The right security software is essential for pharmacies, which face a myriad of government regulations and security challenges related to the handling of controlled substances. Last year Rite Aid began using Agilence’s 20/20 Data Analytics tool to identify potential losses due to diversion, as well as procedural and operation errors.

Third-party online payment platform Alipay recently announced plans to expand in-store mobile payments in North America. Leading the effort is Souheil Badran, president of Alipay North America, who says the company is looking to work with merchants that typically appeal to Chinese tourists.

Enjoy Life Foods is going old-school to promote its new line of “free-from” products. The brand plans to visit 32 cities over the summer as part of a national school bus tour, sharing 600,000 complimentary snacks that omit the top eight most common food allergens.

The latest in a long line of wearable technology was introduced at South by Southwest this spring; the Smart Commuter Jacket, designed by Levi Strauss & Co. and Google, features technology that allows users to receive phone calls and get directions simply by swiping their sleeves.

The digital edition of STORES includes must-read pieces, including the articles featured here. Read the current issue and browse the archives for issues you may have missed.

Americans are expected to spend more than ever on gifts for Father’s Day this year with the biggest share going to special outings like a ballgame, concert or dinner, according to NRF’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights. Total spending is expected to reach $15.5 billion — the highest in the survey’s 15-year history, topping last year’s previous record of $14.3 billion.

A retail store may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a world-renowned publishing company like National Geographic. In this week’s episode of Retail Gets Real, Jill Dvorak, director of merchandising and marketing at National Geographic Partners, explains how National Geographic connects content and community with commerce as a strategy for building customer loyalty.

Almost every entrepreneurial leap begins with an entrepreneur’s passion, and sometimes it can take a lot of guts to act on a business idea. This is Retail spoke with 8 Myles founder Myles Powell about the career change that led him to retail and what it’s like to start a small business from the ground up.

Michaels Stores Inc., the largest specialty retailer of arts and crafts in North America, has selected Acxiom’s integrated, data-driven marketing solutions to deliver more personalized customer experiences.

Soccer Express, Canada’s largest distributor and retailer of soccer equipment and apparel, has implemented NetSuite’s unified cloud commerce platform to run its omnichannel sales spanning ecommerce and in-store point of sale across four stores, inventory management, order management and ERP. As a result of the implementation, Soccer Express has increased revenue by 25 percent.

GE Appliances has announced that laundry and kitchen appliances will now be sold on Costco.com. In addition, Costco warehouses have installed displays for laundry and kitchen appliances. Costco will have access to the GE and GE Profile brands.

True Value Company, one of the world’s largest retailer-owned wholesale hardware cooperatives, has partnered with Comarch on solutions for comprehensive management of customer relations and support for marketing activities and implemented Comarch Loyalty Management to enhance its loyalty program, True Value Rewards.

dunnhumby, a leading customer science company, and Aptaris, an enterprise marketing and promotions management technology innovator, have announced a multi-year agreement providing their integrated enterprise promotional planning, price optimization, modelling and forecasting system to Associated Wholesale Grocers, a leading retailer-owned cooperative serving more than 3,800 retail stores in 36 states.

The s.Oliver Group, one of the largest fashion and lifestyle companies in Europe, is partnering with consumer-driven predictive analytics firm First Insight Inc. to more quickly and accurately make design, buying and pricing decisions on its apparel, shoes, accessories, jewelry, fragrances and eyewear.

Staples Inc. has announced a collaboration with DwellStudio, a design house for fashion-forward, modern furnishings, resulting in an exclusive 40-piece collection of modern office organization pieces launching in stores and on Staples.com.

Global travel brand Tumi will augment its existing Aptos Singular Commerce platform with Aptos Enterprise Order Management solution to enhance omnichannel operations and offer shoppers ‘endless aisle’ inventory visibility and flexible fulfillment options.

WorkForce Software has been selected by Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana to connect the nonprofit’s growing workforce and boost employee engagement. Goodwill employs more than 3,500 individuals across 39 counties in more than 100 locations in Indiana, including retail stores, charter schools, commercial services contracts and more.