘I want it. I want to know you have it. I want to tell you how I want you to get it to me. And I want to do that right now.’ If you don’t have that level of confidence in your data, you have a pretty big problem.”  ... ' 

Macy's and Mall Intelligence

In CustomerThinks.  Mall AI,  Previously described.  To what degree is conversational retail enough?

If you follow retail trends, you know that department stores are in trouble.

As shoppers have headed online and to discount stores, traditional mall department stores are struggling to define their niche and halt falling profits. Many are now focused on creating a better in-store experience in hopes of motivating customers to shop in person.

One of the most interesting customer experience initiatives is coming from Macy’s, which also announced last week that it is closing 100 of its stores.

In 10 of its U.S. locations, Macy’s shoppers can now use artificial intelligence through their mobile devices to help them navigate the shopping experience. The “Macy’s on Call” service allows customers to type natural language questions into Macy’s website instead of asking a sales associate. But unlike most online chat tools, this one is powered by IBM’s Watson cognitive computing service. Over time, Watson will learn to give better answers and customize them to specific stores.  ....   " 

Macy's Tests Watson AI

In Yahoo Finance.  some of the details are interesting. Most interesting would be, the value of services a system provides, beyond just specials based on loyalty information and location.

" ... Macy's is testing a mobile tool using artificial intelligence that lets shoppers get answers customized to the store they're in — like where a particular brand is located or what's in stock — that they would normally ask a sales associate face-to-face.

The tool, which the nation's largest department store chain calls a "mobile companion," can be accessed for now through a browser and will accept questions in 10 U.S. locations about products, services and facilities. It uses natural language and offers feedback in seconds.

It's developed by IBM Watson — the Jeopardy-winning "cognitive computing" service and is designed to keep learning more about the store's customers. That's a key element as Macy's seeks to spur sluggish sales, make being at the store more enjoyable and distinguish itself from online portals and specialty retailers.  .. " 

Macy's Taps Etsy

Recently did my first shop at Etsy recently for quality handmade items. Nice, simple, online experience. Surprised a retail giant like Macy's would engage.  To engage Millenials they say.   In Retailwire.  Interesting comments on the approach at the link.

Mobile Beacons

In Adage: More updates on beacons.   They continue to expand.   " .... Mobile Beacons to Explode, but They Aren't a Silver Bullet for Tracking ... Macy's, McDonalds and Target Have Lately Signed New Beacon Contracts ... " 

Macy's Omni Channel Reorganizes

In Think with Google  Talk.
" ... Macy's found that customers who shop across channels are 8X more valuable than those who shop in a single channel. With today's shoppers shifting to buy in micro-moments, Chief Omnichannel Officer R.B. Harrison knew the brand needed to make major organizational changes to keep up. .. "   " ... "Our goal is to provide our shopper with the best experience in whatever way she chooses to interact with us: mobile, desktop, store, or all of them together." ... " 

Beacons Proliferating Fast

An update on the use of solutions like the iBeacon.   Expanding quickly.

" ... It matters that Apple's other retail-focused solutions -- Apple Pay, TouchID and iOS devices, including Apple Watch, mean the company now sits at the center of both online and offline relationships between consumers and retailers. This is going to become even more critical as Apple continues to disrupt consumer culture.

Retailers are all over the technology:

Macy's, Lord & Taylor and The Bay are using beacons, while Starwood Hotels & Resorts (of the famously iPad-using CEO) use it in around 30 hotels. Hillshire Brands used beacons in 10 U.S. cities to track shopper behavior in supermarkets.  ... " 

New Realities of Local Retail

In ThinkwithGoogle:
" ... The relationship between digital and local stores is changing—something we learned from our new Digital Impact on In-Store Shopping study, commissioned from Ipsos MediaCT and Sterling Brands. From it, we identified three new realities of retail: digital drives in-store traffic; smartphones are in-store shopping assistants and varied shopping habits call for a holistic approach to measuring retail success. Savvy retailers are learning how to reach customers by better connecting the online to the offline and by caring less about where a sale happens and more about how to help shoppers convert. Some brands, such as Macy's, REI and Sephora, are already doing so. Find out how. ... "

What's in Stock Nearby

In Adage:  Macy's Links With Google To Show Mobile Users What's In Stock Nearby ... Find That Gift You've Been Looking for in the Right Size, Color and Price  ... " .  Call it Precision shopping.

Macy's Rolls out Biggest Beacon Installation

Location based systems continue to move forward.  In ZDNet.

" ... Macy's rolls out retail's largest beacon installation  —  Summary: Macy's expects to complete the installation by early fall, just in time for the upcoming holiday shopping season.  —  Following a test run during last year's holiday shopping season at its flagship stores in New York City and San Francisco ...  Macy's expects to complete the installation by early fall, just in time for the upcoming holiday shopping season. Once the rollout is completed, the department store chain said the shopBeacons will prompt users of the Shopkick to opt-in to receive store notifications. The retailer plans to begin more tailored shopper notifications in early spring 2015 ... "

The article also has a link to an article on five competitors to Apple iBeacon.

From Mess to Model Analytics Training

Have seen some of the material for this class, highly recommended at all levels:

On April 17-18, the Center for Business Analytics in the Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati will be offering a training course called “From Mess to Model.” This course serves as an introduction to the power of analytics and structured problem-solving methods for dealing with ill-defined and complicated problems. It will teach attendees how to design, formulate and implement analytics models for complex business problems. Attendees will learn how to use influence diagrams, decision trees and other tools to define and explain complicated scenarios. 

The class will also focus on proper spreadsheet design and modeling to facilitate analytics-based decision making. Finally, specific tools including optimization and simulation methods will be presented to solve practical problems. Problem settings will be drawn from many different areas of business including finance and risk, marketing analysis, forecasting, supply chain management and others. All model building will be done within Excel utilizing advanced Excel functionality and powerful Add-Ins that attendees will be able to download for free. The material should be suitable for those with a basic understanding of Excel. The class will be taught by Professors Jeff Camm and Mike Fry from the University of Cincinnati.

For more information and to register see: https://www.regonline.com/UCMessToModel
Discounted registrations are available through March 31 and for groups of 5 or more registrants.

We are also excited to announce the date for Analytics Summit 2014: Friday, May 23, 2014 at the Kingsgate Marriott at the University of Cincinnati. This year we will feature TWO keynote presentations: one by Eric Siegel (founder, Predictive Analytics World and author, Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die) and one by Jack Levis (Director of Process Management at UPS and frequent speaker on the topic of analytics). We will have full-day tracks on different areas of analytics: descriptive, predictive and prescriptive, as well as a special track focused on implementing analytics methods through social and mobile media. Confirmed speakers in these tracks include representatives from such companies as Macy's, Disney, Fifth Third, and many others.

For more information and to register see: https://www.regonline.com/AnalyticsSummit2014 
Discounted registrations are available through May 1 and for groups of 5 or more registrations.
_____________________________________
Michael J. Fry, PhD
Associate Professor and Lindner Research Fellow
Assistant Director, Center for Business Analytics
Department of Operations, Business Analytics 
      & Information Systems
Carl H. Lindner College of Business
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
mike.fry@uc.edu  (513) 556 0404

NantMobile and Macy's

A former colleague of mine now runs NantMobile.  In the press it is reported that they are working with Macy's    Its interesting too that the company is owned by major Chinese retailer BJ Hualian.   And more on the Macy's work. ( NantMobile, A NantWorks LLC company, The Beijing Hualian Group )

" ... NantMobile’s core product, iD Browser, is a mobile recognition platform that allows people to browse the physical world around them, unlocking digital experiences, coupons, content and information from featured brands that they know, like and trust.

Today consumers are limited to browsing the web. Why should we limit them? Imagine if consumers could browse the world, any time, any place, unlocking the physical world with digital content related to your brand. Now the physical world is browsable.

With your mobile device, the iD Browser, and our patented recognition technology, we are transforming the world wide web into the web enabled world. Get your branded presence up and running on the iD Browser today.NantMobile’s core product, iD Browser, is a mobile recognition platform that allows people to browse the physical world around them, unlocking digital experiences, coupons, content and information from featured brands that they know, like and trust. ...  " 

iBeacon for Retailers at Macy's

In TechCrunch: I Had known that Macy's had been doing work with Shopkick for some time.   I have the App on my iPhone.  A favorite experimental topic in our innovation centers.   " ...  When Apple, with much fanfare, announced iOS 7 in June, it also quietly confirmed a new feature called iBeacons, which uses Bluetooth Low Energy signalling to enable micro-location services and to trigger actions within apps. Now, Shopkick, the shopping app that lets you flag items you want and then alerts you in store to offers on those products and others you might like, becomes the first company to implement the technology in a retail setting. ... 

ShopBeacon, as the new iBeacon transmitter is called, begins trials today in Macy’s in Union Square, San Francisco and Herald Square, NYC, before Shopkick rolls it out to more of its retail partners across the U.S. ...  "