Use the word “steal” around retail employees, and you likely won’t land any fans. Talk about stealing innovative concepts and insight, however, and you might just become MVP. Once again, STORES magazine sets the year off right with a tone of creativity, bold ventures and sheer chutzpah.

Getting the word out about a huge marketing and operations initiative within a company of 210,000 employees at more than 7,500 locations is tough enough even in the best of circumstances. Now imagine doing that 10 times per year. Every year.

Consumers’ buying habits increasingly favor digital platforms, whether it’s receiving discount codes through social media or purchasing directly through their favorite brand’s website. The savviest retailers know that feeding that migration with better digital engagement strategies and a streamlined buying experience is essential to success.

Small to mid-volume independent retailers can be more vulnerable to thieves than larger chains that often have more resources to combat theft, though Chelsea Moylan says there are tactics that smaller retailers can adopt to better protect themselves and their hard-earned dollars.

One of the most attractive elements of a live event like a concert or festival is the sense of shared experience. A tech device from startup Hurdl is taking that to a whole new level.

You might not expect a conversation about the future of food to include IKEA, but during the London Design Festival, its Copenhagen-based innovation lab, Space19, had lots of folks talking about experimental indoor farm initiative Lokal.

Reebok is partnering with Savile Row tailors Huntsman & Sons to make a suit from the fitness brand’s innovative Flexweave material.

Carlos Mateos Jr. got his start at McDonald’s working part-time at his father’s restaurant, and now owns the Arlington, Va., location where he first flipped burgers. On this week’s episode of NRF’s Retail Gets Real podcast, Mateos discusses his career at the chain and how new automation technology is changing the McDonald’s experience.

Retailers must adapt and evolve to keep up with shifting consumer preferences. Walmart is leading the way through omnichannel convenience, responsible sourcing and investment in associate training. Walmart CEO and “The Visionary” honoree Doug McMillon will speak at NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show about key strategies for thriving in a changing retail landscape.

Scott Harrison founded charity: water to help bring clean water to people in developing nations. Ahead of Harrison’s session at NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show, he spoke about the inspiration behind the nonprofit and how he’s disrupting the way people and organizations think about giving back.

Yottaa Inc., a leading SaaS platform for accelerating ecommerce, announced that Samsonite International S.A., the world’s largest travel luggage company, has selected the Yottaa eCommerce Acceleration Platform to improve web performance for seven of its online sites.

New Media Investment Group Inc., one of the largest publishers of locally based print and online media in the U.S., announced an alliance with Houzz, the biggest platform for home renovation and design, to provide the full, authentic Houzz content, shopping and pro-finder experience across all New Media local newspapers’ websites. This is the first time Houzz has partnered with any U.S. publisher to provide readers with a fully co-branded experience that includes the ability to purchase products directly from a co-branded website.

Superdry, the global digital brand, has selected Centric Software to provide its Product Lifecycle Management PLM solution. Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury and consumer goods companies to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals.

Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, a global market share leader for integrated in-store retail solutions, announced an expanded partnership with BJ’s Wholesale Club to provide the leading retailer with several new technology solutions. BJ’s selected Toshiba to deliver more personalized offers to its members through the TCx Vector solution. TCx Vector will be deployed as part of BJ’s expanded commitment to Toshiba’s retail applications.

Morrisons, one of the largest supermarkets in the United Kingdom, is investing in its stores with the recent estate-wide upgrade of Irisys’ Queue Intelligence analytics solution.

BTM Global, a premier provider of retail system integration and development services, announced that Red Wing Shoe Company is live with Red Wing for Business, a platform to support the retailer’s large base of corporate customers.

Williams-Sonoma Inc. announced the launch of Robin, a new multichannel specialty brand within the Williams-Sonoma Inc. portfolio focused on fostering healthier lifestyles through improved sleep quality. The Robin suite of products is designed to aid in sleep quality and wellness by promoting rest, renewal and relaxation.

Sprouts Farmers Market announced it will expand home delivery service to its major markets across the country through a new partnership with Instacart.

Alliance Data Systems Corporation, a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions, announced its Columbus, Ohio-based card services business has signed a new agreement to provide branded credit card services in the United States for IKEA Group, the world’s largest furniture retailer. The IKEA Group operates 47 stores in the U.S. and a total of 362 in 29 countries around the world.