In recognition of Cyber Security Awareness Month, Uswitch Broadband experts set out to explore how well people are protecting themselves online. The survey uncovered common mistakes that leave people vulnerable to cyber risks, along with actionable tips on how to safeguard personal information.

Online retailers saw a significant increase in online Halloween sales, bolstered by the event (31 Oct) falling during school half-term as well as coinciding with Diwali, according to data from Wunderkind, the AI-driven performance marketing solution.

By Georgia Leybourne, Chief Marketing Officer, Linnworks.

Success in ecommerce and retail today hinges on consumer convenience. It is fast becoming a powerful tool in the e-commerce industry, transforming the way businesses engage with their customers and increasing sales through social commerce.

With the holiday season fast approaching, retail payroll teams around the world are bracing for the strain of seasonal hiring. The influx of workers means added payroll runs, and yet too few are turning to technology to ease the pressure.

By Umar Butt, CEO of UK and Europe at Aramex.

The pre-loved market is taking the fashion industry by storm. Reminiscent of the continued popularity of charity shops, thrift stores or vintage boutiques, the appetite for second hand clothes has been a constant for centuries, however in recent years a paradigm shift has moved this growing market into the mainstream.

CrowdStrike has agreed to acquire SaaS security solutions provider, Adaptive Shield. With this acquisition, CrowdStrike reports that it will be the only cybersecurity vendor to provide unified, end-to-end protection against identity-based attacks across the entire modern cloud ecosystem – from on-premises

Veracity Trust Network (Veracity) has been awarded the Cybersecurity Co-Innovation and Development Fund (CCDF) CyberCall grant of S$1 million by the Cyber Security Agency Singapore (CSA).

Russia's Vkusno i Tochka (Tasty and That's It) fast food chain, which appeared n the country instead of McDonald's, will have meal combos for children similarly to Happy Meal, the company's press service told RBC. The sets will be called "Kids Combos." The company will remove toys from the sets to replace them with books. The new products will be available at restaurants of the network from December 12 in Novokuznetsk, Novosibirsk, Berdsk, Barnaul, Tomsk, Kemerovo and Krasnoyarsk. Kids Combos will be available throughout Russia starting from January. Kids Combos will include nuggets, cheese snacks, classic burgers, salads, carrot sticks and apple wedges, as well as a drink of choice, a representative of Tasty and That's It said.

H&M clothing, footwear and accessories store on Tverskaya Street in Moscow closed on November 30.  An employee was filmed removing store banners and signs. A note to customers on a window says that the store is permanently closed, but all returns will be processed accordingly.  The staff of H&M Russia recorded a video in which they say goodbye to customers. 

Russian-Indian joint enterprise Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited intends to completely localise the production of AK-203 assault rifles in India, TASS reports with reference to Russia's defence export giant Rosoboronexport. "The production plans of the joint venture include plans for the 100-percent localisation of the production of AK-203 assault rifles in India," the company noted. "In addition, the joint venture may increase production and upgrade to produce prospective models on the platform of the Kalashnikov assault rifle,” Rosoboronexport said. In October, the company promised that the Russian-Indian plant for the production of AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles (7.62 by 39 mm caliber) in the Indian city of Corva would be ready to begin the production of weapons before the end of 2022.

The Arbitration Court of the Nizhny Novgorod region arrested all assets of German automaker Volkswagen in Russia, Interfax reports. Since March 17, Volkswagen has been banned from conducting any registration actions, such as actions to liquidate, reorganise or change the composition of participants, increase and decrease the authorized capital of the Russian subsidiary of Volkswagen and its legal entities. Volkswagen's assets in Russia ere banned following a court appeal from Russia's GAZ automobile group from March 14. The document was published in the file of arbitration cases.

Reckitt Benckiser, a British company that produces, among other things, Durex condoms, decided not to leave the Russian market, Baza Telegram channel said with a reference to an anonymous source. The UK-based company does not intend to either wrap up its business or transfer it to anyone. Former CEO Laxman Narasimhan, who left the company in September 2022, earlier spoke about Reckitt Benckiser's pullout from the Russian against the background of the crisis in Ukraine. Reckitt Benckiser manufactures and distributes a variety of products in more than 200 countries of the world. It is widely known for such brands as Vanish and Cilit Bang cleaning products, Nurofen pain reliever, Strepsils cough drops and Durex condoms.

Vladislav Bakalchuk, co-founder of one of Russia's largest marketplace platform Wildberries, announced an attempted gangster-style takeover of the company. The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov posted a video of his conversation with Bakalchuk on his Telegram channel. Bakalchuk said that in early July, Russ Outdoor company, headed by Levon and Robert Mirzoyan, tried to take over the assets of Wildberries by means of legal schemes. According to the co-founder, they deceived his wife, Tatyana Bakalchuk, after which she left home without an opportunity to see her husband to discuss what was happening. The marketplace merged with Russ Outdoor Company in June; the shares of both companies in the business were approximately equal.

Nornickel's plans to move copper plant production to China have raised questions both in the government and among experts. In April, Nornickel (Norilsk Nickel) announced plans to "create a joint venture with international partners and transfer part of the copper plant's capacities from Norilsk to China." The copper plant will continue to operate "modern copper concentrate preparation facilities and industrial 3D printers." "We are transferring our environmental problems, settlement problems, problems of market access and customization of our goods for the consumer market to where they can be solved most effectively — to China," Vladimir Potanin, co-owner of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel said in an interview with Interfax.

Omni-ID, the developer of passive industrial radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, used by major global organisations for monitoring the location and identity of assets, has appointed Amir Mobayen as Chief Revenue Officer.

A new research report has revealed the innovative new ways retailers are using RFID technology in-store to improve profitability.

Offering insights into the most effective, tried and tested approaches to managing retail risk, supplier of loss prevention solutions and retail technology, Checkpoint Systems UK, has revealed the conference agenda for its upcoming appearance as title sponsor at Retail Risk London on 22 July 2021.

Despite increasing concerns surrounding food waste, more than 89 million tonnes of food are thrown away every year in Europe. The grocery retail sector contributes some 5% to the total amount, often due to expired fresh produce, equating to more than 4.45 million tonnes.

RFID technology does not just exist since yesterday, but especially now, it has a major impact on the profits and losses of companies, for example in retail and logistics. RFID tags that are attached to goods can be read with mobile computers in such a way that real-time results for transactions, stock levels or the order history of customers are displayed.

The use of RFID offers a whole range of advantages, two of which clearly stand out: precision and speed. DENSO explains what this means for the retail sector.

RAIN Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag integrated circuits’ (IC) worldwide sales volume for the second year in a row smashed industry forecasts increasing 36% over the last year helping to nudge lifetime sales past the 100 billion tag IC sold barrier. This is the seventh year in a row of sales growth for RAIN RFID tag IC sales according to the RAIN Alliance, an industry technology group.

Supply chain hardware, software and services company Renovotec is launching a ‘fast improvement manufacturing programme’ designed to deploy those technologies that have the greatest impact on supply chain manufacturing.

By David Burns, freelance writer.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an identification system that works through radio frequencies that can track and identify authorised entry tools such as fobs and key cards. Not only is RFID a significant security measure, but it also provides your team with a reliable and efficient method of access.

By Alastair Bright, freelance writer.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Near Field Communication (NFC) are two wireless communication technologies that enable data exchange through radio waves. While NFC is primarily used in contactless payments, RFID is widely utilized for asset and location tracking. Both technologies, however, also have versatile applications beyond their primary uses.

Riverside Greetings, the supplier of greeting card solutions, has developed RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology which is claimed to dramatically accelerate category growth in the convenience and forecourt sector.

PervasID, provider of passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader systems for automating inventory and asset tracking, has launched a new advanced version of TrackMaster, claimed to provide greatly enhanced return on investment performance.

Following a record year in 2022, real-time data capture, printing, mobility and voice-directed solutions specialist, Dakota Integrated Solutions, has again exceeded projected revenue and growth targets during 2023.

RAIN Alliance, the non-profit industry organisation supporting the development and adoption of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), has announced that 44.8bn RAIN RFID tag chips were shipped globally in 2023.This figure represents year-on-year growth of 32%, and reflects increasing demand across a variety of industries....

According to Forbes, the global smart retail market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29.1% by 2030. DENSO accompanies retailers into the future with RFID.

2022 was the second highest year of activity in the global self-checkout market, according to a brand-new report from RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights. Global EPOS and Self-Checkout 2023 shows that with an ever-wider range of retailers embracing the technology, competition in the market remains fierce.

Manhattan Associates Inc has announced that PacSun, the specialty retailer of emerging youth brands and trending fashion, has selected Manhattan Active Point of Sale to enhance its omnichannel sales strategy and deliver a seamless, unified customer shopping experience.

Checkout finance provider, Divido, has launched two new product capabilities ‘Divido Analytics’ and ‘Split Capability’, allowing merchants to have greater understanding and flexibility over their checkout finance experience.

There were more than two million programmable EPOS units delivered worldwide last year, according to Global EPOS and Self-Checkout 2023, a brand-new study from strategic research and consulting firm RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights.

Competition between vendors to provide POS software remains fierce, with more than 125 suppliers working with major retail and hospitality chains, according to Global POS Software 2023, the latest study from strategic research and consulting firm RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights.

By Brad Hyett, CEO at phos.

SoftPoS, also known as Software Point of Sale, is a software-based solution enabling merchants to convert their NFC-enabled smartphones or tablets into functional payment terminals.

Manhattan Associates Inc. has announced significant enhancements to its Manhattan Active Point of Sale (POS) application designed to meet the dynamic needs of modern store associates.

By Jeremy Landau, freelance writer.

Retail's dynamic environment is seeing a real shift, driven by the integration of advanced software solutions. This goes beyond a mere technological upgrade – it's about completely transforming the customer experience.

The retail industry is witnessing an unprecedented level of competition, and traditional marketing strategies are becoming obsolete.

Recognizing the need for enabling innovative digital customer experiences, Ergonomic Solutions will showcase a comprehensive lineup of engaging customer facing solutions to drive personal interaction in retail and hospitality environments at EuroCIS 2024 (Hall 9 A40) in Dusseldorf from 27th – 29th February.

By Ryan Edwards, freelance writer.

Omnichannel is one of the most effective retail strategies for engaging customers, driving sales, and building lasting relationships. A way to strengthen this game-changing approach is the revolutionary power of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Cleveron, a click-and-collect automation solutions innovator, is proud to launch a modular outdoor parcel locker, Cleveron 355. The newest solution is specially engineered for DIY and home furnishing retailers, enabling the automated handover of extra-large items.

By Brad Hyett, CEO at phos.

With the news from UK Finance that 93% of all UK cards are now contactless, we cannot underestimate the importance of a reliable digital payment infrastructure. But what happens when traditional chip-and-pin machines fail? We all remember the recent tech outages across McDonald's, Tesco, and Sainsbury's, which forced the outlets to close down.

Cash handling solutions provider, Volumatic, has joined forces with EPoS solution providers MHouse Business Solutions to offer more efficient, accurate and streamlined cash processing to convenience retailers in Scotland and beyond.

SUZOHAPP is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon James as its new Executive Vice President of Retail & Transportation.Simon joined SUZOHAPP as Managing Director (MD) of the United Kingdom & Ireland, on September 1, 2018 and has made a very positive impact on our business there in a year's time.

Within the next twelve months, kiosks will be mainstream in the UK quick service restaurants (QSR), fast food and the casual dining market, according to the first UK research into consumer views and hospitality sector plans.

The market for self-ordering kiosks is booming, as restaurant operators seek to meet consumer demand for self-service.

Wirral-headquartered Evoke Creative, a design-led manufacturer of interactive digital solutions, has developed a series of innovative new products which address the challenges faced by its blue-chip client base as they re-open for customers and employees.

The Posiflex Group has responded to rising demand from customers in Europe by recruiting a seasoned executive to boost the European sales and marketing operations in its KIOSK subsidiary, a manufacturer of kiosks and interactive displays.

Smart Volution is launching a new addition to its Register family of POS solutions at the National Convenience Show at the NEC Birmingham on the 25th to the 27th of April 2022.

The Ergonomic Solutions Group, the designer and manufacturer of technology mounting solutions, has launched the SpacePole Kiosk – described as a multifunctional platform with maximum flexibility for a wide range of self-service applications including self-check-in/check-out, self-ordering, endless aisle, product display & advertising, ticketing, click & collect and many more.

Doddle, the global e-commerce technology provider, has introduced a range of self-service kiosks to its solution portfolio, enabling retailers and carriers to address the challenge of online returns.