• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers

2

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar

3

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line

1

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers

2

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar

3

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
RetailE-commerce

Macy’s Ramps Up Tech Push With Virtual Reality and Personalized Online Shopping

Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 19, 2018, 6:17 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Macy’s (M) enjoyed a decent holiday season that saw it break a three-year streak of sales declines, and its top executives have made clear they are doubling down on new technology to avoid sliding again.

Following its announcement reported last week by Fortune that Macy’s would introduce mobile checkout at most stores by year-end, the department store chain said on Monday that it will update its shopping app and site this year so the merchandise it suggests to shoppers is more in tune with their interests. Macy’s is also introducing virtual reality to the furniture departments at 60 of its 650 stores.

Visitors to Macy’s website or shopping app are greeted by generic merchandise and information about a discount. But by the end of the year, Macy’s plans to welcome digital shoppers with merchandise that is tailored to their past shopping and spending patterns along with other information provided by the customer.

And the item will often be show with addition merchandise that could be complimentary. For example, if you frequently buy cashmere sweaters, Macy’s may suggest a new sweater but also with pants and shoes that go with it. That is part of Macy’s efforts to restore what CEO Jeff Gennette has called its “fashion authority.” And as it has done in stores where sales signage has been reined in, the electronic messaging about discounts will be limited.

In the physical world, Macy’s entices shoppers inside with its store windows, says Jill Ramsey, Macy’s recently appointed chief digital revenue officer. And so it is in the digital realm, Macy’s hopes.

“This is really our front window now,” she told Fortune in an interview on Monday at Shoptalk, a retail conference in Las Vegas, pointing to phone.

Figuring out via algorithms what items to offer shoppers has bedeviled retailers for years. Indeed, personalized offers have long been a priority for retailers, but success has been elusive. Too often, shoppers have been bombarded with offers based on something they bought only once, or for another person as a gift. But armed with tools such as a newly strengthened loyalty program and better tech, Macy’s believes it can crack the code.

And as online retailer StitchFix has shown, once you figure out how to make relevant offers, your app becomes habit forming. And the utilitarian ease of shopping on Amazon shows that department stores have to make their shopping about more than discounts and convenience, and more about the specialness of an item.

According to eMarketer, Macy’s is the seventh largest online retailer in the U.S. now, garnering some 20% of sales on line. But under Macy’s president Hal Lawton, a longtime eBay executive appointed last year, Macy’s is planning to take it up a notch with the VR test.

https://twitter.com/hallawton/status/975072548428840966

Shoppers will be able to imagine how Macy’s tables and sofas would look in their own actual dining and living rooms by using the app to on their phones. Home goods are a key area of more growth for Macy’s, says Ramsey.

About the Author
Phil Wahba
By Phil WahbaSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Phil Wahba is a senior writer at Fortune primarily focused on leadership coverage, with a prior focus on retail.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Retail

A loneliness epidemic is creating a new type of third space: the one built around curiosity
SuccessSocial Media
A loneliness epidemic is creating a new type of third space: the one built around curiosity
By Tatiana SatauaAugust 1, 2026
8 hours ago
A creator sells shoes on a livestream auction.
RetailGen Z
‘People can go from zero to 100’: How Gen Z is raking in $260,000 per month on a livestream auction app
By Joshua HongAugust 1, 2026
14 hours ago
Amazon may owe you money: It just got $600 million in tariff refunds after a lawsuit accused it of favoring Trump
RetailAmazon
Amazon may owe you money: It just got $600 million in tariff refunds after a lawsuit accused it of favoring Trump
By Catherina GioinoJuly 31, 2026
1 day ago
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power, July 18–31, 2026
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power, July 18–31, 2026
By Fortune EditorsJuly 31, 2026
1 day ago
ronnen
SuccessBook Excerpt
The competition passed on a flying toy. We built it into $100 million dollar business
By Ronnen HararyJuly 31, 2026
1 day ago
Meet the jet-setting fashion editor who turned a New York manicure at 23 into Nails.Inc—Despite selling for $40 million, she still wakes at 5:45 a.m.
SuccessFortune The Good Life
Meet the jet-setting fashion editor who turned a New York manicure at 23 into Nails.Inc—Despite selling for $40 million, she still wakes at 5:45 a.m.
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
Success
Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
By Preston ForeAugust 1, 2026
8 hours ago
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
Personal Finance
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
Retail
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
Success
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
1 day ago
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
Success
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
By Preston ForeJuly 31, 2026
1 day ago
Polar bears roll in beds of ice cubes at Prague Zoo as Europe battles record heat
Environment
Polar bears roll in beds of ice cubes at Prague Zoo as Europe battles record heat
By The Associated PressJuly 30, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.