TECHNOLOGY

GameStop has big plans for virtual reality
Augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go has given a big sales boost to GameStop.
Unilever buys Dollar Shave Club in megadeal
Consumer goods giant Unilever is paying a reported $1 billion to buy an online retail start-up that has yet to turn to profit. Unilever PLC announced it is buying Dollar Shave Club, the razor delivery subscription service known for its irreverent brand positioning and viral You Tube videos. Terms of the deal were not announced, but The New York Times and other media outlets reported Unilever is paying $1 billion in cash for the scrappy company, which has yet to turn a profit but expects to do so by yearend.

Study: Book retailer shows brand strength

A familiar chain has been named the most powerful retail brand of 2016. According to the 2016 Top 100 Most Powerful Brands report from brand marketing firm Tenet Partners, Barnes & Nobile is the most powerful retail brand, and 32nd most powerful brand overall, of the year. This is the second straight year Barnes & Noble ranked highest among retailers.
Survey: Back-to-school shoppers will spend more, but wisely

Parents making back-to-school purchases are willing to open their wallets, if the price is right. That’s according to a new study from digital savings platform RetailMeNot Inc., "Back-to-School Cheat Sheet: Consumer Trends and Insights for Retailers," back-to-school shoppers plan to spend an average of $273 per child, up from their anticipated spending of $246 in 2015.
Urban Outfitters joins the political fray

Urban Outfitters, which has a history of selling products that can sometimes cause offense (at least to some consumers), has entered the presidential debate. The chain is offering a range of merchandise criticizing Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported, including a book of Trump quotations styled to look like Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong’s Little Red Book.
Report: Nordstrom buys stake in supply chain software firm

Nordstrom has taken another step to reduce complexity in its supply chain and improve its shipping of online orders. The retailer has bought a minority stake in DS Co., a software company that links inventory management between retailers and suppliers, the Wall Street Journal reported. The company, based in Utah, offers a cloud-based service, called Dsco, which makes it easier for suppliers to directly ship orders placed through their retail partners.
Publix teams up with Instacart on grocery delivery

Publix is joining Costco, Whole Foods and other retailers in providing grocery delivery service through a partnership with Instacart. Publix announced Wednesday that it would begin its Instacart service in select areas of Miami beginning July 12. Instacart is an e-commerce and delivery service that allows customers to place their grocery orders online and have their items delivered right to their doorsteps. Customers can place orders by visiting www.instacart.com/publix.
Furniture retailer, Dallas Cowboys give kids a sleepover to remember

For 100 impoverished children in the Dallas area, it was a night they won’t soon forget. For the second consecutive year, Ashley HomeStore and the Dallas Cowboys teamed up to host the “ultimate sleepover experience” on the field at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The kids got to take part in on-field games and entertainment with the Dallas Cowboys players and cheerleaders, eat pizza and watch a movie on the stadium’s gigantic 160-ft. video screen.
Online giant going bricks-and-mortar in New York

Amazon is bringing its bookstore concept to one of the largest retail projects to ever open in Manhattan. The online giant is planning to open a bookstore and cafe at Hudson Yards, the massive retail, commercial and residential space being developed by Related Cos. and Oxford Properties Group, the New York Post reported. Click here to read more.
Tech veteran promoted to Oracle Retail VP

A 30-year industry veteran is taking day-to-day control of the Oracle Retail global business unit. Oracle has appointed Ray Carlin as senior VP and general manager, Oracle Retail. Carlin will be responsible for leading the Oracle Retail global business unit and report to Mike Webster, Oracle’s senior VP and general manager, retail and hospitality.