This week in Retail & Consumer goods: Amazon’s latest acquisition puts e-commerce software giants on alert

Latest Industry Insights from Draup Braindesk

Digital Customer Experience: Companies target remote monitoring and interactive digital applications to win new age customers 

Resideo focuses on digital technologies like data analytics to improve its e-commerce channels and use remote monitoring systems to provide better customer experiences.

J C Penney partners with Checkpoint’s InterACT Fitting Room to provide an interactive in-store experience to customers.
Lidl is working with Wharton to build a product recommendation system for localized product assortments and promotions.
McCormick & Company partners with Buzzfeed to launch a new Flavor Maker app that helps in tracking their inventory of spices and seasonings.
Loreal launches a beauty and skincare-based digital application and partners with Snapchat for the development of Snap lenses.

Retailers eye recommendation engines and chatbots to plug customer experience gaps

Resideo acquires Harmon AV to expand its presence in the pro-AV market.
McCormick & Company partners with a multinational technology company to use AI for product composition and explore flavor territories quickly and efficiently.
Loreal partners with Bot Hello to develop chatbots for eyebrow products. It also expands its partnership with Amazon for ModiFace technology.

Retailers continue to invest in the modernization of legacy Supply chain Management and ERP solutions

Kimberly Clark partners with the Dada group to leverage digital integration capabilities and improve the efficiency of its commodity and supply chain management systems.
McCormick & Company strengthens its partnership with SAP to utilize SAP technology solutions and simplify operations that drive greater efficiency.

Latest Reports Published in Draup

Arrow Electronics Account intelligence report: Arrow Electronics is increasing its focus on IT automation and secure DevOps in overall solutions for both on-premise and multi-cloud environments.
Read More>>

Walgreens Boost Alliance Account intelligence report: Walgreens Boots aims at implementing an innovative pharmacy management model to improve customer experience through a cloud-based pharmacy benefit platform. Read More>>

Key Funding Alert

Company – BloomNation
BloomNation raises USD 11 Mn in Series B round
The round was led by B. Riley Venture Capital. It also introduced its parent company, Promenade, and is applying its e-commerce technology to two new verticals: local pizzerias via Dig-In and liquor stores via Swigg. Read More>>

Startup Spotlight

Company – Toch
HQ Location – Mumbai Area, India
Total Funding – USD 1.55 Mn
Type – Retail
About: Toch is an interactive video shopping platform. Toch introduces shoppable blogs and shoppable videos, which will help to reach out to a rich pool of followers and enthusiasts. Read More>>

Key Insights and Signals in Draup

Mergers and Acquisitions
Firms eye controlling stake in eBay Korea with intent to expand retail footprint
Private equity fund MBK Partners and local internet firm Kakao Corp. are tapped as two of the most viable candidates to possibly acquire eBay Korea, the country’s No.2 e-commerce company that went up for sale last month. Read More>>
Amazon’s acquisition of Selz puts Shopify, BigCommerce on notice

Australian-based Selz quietly reported last month that it had signed an agreement to sell itself to the online shopping giant. Selz helps small companies establish and manage their own e-commerce presence, a la Shopify or BigCommerce. Read More>>
Reliance to buy Milkbasket

Reliance is finally close to acquiring subscription-based milk delivery startup Milkbasket for about USD 43 Mn. Read More>>
Vingroup fails to acquire LG mobile’s business as talks crumble

The South Korean tech company is selling its mobile phone facilities stationed in Brazil and Vietnam as the plants only add to the company’s expenses when the sales from smartphones have been low in recent years. It was reported that the main reason for the collapse of the negotiations was the price. Read More>>

Whole Foods Market makes entry into Wyoming

Whole Foods Market this week entered Wyoming, its 43rd state, with the completion of its acquisition of independent supermarket Jackson Whole Grocer. Read More>>

Partnerships
Air Liquide and Itochu to accelerate hydrogen mobility developments in Japan
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 25th Feb for the new collaboration that hopes to develop a competitive hydrogen supply offering with help from public authorities. Read More>>
Argentine startup partners with eBay
Nubi, the Argentine fintech that offers financial products, and eBay closed an alliance that will help entrepreneurs and local small and medium-sized companies to increase their online sales internationally. Read More>>

Executive Movement
Graybar announces leadership changes in Tampa and Chicago
Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, communications, and data networking products and provider of related supply chain management and logistics services, recently announced several leadership changes.
– Robert W. Levine has been named District Vice President in Tampa.
– Ellen S. Rebne has been named District Vice President in Chicago.Read More>>
Goldman’s consumer banking head Omer Ismail joins Walmart’s fintech venture
David Stark, one of his top lieutenants at Goldman, will also join him, the report added. Read More>>
Outdoor Voices taps Urban Outfitters president Gabrielle Conforti as new CEO
In her new position, Conforti is tasked with building on the company’s current momentum and focusing on creating “exciting new products for customers, doubling down on the brand’s Recreationalist community, and architecting the future vision for Outdoor Voices”. Read More>>

Center setup and expansion
The Gap to open USD 140 Mn distribution center in Longview, Texas
The San Francisco-based apparel retailer expects that the move will add about 500 new jobs to the local economy, a figure that could grow to more than 1,000 full-time jobs over the next five years. Read More>>

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