customer experience

Walmart's chief executive says the retailer will not raise prices for individual customers based on their shopping histories, addressing concerns about the electronic shelf labels it has been rolling out in stores. The pledge is meant to reassure shoppers that the digital price tags will not enable personalized or surveillance-style pricing, even as other retailers experiment with dynamic pricing.

Walmart is investing in employee training programmes while introducing artificial intelligence-powered shopping tools for customers. The retailer is pairing workforce upskilling with new AI features aimed at personalising and streamlining the shopping experience, positioning itself as a technology-forward company in the competitive retail sector.

Lowe's has entered the drone delivery market, becoming one of the latest major US retailers to experiment with aerial delivery of home improvement products to customers. Details on partners, launch locations and timelines remain limited, but the move follows a broader retail push toward drone logistics as companies seek faster last-mile delivery options.

Lowe's Companies has started a pilot program offering drone delivery with a roughly 20-minute turnaround for customers. The home improvement retailer is testing the service as part of a broader push by retailers to speed up last-mile delivery using drones. The move puts Lowe's alongside other major chains experimenting with aerial delivery to cut delivery times and costs.

Businesses offering 'rage retreats' — spaces where paying customers can smash plates, yell and destroy objects to vent frustration — are reporting booming demand. Operators link the trend to widespread stress and political and social anger, selling catharsis as a service. Commentators see the growth as a barometer of a tense, anxious mood in everyday life.

Huntington National Bank has combined its marketing and digital functions as part of a growth push, hiring former USAA executive Ameesh Vakharia to lead the effort. He is tasked with aligning the regional bank's brand experience with its digital product delivery. The move signals the bank's intent to compete more closely with larger institutions on customer experience and digital banking.

McDonald's is exploring how to build an in-store retail media business, turning its restaurants and digital screens into an advertising channel for brands. Industry analysts note the fast-food chain faces the same questions as other retailers: how to prove in-store ads drive sales, measure their effectiveness, and scale the offering without disrupting the customer experience.

Bloomingdale's is rolling out a new creative strategy aimed at bringing shoppers back to its stores as foot traffic and sales remain under pressure. The department store chain, owned by Macy's Inc., is experimenting with fresh approaches to win back customers at a time when US retailers are competing hard for in-person spending and struggling to reverse the shift toward online shopping.

Retailers are being drawn into a rapid and turbulent shift toward humanoid robots, with the technology moving from experiment to storefront operations. Industry commentary points to a bumpy transition as stores weigh automation of stocking, customer service and warehouse work against high costs, immature hardware and uncertain returns.

Payments company Elavon Europe has released what it calls the ultimate guide to retail, a resource aimed at retailers navigating the sector. The guide has drawn significant attention, generating over 350,000 engagements as businesses look for insight on payments, customer experience and retail trends.

Convenience retail is increasingly framed as a technology business, with stores functioning as platforms for digital payments, loyalty systems, delivery apps and in-store automation. The claim, raised by convenience industry outlet NACS, reflects how retailers now compete on software and data as much as on products, reshaping operations and customer experience across the sector.

Ohio-based burger chain Swensons is working to restore what it calls the original burger experience, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The report says the company is taking steps to bring back the qualities associated with its classic drive-in service and signature Galley Boy burger. Details of the specific changes were not included in the available coverage, but the story has drawn attention among fans of the regional chain.

Developers are discussing the practical difficulties of migrating apps from Xamarin.Forms to .NET MAUI. What looks like a simple namespace change on paper turns into substantial work around custom renderers, navigation, and abandoned plugins, following Microsoft's end of support for Xamarin. The experience highlights how framework migrations often cost far more time than official upgrade paths suggest.

Retailers are increasingly adopting facial identification technology, according to a column by Jack Karns. The technology is being used to identify known shoplifters and streamline customer experiences, but its spread raises questions about privacy, data security and consent. Commentators are weighing the benefits for loss prevention against concerns about how images of ordinary shoppers are collected, stored and shared across stores.

Adobe has published a report examining how prepared travel and hospitality companies are to adopt artificial intelligence. The piece looks at where the industry stands on AI adoption, the gaps between leaders and laggards, and what businesses must do to keep pace as travellers increasingly expect AI-driven personalisation and service across booking and guest experiences.

Travel industry commentators are highlighting a notable concession from technology executives: that human travel advisors remain central to delivering smooth, hassle-free travel experiences. The discussion, reported by Travel Weekly, suggests that despite advances in booking technology and automation, tech leaders now acknowledge advisors' expertise and personal service as an essential ingredient in seamless journeys, reigniting debate over technology versus human expertise in travel.

Chain Store Age has published its September retail technology news roundup. The update collects the month's key developments in retail tech, covering tools and systems that stores use for operations, customer experience and sales. Retailers and industry watchers use these monthly roundups to track which technologies are gaining traction across the sector.

Beyond Yoga's chief marketing officer is discussing how the activewear brand uses fitness classes as a retail opportunity, converting in-studio experiences into product sales and brand loyalty. The strategy reflects a broader retail trend of blending wellness events with commerce to reach customers directly and build community around athleisure brands.

Alaska Airlines' new Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft are being delivered without seatback entertainment screens in economy class, a configuration choice being questioned by aviation commentators. The airline is continuing its trend of streaming entertainment to personal devices instead of installing built-in screens, and observers are asking whether skipping screens on an all-new aircraft type is a misstep for the passenger experience.

AT&T has offered customers a workaround for cellular problems affecting iPhones, but reports say the suggested fix does not appear to resolve the issue. Users continue to experience connectivity problems, and the carrier's proposed solution is being met with skepticism as no confirmed resolution has emerged yet.

Power outages have been reported across the Shreveport-Bossier area in northwest Louisiana, according to local news outlet KLAX-TV. The reports come as residents in the twin cities on the Red River experience interruptions to electric service. No details have yet been given on the number of customers affected, the cause of the outages, or when power is expected to be restored.

India's insurance regulator IRDAI is pushing reforms aimed at lowering policy costs, but commentators argue affordability alone will not improve adoption unless claim settlement improves. The discussion, reported by The Federal, highlights persistent consumer frustration with slow or disputed claims, suggesting that better customer experience must accompany price cuts for reforms to rebuild trust in insurance.

Digital-first brands are expanding into physical retail, opening stores after building their businesses online. The shift reflects a broader trend in the retail sector, as e-commerce-native companies seek in-person customer experiences, brand visibility and new revenue channels. Commentators note that physical locations can complement rather than compete with online sales, though costs and real estate risks remain key challenges for these formerly online-only businesses.

Retailers are being surveyed on which generative AI tools they actually put into production in ecommerce during 2026. Discussion centers on practical deployments rather than pilots: product recommendations, automated content creation, and customer service automation are the main areas cited. The conversation is prompting retailers and analysts to assess how far AI has moved from experimentation into core shopping experiences and what results it is delivering.

A tech writer tested four animations styled after the iPhone's fold interaction on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, reporting that only one of them worked properly on the device. The piece compares how the two companies handle foldable-screen animations and highlights the limits of recreating Apple's effects on Samsung hardware.

Athletech News asks whether the fitness industry, which has built its business model around selling experiences such as boutique classes and premium gyms, can now successfully monetize measurable results for customers. The question points to growing interest in outcome-based pricing, where consumers pay for demonstrated health improvements rather than access or amenities, and the challenges of proving and delivering such results.