Eighty-one percent of companies are reliant on third-party cookies while 85 percent of consumers want brands to use only first-party data, according to a new report. What advice would you give marketers about shifting from reliance on third-party data to first-party data for ad targeting?

Home Depot shared encoded email addresses and in-store purchase information with Meta when in-store shoppers chose to receive an e-receipt.

A new global survey finds 67 percent of U.S. consumers think ads based on location data are “creepy” with only 31 percent comfortable sharing their location in real-time. Will location-based marketing eventually overcome the consumer perception that it is a creepy technology?

While promising to help marketers tap first- and second-party data amid new privacy restrictions, data clean rooms remain sparsely used, according to a new study. What do you think of the potential as well as the challenges of using data clean rooms to help marketers transition from third-party cookies for targeting?

Meta was dealt a significant blow last week when being found guilty by European Union regulators of effectively forcing users to accept personalized ads. Required changes for the parent of Facebook and Instagram may significantly limit access to data to sell such ads in the region. Will calls for opt-in only requirements for online ad tracking get louder in the years ahead?

Cisco, SAP and Salesforce have all added a chief trust officer (CTrO) to their c-suite as the digital economy has elevated the importance of trust. Should retailers follow? Do retailers need a chief trust officer or to put a c-level exec in charge of trust?

New university research explores how grocers can take advantage of in-store cameras employing advanced artificial intelligence technologies to read facial expressions — raising an eyebrow, opening eyes, smiling — to enhance store layouts. What do you think of the potential benefits to store layout design of using facial recognition technologies?

A new survey finds many targeted ads and personalized emails make consumers feel “creepy,” but more so with Boomers than younger generations. What should marketers take away from evidence that younger generations may be more open to personal data-driven online marketing schemes?

Sephora ran afoul of California’s new data privacy laws, and the beauty retailer is paying the price for it — a settlement of $1.2 million to the state. What impact do you see the Sephora settlement having on how retailers use and sell data, both in California and throughout the U.S.?

Many European restaurants use table-side credit card authorization terminals, irrespective of type or level of service and price points. These devices have yet to approach critical mass in the U.S. Do you expect table-side credit card authorization terminals to become commonplace in U.S. restaurants?

Walmart wants its Walmart+ customers to provide access to their refrigerators and is now offering a way for its members to combine their Walmart+ membership with the chain’s InHome Delivery Service without breaking the bank. Do you expect that large numbers of Walmart+ and InHome Delivery Service customers will combine their memberships?

Amazon has introduced a new Store Analytics offering that taps its cashier-free checkout technologies to provide insights into the in-store performance of vendors’ products and ad campaigns.  What do you think of the value of store analytics tied to Just Walk Out technology for brands as well as for Amazon or stores licensing the technology?

In a new ad that launched last week, Apple highlights its privacy features by imagining the sale of a consumer’s data in a real-world, high-stakes auction.  What do you think about the effectiveness of Apple’s “Privacy on iPhone” commercial and the value of Apple’s positioning around privacy?

A recent article forecasts a world in which products can tell customers anything and everything about themselves using a digital ID, readable via QR code or NFC tag. Do you see digital IDs catching on for all products and, if so, what sort of information will customers expect from them?

Amazon just implemented its biometric palm reader at a Whole Foods location in a new market, making it look more like Amazon sees palm reading in Whole Foods’ future nationwide. Will palm-based identification become a necessary or significantly used part of Just Walk Out technology, or is it a bridge too far for most customers?

Retailers have found plenty of use cases for computer vision. The process of capturing, storing and analyzing shoppers’ images can generate great insights and outputs and, impose relevant ethical challenges for retailers. What do you see as legitimate use cases for computer vision and facial recognition technologies at retail?

Walmart is serious about gaining entry into your home. The retailer announced plans to expand its InHome Delivery service five-fold before 2022 is over. Does the expansion of Walmart’s InHome program demonstrate that Americans are growing increasingly comfortable with the idea of giving retailers access to their homes?

Recommendation algorithms help connect customers to products, increase visibility to promotions and make shopping more fun. They have also, in some cases, crossed serious ethical lines that have damaged the trust that consumers placed with retailers. What is the role of C-suite executives in the development of ethical recommendation algorithms in retail?

Artificial intelligence-powered dynamic and personalized pricing offers retailers a means to satisfy customers and protect profit margins at the same time, however, there are also ethical concerns raised by their use. What are the ethical considerations retailers should consider in deploying dynamic and personalized pricing?

A new survey finds 83 percent of U.S. consumers between the ages of 18 to 49 willing to license their social and digital platform data for rewards and benefits of value to them. Yet the findings appear to run counter to other studies. What’s causing the privacy paradox and is it becoming less relevant or more so?

A new survey says that changes to protect privacy are compelling marketers to focus more heavily on customer retention instead of customer acquisition. Do you see investing in retention or in alternate, non-digital forms of advertising as being the key to succeeding as a retailer marketer in a post-cookie world?

More than 35 civil rights groups have joined forces on a campaign to end the use of facial recognition by retailers amid heightened concerns over privacy and racial justice. Should retailers make a commitment to refrain from the use of facial recognition or are the technology’s risks and benefits still unknown?

Google announced that it is pushing back the timeline of its plans to phase out third-party cookies in the Chrome browser until 2023. Google previously said it would support cookies — code stored in web browsers to track users’ activities across the web so that they can be served targeted ads — through the end of 2021. Is Google’s delay a positive or negative for retail marketing teams?

Toy stores are still mostly about getting kids to beg their parents to buy them something. Small toy store chain Camp NYC, however, has launched a new model that puts the buying power into the hands of the children. Will Present Shop prove successful for Camp NYC, or is it more likely to create a backlash against the retailer?

Amazon and Walmart are both planning to expand delivery services that give them access to the homes of customers.  Will Americans’ experiences during the pandemic and a return to pre-pandemic normalcy create the conditions for programs like these to be successful?

While privacy concerns are certainly heightening amid legislation and calls for increased transparency, inhibitions about sharing information for a better online experience may be decreasing at an even faster pace.  Are consumers getting more or less concerned about sharing their data in exchange for a better online experience?

Machine learning cameras in trucks, workers peeing in bottles, union-voting warehouse workers and a visit from Bernie Sanders — this has not been one of Amazon.com’s better weeks. Is Amazon in danger of losing the public perception battle about working conditions for its warehouse employees and delivery drivers?

Thirty-four percent of businesses adopted the use of texting because of the pandemic and 77 percent indicate they’ll continue post-COVID, according to a new study.  How would you rate the benefits and drawbacks of text messaging as a communication tool for retailers?

At a CES 2021 session featuring privacy experts from Amazon.com, Google and Twitter, panelists agreed that, while data transparency is critical, a “patchwork” of privacy rules across areas may increasingly undermine the benefits of the internet.  What’s the ideal outcome from the data privacy debate for retailers?

Dollar General and Trader Joe’s understand that associates can’t stock shelves and serve customers in stores if they are out of work because they’ve contracted COVID-19. That’s why they’re offering to pay employees to get vaccinated. How likely are compensation offers to raise COVID-19 vaccine compliance among workers?

Privately owned companies, such as 23andMe and Ancestry.com, are accumulating massive databases since genetic testing kits first appeared on the market, and these genetic datasets are finding their way into marketing campaigns. Do you see more risks than potential benefits for retailers and brands in using genetic data for marketing purposes?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday issued guidelines that will soon require remote identification for any drone that has to be registered with the FAA in what could expand the use of the machines for commercial deliveries. What safety protocols would you like to see before drones start delivering packages in your neighborhood?

Facebook last week posted a new web page and took two full-page ads in major newspapers charging that Apple’s iOS 14 privacy changes will harm not only small businesses, but the internet experience as a whole. Should retailers be more supportive of Apple or Facebook in the companies’ battle over the transparency of targeted ads?

Amazon.com has announced plans to ramp up Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery to over 4,000 cities. Do you expect that Amazon customers will be more willing to give the e-tailer access to their garages than their homes or car trunks?

Caught Zoom fatigue yet? New research predicts advanced technologies and 5G will add options for a full range of sensorial experiences to help companies reimagine the virtual working experience.  Do you see virtual working environments becoming increasingly digitized to the point of embracing all the human senses?

Amazon.com wants greater insights into what its customers are purchasing and it is willing to pay for the information with the launch of a new invitation-only program. What do you expect Amazon to do with purchasing data acquired from its Shopper Panel members?

Facial recognition and other forms of biometric ID have proven controversial. Yet Amazon is going live with a test of a biometric solution that will let customers pay by palm in select Amazon Go stores. Will we reach a point when using biometrics to pay at a store is widely accepted?

Amazon’s smart security subsidiary, Ring, last week at its virtual hardware event launched a flying indoor security camera that is becoming the latest product to set off privacy alarms. Are the privacy concerns surrounding Ring Always Home Cam justified?

The pandemic has forced changes on how we live, how we shop and now it seems it could impact how we build houses. The home of the future might be built with e-commerce in mind.  Will rooms in homes dedicated to receiving e-commerce packages become popular enough to change how deliveries are made in the U.S.?

The FAA approved Amazon Prime Air as an official “air carrier” last week, enabling the company to get its commercial drone delivery program off the ground in the U.S.  How quickly do you expect widespread drone deliveries in the U.S. to take off?

Amazon.com last week introduced Halo, a combination fitness tracker, app and subscription service, taking on Fitbit, Apple Watch and others while possibly building on Amazon’s ambitions in the healthcare space. Why do you think Amazon is moving into the fitness tracker space?

Retail has found new purpose in facial recognition during the coronavirus crisis for its potential to support contact-free payments, temperature checks, mask-detection and surveillance. Do you see facial-recognition technology offering solutions to the newer challenges facing retail due to COVID-19?

Offering product suggestions based on a shopper’s browsing history is a common online tactic, but a new university study finds consumers being observed may be more inclined not to make any purchase. Are there inherent shortfalls in using browsing history for targeting or in offering product suggestions?

New research from Wharton marketing professors finds people are more willing to share deeper and more personal information when communicating on a smartphone compared with a personal computer. Where do you see some practical implications of the findings for marketers?

Retailers emerging from the COVID-19 quarantine have created business reopening playbooks, to convey trust and credibility that their business is a safe environment. Do you think documented accountability matters more now as stores reopen, or will customers quickly forget the threats and return to shopping as usual?

A number of retailers have begun checking the temperatures of employees before shifts. Apple last week, however, became the first major retailer to require customers to have their temperature checked before entry. Should retailers perform temperature checks on associates and customers before they enter stores?

Robots have been hailed for their effectiveness as contagion-proof workers in hospitals and are being seen as a potential solution for retail’s new COVID-19-related challenges. In what areas will robots likely offer the biggest benefit in helping retailers navigate the coronavirus pandemic?

Cost, complexity, perceived value and interoperability may be among the reasons purchases of connected home products have been slower than expected, yet enhanced post-purchase service could lessen barriers. What do you think are the obvious and less obvious factors holding back purchases of smart home products?

eMarketer last week lowered its outlook for smart speaker buyers (consumers making a purchase via a smart speaker) and smart speaker users (consumers using smart speakers for any purpose). What do you see holding back the overall adoption of smart speakers as well as their use as a purchasing tool?

With trust emerging as a key lever in brand loyalty, a new report looks at the factors consumers consider when deciding to trust a brand. Where do you see the opportunities to win trust with consumers amid the influence of social media and overall engagement in digital channels?