"Predictive commerce" is a new concept that links customer demand data, planning and the execution of transportation. Pat Smith, general manager of ToolsGroup, tells how it was implemented at Costa Express, the U.K.'s fastest-growing coffee shop chain.

U.K. retailer John Lewis is preparing to launch an RFID-enabled pilot at its flagship store in London by early next month that will allow shoppers to create an image of a specific chair or sofa with the fabric covering of their choice, using toy-size pieces of furniture and swatches of fabric.

Bellwether retailers eBay and Wal-Mart have reduced their expectations of sales growth for the current fiscal year, blaming the lower outlooks, in part, on the stronger dollar.

Amazon announced it plans to hire 80,000 seasonal employees at its 50 fulfillment centers and 15 sortation centers in the U.S. to handle peak demand.

Collaboration among private-label partners has never been more important, and recent research suggests that in addition to improving organization, communication, safety and compliance, better collaboration among private-label stakeholders can also lead to improved production and cost efficiencies.