Just how popular is the Starbucks mobile app? In 2018, 23.4 million people aged 14 and above will use the app to make a POS purchase at least once every six months, according to eMarketer. That’s more than the users of today’s most popular proximity-based mobile payment apps, including: Apple Pay (22 million); Google Pay (11.1 million); and Samsung Pay (9.9 million).

Peet’s Coffee was looking to expand its Peetnik Rewards loyalty program to all 240 stores following a beta test period, but needed a more reliable platform. By partnering with Paytronix, the chain got a more stable platform, along with a bonus: detailed data about program members’ activity, which has translated into valuable marketing insights and measurable benefits. The chain moved its loyalty and stored value program to a SaaS platform from Paytronix. Within six months after a July 2017 chainwide rollout, Peet’s had achieved:

The news that technology powerhouse Microsoft is working on cashier-less technology that could help retailers compete with Amazon Go signals a major advance in this area. Still, questions remain about exactly what kind of solution will best solve shoppers’ checkout pain points. While some consumers may welcome a cashier-free environment, others might want more cashiers on duty to provide assistance if needed. Tech-savvy retailers are still trying to figure out the optimal way forward. Kroger has made major investments in its Scan, Bag, Go technology, which allows shoppers to scan products either with a device provided by the store or with their smartphones. The retailer is in the process of expanding the program to 400 stores, and Kroger CIO Chris Hjelm identified the technology as one of his proudest achievements of the past few years.

Nearly half (48%) of consumers agree or strongly agree that buying and discovering products directly from brands’ mobile sites is frustrating, according to a survey from Qubit. Instead, consumers are more likely to use their mobile devices for browsing and inspiration (61%) than for purchasing specific items (58%). During 2017, consumers could choose from more than 78 million products across 73 retail web sites in the U.S. and EMEA regions, according to Qubit. This demonstrates a “paradox of choice” for consumers and illustrates the need for retailers to focus on relevancy and discovery now more than ever.