Technology is both disrupting and revitalizing retail, according to a new report by Fung Business Intelligence Centre Global Retail & Technology (FBIC). “The marriage of retail and technology is rapidly changing the retail landscape and providing a plethora of new opportunities for brands, retailers and consumers. Consumer choices that were unimaginable ten years ago are now at our fingertips," according to “Retail in the New Connected World,” the first in the in a series special reports, called “The Disruptors Series,” to be issued throughout the year by FBIC. Advances in technology are creating an environment where people are constantly connected online, creating …

Pizza chain Papa Murphy’s is stepping up efforts to integrate mobile with in-store promotions via more personalized text alerts and incentivized calls to action at more than 1,400 locations. The chain has partnered with cloud mobile messaging platform Waterfall to optimize mobile campaigns at both the national and franchise levels with the goal of driving in-store sales and Web traffic.  The chain will take advantage of Waterfall’s database platform capabilities to create smarter mobile messaging campaigns that are more sophisticated, consistent and personalized.

A new report from comScore, a prominent market research firm, shows that mobile devices are beginning to replace conventional computers when it comes to shopping online. The report suggests that a growing number of consumers are beginning to abandon their personal computers when it comes to e-commerce, showing more favor for smartphones and tablets. The report suggests that 10% of Internet users in the United States now only access the Internet from their mobile devices. According to the report, 13% of the country’s Internet users only access online retail sites and applications using smartphones or tablets. The report also shows that approximately …

Although spending a great deal of time online is a popular activity for people in countries throughout the world, the penetration of mobile technology devices has sent Canada to the top of the list of internet use. A recent comScore Canada study’s results have shown that people in the country spend an average of 36.3 hours per month browsing and visiting about 80 different websites. Comparatively, Americans spend about 35.2 hours online per month, and people in the United Kingdom spend closer to 33 hours online per month. The study also revealed that mobile technology played a very large role in the amount of …

Samsung has filed a patent for a method of multi-factor biometric user authentication on a smartwatch, reports Jack Purcher on Patently Mobile. The method is surprisingly elaborate, using a two-tiered security system, and will play an important role in securing mobile commerce and payment transactions via the device, among other functions. Essentially, the system looks for two distinct biosignals from the user’s smartwatch. One of those biosignals must be some kind of muscle movement – perhaps something like the Harry Potter-style wand-waving authentication used in systems like the OSIGUARD app, but more likely a more generic gesture such as the clenching …

Given the rise of mobile banking services and the associated cybersecurity risks, Bank of America wants to come up with more innovative banking methodologies. BofA has apparently filed new patents in order to come up with next generation solutions, as reported by IP WatchDog. Here are some of the relevant patents: One of the patents is related to personal security and involves a method which is intended to provide smartphone owners and other mobile device users with an augmented reality service for identifying unwanted home intrusions, and offer them options for contacting authorities. An enhanced treasury management system which is optimized for …

JCPenney is bolstering its mobile strategy by teaming up with visual product search platform Slyce, following in the footsteps of Amazon, Macy’s and other retailers who are leveraging image recognition to enable customers to snap photos and view similar items. JCPenney has had a relatively quiet start to 2015 in terms of mobile, and is likely aiming to keep up with its fellow major retailers by ensuring that its products are easily searchable via mobile devices. Slyce predicts that visual search options will become requisite for brands in the near future, as it ultimately provides instant answers to time-strapped consumers …

As e-commerce posterboy Flipkart kicked off its Big App Shopping Days sale last week, there was a surprise in store. Visitors to its website were treated to a flash ad that said it had shut down and directed them to its mobile app. While the ad did say “just kidding”, perhaps it’s an indication of things to come. For some time now, it has been rumoured that e-commerce biggie Flipkart along with its subsidiary Myntra are planning to shut down their respective mobile sites and exist only as app based platforms. In fact, if all goes well for Myntra, by …

We have all heard of mobile contactless payment systems and their applications in the real world. The companies behind such payment solutions want to make their mark by implementing smooth and efficient mobile payment systems around the globe. What could be the opportunity then to enable such solutions at public transport systems that provide the instant scale of a huge customer base? With this synergy in mind, there are many companies who have already taken the initiative and deployed the following interesting use cases: In Spain, Gemalto is providing a mobile contactless solution that enables NFC based access to the Madrid transport system. …

Burger King in Canada is extending its focus on letting customers customize meals with a new mobile-friendly Web site featuring a personalized interactive nutritional calculator. The new responsive site is part of an overall in-store and digital refresh designed to align the brand’s new global visual identity, with Canada the fourth market to adopt the new look, following Finland, New Zealand and India. The Add to Your Meal feature on the site enables users to swap ingredients in and out to see the nutritional value of each and adjust their personal preferences.