Omnichannel NOW Newsletter Archive

Omnichannel NOW newsletter aims to be of service to the digital professional. We wish to inform and inspire the digital community.

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• Cyber Monday was the biggest online spending day ever—$3.07B spent on digital sales, 26% of which came from mobile devices
• Thanksgiving/Black Friday online sales hit $4.5B, mobile drove 34% of purchases
• 56.7% of smartphone owners used their device to research products, purchase holiday items, check in-store availability and other mobile shopping activities—NRF 2015 Thanksgiving Weekend Survey
• Wal-Mart says nearly half of its website orders were placed on a mobile device!
• IBM’s Black Friday results show that mobile traffic exceeded desktop, accounting for 57.2% of all online traffic. Cyber Monday results show mobile accounted for nearly half of all online traffic
• Cyber Monday ended with nearly 1 million social mentions, up 8% YoY. Amazon edged eBay for top social media mentions

• Target’s Wonderland offers lessons on merging the physical and digital retail!
• Staples, Best Buy and Overstock lead app engagement over the three-day Black Friday period with their app-only sales promotions. The move reminds of Hallmark’s first-ever digital-only campaign for 2015 holiday season
• Loan giant Capital One rolls out digital tools to simplify the loan process
• McDonald’s is testing biometrics technology at its POS for fraud and loss prevention
• CVS Health unveils a slew of digital pharmacy tools, including an Apple Watch app and beacon tech-enabled in-store notifications
• VWR improves web customer experience through personalization.
• Customization through 3D printing gains steam! Nordstrom looks to 3D printing for on-demand customization of shoe experience, while New Balance customizes running experience through 3D printed soles
• Sears Holdings makes its mobile app feature-rich to give a seamless, store-centric customer experience and convert mobile traffic to footfalls
• To reclaim its “position as a nightlife leader” Absolut Vodka, by liquor giant Pernod Ricard, launches an app that lets users invite anyone nearby to private parties
• Brookshire Grocery’s ambitious omnichannel transformation plan focuses on the consumer.
• Meanwhile, Forever 21 focuses on apps to build its omnichannel experience through personalized shopping and content

• HP Enterprise launches a suite of products to enable enterprise customers to collect, process and analyze data from web-connected devices near its source
• In a win-win, Google brings its app streaming technology to mobile ads, allowing users to test drive apps and letting app publishers to create ads that are mini-versions of their mobile apps themselves!
• IBM rolls out a new app called IBM Watson Trend App that uses cognitive computing to help shoppers identify trendy products
• Sonavation develops ultrasound biometric authentication solution for connected devices; says it is “the industry’s first full-stack solution with the highest level end-to-end encryption architecture that provides a fully encapsulated locked-down module”
• American Express takes another step forward in digital innovation; unveils NFC, HCE and tokenization platform
• Using its Digits service, Twitter simplifies login of the fourth-generation Apple TV. The method is reminiscent of the one announced by Facebook recently

• Alstom appoints Bruno Marguet as head of digital transformation to make Alstom one of the leaders of the “industrial internet”
• John Gordon, a former IBM Watson exec, becomes the chief digital officer at GE’s new energy startup Current
• Samsung Electronics names Dongjin Koh as president of its mobile business
• Scotiabank appoints Ignacio 'Nacho' Deschamps as Strategic Advisor, Global Digital Banking to the President and CEO, “to accelerate the bank's digital transformation”
• Jason Bender becomes chief operating officer of First Republic Bank to oversee online banking, strategic planning, and enterprise data among others
• Kellogg has appointed Clive Sirkin, CMO of Kimberly-Clark, as the company's new chief growth officer
• Subway names former Coca-Cola exec Joseph Tripodi as its new global CMO

• Facebook seeks Head of Global Retail & eCommerce Strategy
  
• U.S. Bank seeks Omnichannel Business Readiness Leader
• Avnet is hiring for Head of Digital Strategy
• Federal Reserve Bank seeks SVP of Application Development Function to oversee application development and maintenance for a large and diverse application portfolio
• NBC is looking for VP, Mobile & Digital Platforms
• Ricoh Americas Corp seeks VP, Sales and Marketing to oversee its SaaS marketing and digital marketing among others
• Subway seeks VP of Marketing Technology
• Advantage Sales and Marketing is hiring for VP Mobile Strategy Solutions

To alert the audience of omnichannel Now newsletter about your company's job openings click here

Omnichannel NOW newsletter aims to be of service to the digital professional. We wish to inform and inspire the digital community.

To do your bit for our community, pass on the knowledge and inspiration. Forward or subscribe.

• Walgreens dwarfs its biggest competitor, CVS Pharmacy, by acquiring Rite Aid. True to its keen focus on digital, Walgreens plans to create “an even better network, with more health and wellness solutions available in stores and online” says Stefano Pessina, CEO of Walgreens. 
• Traditional watchmaker Fossil turns up the heat on tech companies to evolve their design language by announcing its connected accessories developed with Intel. 
• Bayer is looking to digitization and automation to fortify productivity and sustainability in horticulture (quite reminiscent of its networked digital farming initiatives that leverage new technologies and data to help farmers optimize yields).
• Growing list of Retailer Digital Exchanges “optimizing demand chains like [they] optimized supply chains”. Would you use them if you are a brand?
• Capital One introduces tap-to-pay mobile payments service, becoming the first major US bank to offer contactless mobile payments in its mobile app.
• Citigroup’s consumer banking unit moves towards a "smartphone-centric business model" and launches a new unit called Citi FinTech. 
• As Amazon eats Wal-Mart’s lunch, Wal-Mart announces plans to beef up its e-commerce by $2 billion! Going head-to-head, Wal-Mart seeks permission to test delivery drones immediately after Amazon gets green-light to test its delivery drones.
• Royal Bank of Canada adopts voice authentication via natural speech to enable customer service! The VP of business enablement says: “our advisors can begin assisting our clients right away – an added convenience our clients are already telling us that they really appreciate.”
• Pharma giant Pfizer collaborates with Sermo, a web-based community for physicians, to improve patient care and deliver targeted information to doctors through Sermo's social-networking component. 
• JPMorgan Chase announces Chase Pay, its own digital wallet, to defend its turf from tech giants in the financial services industry and garners good support from retailers.
• Something to learn from Target's new retailing strategy! Through virtual reality and interactive trick-or-treating mobile map, consumers can shop through a haunted house for Halloween.

• To help retailers identify shopping trends, Google launches an aptly named tool calledShopping Insights that unites search and mapping data.
• With mobile payments accounting for $1 trillion in value in 2017, MasterCard unveils a new program that can turn any consumer device, accessory or wearable into a payment device!
• Amazon goes live with its ‘Pay With Amazon’ buttons for mobile apps to turn its huge customer base into a big payments business.
• Oracle moves beyond its “startup phase” in the cloud by rolling out a slew of productsbuilt to make the $38 billion-a-year software giant the global leader in cloud computing.
• Apple partners with American Express to expand Apple Pay globally. 
• Samsung Pay’s continued expansion efforts finds more acceptance than any of its mobile-wallet competitors because, unlike Apple Pay and Android Pay, it also uses magnetic secure transmission (MST) that works with older equipment.
• To deliver world-class context marketing at scale Sitecore launches Sitecore Experience Platform.

• Curt Garner, the CIO of Starbucks who developed the technology infrastructure that is recognized as a leader in digital platform technology, joins Chipotle as the restaurant’sfirst-ever CIO. The newly created role highlights Chipotle’s increasing focus on mobile.
• Heather Cox, who held instrumental roles overseeing several mobile banking initiatives of Citigroup, is now heading the bank's new unit created for a "mobile first" future.
• Federal-Mogul appointed Kathleen Johnson as CIO and VP of information technology for its Motorparts division.
• New York Times taps its CTO Nick Rockwell from Condé Nast to lead its technology operations.
• Michael Nash who most recently served Warner Music Group as EVP of Digital Strategy is appointed at the same position at Universal Music Group to oversee its global digital strategies.
• Former VP of IT for News Corp, Gianluca D’Aniello is appointed as the CTO of Associated Press.
• CNN International Commercial has appointed Laura Greally to the newly created role of digital account director, Asia Pacific.
• Tribune-owned Fox-affiliated TV station KCPQ has named Travis Mayfield the director digital strategy. 

• JPMorgan Chase is recruiting for VP, Integrated Digital Experience.
• UnitedHealth Group is hiring for VP of Mobile Experience. 
  
• HarperCollins Publishers seeks VP of Marketing.
• ComiXology, an Amazon subsidiary, seeks VP of Marketing with experience in e-commerce and mobile consumer marketplace.
• Gannett is recruiting for SVP of Digital Revenue.
• NBCUniversal seeks VP, Mobile & Digital Platforms.
• The Estée Lauder Companies is looking for VP of Consumer Engagement.

 To alert the audience of omnichannel Now newsletter about your company's job openings click here

Omnichannel NOW newsletter aims to be of service to the digital professional. We wish to inform and inspire the digital community.

To do your bit for our community, pass on the knowledge and inspiration. Forward or subscribe.

• As tech companies work to beat car manufacturers at their own game, General Motors revs up for a revolution. With one million connected cars on the road already, it could be leading the next-gen auto trend instead of following it!
• Jumping on the FinTech bandwagon, KeyBank announced a strategic partnership with AvidXchange to shed its paper-based processes and provide “great client experience”.
• About banks, technology and customer experience—BB&T lets customers personalize digital banking through its new and appropriately named “U platform”.
• In hot pursuit of digital healthcare innovation, CVS allies with two new partners. The move comes on the heels of CVS opening its Digital Innovation Lab.
• Walgreens is all set to launch a new telemedicine feature to its mobile app next month that according to VP of digital health at Walgreens is going to “deliver a seamless, frictionless experience of telemedicine mobile” through the huge audience base of their mobile app.
• Want to see how carriers are evolving their retailing strategy? Visit Best Buy! AT&T and Verizon team up with Best Buy to launch new in-store experiences
• Closely following Philips’ footsteps on apps and diabetes, Medtronic launches smartphone app enabling diabetics to remotely monitor their condition.
• Talking about apps, General Motors is developing an Apple Watch app to let owners lock, unlock or start their cars remotely. [We hear Ford say: been there, done that! ]
• Chevron and Visa together launch NFC-enabled mobile payment program at select Chevron stations. "We, like Chevron, see mobile as the future," said Visa’s exec VP.
• Somewhat in line with the biometric authentication trend in financial services industry, Barclays launches iPortal, its first biometric banking solution for corporate customers, to help decision makers “spend more time focusing on the business of doing business.”

• Dell announced the acquisition of EMC. The biggest pure-tech takeover ever will make Dell an “enterprise solutions powerhouse”—Michael Dell in an open letter to customers.
• Meanwhile HP, which pursues the opposite strategy by announcing plans to split into two companies, remarked: “This [Dell’s acquisition of EMC] is a real opportunity for HP.”
• Cisco introduces four new digital solutions for industries. The move by the grandaddy of networking sheds light on the company’s transitioning focus from selling products to providing business outcomes.
• First Data bolsters its digital wallet leadership with the support of Samsung Pay, which just debuted in the US market.
• Whereas Apple Pay, after an underwhelming first year, steps up its game by garnering support from more banks and retailers. Apple reports “continued, double-digit monthly growth in Apple Pay transactions since launch".
• Google answers to Apple News and Facebook’s Instant Articles with a new initiative to help web pages load more quickly on mobile devices. It already involves big names in publishing and technology like Wall Street Journal, BBC, Adobe, and Twitter. (Bear in mind: mobile brings more than half of Google’s searches.)

• Starbucks appoints Adobe CIO Gerri Martin-Flickinger to the newly created CTO role. The move, coming soon after the nationwide release of its Mobile Order & Pay service, spotlights Starbucks’ increasing focus on mobile.
• Wolfgang Blau, formerly with the Guardian, is joining Condé Nast International as its chief digital officer.
• Trusted Media Brands, formerly known as The Reader’s Digest Association, appoints Vincent Errico as the chief digital officer to bolster its digital footprint.
• Responsible for digital strategy at Google, Richard Robinson has been appointed as the managing director of EMEA business of Turn, a digital ad tech firm.
• MTV, a unit of media giant Viacom, may be signaling a move in digital direction by hiring Sean Atkins, former EVP and GM of digital media strategy at Discovery Communications, as its new President.
• Meanwhile, Discovery Communications appoints Karen Leever, currently head of digital and direct sales at DirecTV, as its new EVP & GM of digital media.
• Ex-Motorola Mobility CIO Steve Mills joined iHeartMedia as its Chief Information Officer.
• Corporate VP and CIO for Wal-Mart Asia, Fumbi Chima will be joining Burberry as CIO next month to oversee its technology division.

• Michael Page is looking for Chief Marketing Officer.
• Haier America seeks Chief Information Officer.
• BNY Mellon is looking for Global Head of Marketing Services.
• Facebook is looking for Head of Global Retail & eCommerce Strategy.
• Discovery Communications is looking for Head of Marketing.
• Bank of the West, a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, seeks Head of Digital Sales Optimization.
• Warner Music Group is looking for VP, Global Digital Business Development.
• MasterCard seeks VP, Digital Wallet & Alternative Channel Engagement.
• Sony Music Entertainment seeks to hire VP, Digital Strategy.
• Marriott International is recruiting for VP, Brand, Marketing & Digital.
• Edelman seeks VP of Digital Strategy & Planning.
• Chase is looking for VP, Digital Originations and Sales Product Manager.

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• Macy’s using aggressive adoption of omnichannel to battle Amazon
• Walmart CEO Doug McMillon gets, preaches omnichannel religion
• Western Union SVP Khalid Fellahi talks omnichannel strategy and expansion in Europe
• Apple finally gets content to commerce bridging
• Neiman Marcus highlights digital efforts and organizational changes to support digital in its IPO filing
• J.C. Penney shows improved financial results and CEO Marvin Ellison commits to increased tech spending to boost omnichannel and ecommerce initiatives
• New York Times report on white collar work conditions at Amazon generates an explosion of public debate on Amazon culture and on modern worklife

• General Electric launches IoT analytics as a cloud service for healthcare, energy and transportation industries for internal and third party us
  

• Google’s Rising star Pichai is officially in charge as new CEO
• Mike Bracken joins Co-operative Group as Chief Digital Officer
• JCPenney stocks up on ‘Omnichannel’ execs from other retail chains
• Former Walmart Exec Hired As CMO Of 99 Cents Only
• Target taps a new CFO as Cornell continues to shape executive team
• Moxie names Reardon CEO, Deering become eBay CMO

• Macy’s looking to hire Director, Digital Media
• Best Buy is looking for Director, E-Commerce Category Management, Strategy & Growth
• Demandware is looking to hire Vice President, Corporate Marketing
• Acquia is looking for Chief Marketing Officer( CMO )
• Walmart eCommerce is looking to hire Senior Director Online Marketing
  
• MetLife is looking for Director, Digital Marketing, eComm/mComm
• Gap Inc. is looking to hire Vice President, Global Reach Digital Marketing
  
• Starbucks is looking to hire Director, In-Store Retail Digital Innovation

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DISCLAIMER : Third party publishers of the content linked in the archives may occasionally move or delete the content. Sorry if you hit an outdated link. 

• Just when you thought digital is all retail! Honeywell takes digital and IoT to manufacturing and mobile apps to plant workers
• Remember last newsletter story about consumers getting some digital banking done while on a date? No wonder banks now “increasingly focus [retail banking] budgets on digital transformation”
• Fascinating use cases as transportation evolves into a digital business. IoT on steroids. Modernizing a quarter-million-mile rail track with remote monitoring, mobile apps to troubleshoot wifi-enabled rail grinders, maintaining high yield of expensive fracking machinery in oil & gas industry, “digital trucking” and smart loading docks
• Bed Bath & Beyond CEO Steven Temares says omnichannel strategy is working. Sales through mobile apps and website grew 35% YoY
• Dr. Mark Boxer, CIO at Cigna Healthcare talks about use of technology to provide “quality, affordability and patient experience” for the digitally savvy consumer
• JC Penney CEO to be Marvin Ellison wants to “make more technological strides” such as mobile app with visual product search enabled. Relatedly, see Photon’s solution for this capability
• Je m’appelle Jean-Paul Agon! L’Oreal CEO explains why “digital and beauty are the perfect match.
• CEO Brian Cornell and Chief Innovation Officer Casey Carl of Target adopting venture capital industry techniques (Entrepreneurs in Residence) in search of next billion dollar business that has a “defensible business model”
  
• Opinion piece: Similarities exist between digital challenges facing banks today and what retailers faced years earlier. What can banks learn from retailers?
  

• eBay Enterprise about to be sold for $900M to private equity firm? Less than half what eBay paid to acquire
• Oracle benefits from Toys ‘R’ Us decision to bring e-commerce in-house
  
• Microsoft exits ad business to focus on search but gets to power all AOL properties for search. Could AOL parent Verizon’s Android smartphones be next? Watch out Google!

• Walgreens Boots Alliance has named Stefano Pessina CEO
• Pepsico expands Hugh Johnston’s role to Vice Chairman to address needs of digital consumer
• Mukul Deoras, appointed as the chief marketing officer of Colgate-Palmolive