Strategy

Armonk, N.Y. – IBM is introducing new partners developing apps based on its Watson artificial intelligence platform and world headquarters for its Watson Group, as well as new cognitive services that will be available on IBM Bluemix, IBM's cloud-based platform for mobile and Web app development.

Moki, a leading mobile software platform, has appointed Chander Chawla VP of marketing and product strategy. With Chawla on board, Moki said it plans to open an office in Palo Alto, California, to better serve its growing customer base.

Chawla, who has been in the mobile industry for 15 years, has been credited with leading the growth of public Wi-Fi and wearable devices at T-Mobile and National Semiconductor.

While merchants have spent the past nine months developing plans to drive holiday sales, another group of retail executives has been preparing to deal with the dark side of Christmas.

Genesco’s Lids division has acquired Jersey City Canada, a licensed sports apparel, headwear and novelty company operating 28 retail stores across four Canadian Provinces.  

The acquisition includes nine headwear only Capz stores, and two websites operating under www.jerseycity.ca and www.CFLshop.ca. Partnering with the CFL, Lids will become the online provider of the Canadian Football League officially licensed merchandise. With this acquisition, Lids will now operate more than 150 locations across Canada, an increase of roughly 35%.

Overstock plans to break ground on its new corporate campus, which is called the "Peace Coliseum" and is scheduled to open summer 2016.

Overstock officials have said that from the ground level, the building will look like a corporate glass-and-concrete version of the Roman Coliseum, but from the air, the three-story building will appear as a peace sign.

The groundbreaking coincides with Overstock's 15th anniversary.

The recently released 2014 Food, Drink, and Consumer Goods Outlook Survey from audit, tax and advisory firm KPMG is highlighting some key initiatives that consumer goods executives are focusing on to transform their businesses. The goals range from updating operational efficiencies and technology to making a push for product innovation, according to survey results.
 

ECRM compared retail circular advertising in September 2013 versus September 2014 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains. In the aftermath of back-to-school season, Walmart and Staples appear to be trying to clear out all remaining school and office supplies. Staples accomplished this by improving its previous offer of $5 off with purchase of $30 to $10 off and also cut backpack prices by 50%. Walmart shifted the focus from school to office, with a “Run Your Business for Less” promotion.

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to see a final surge and set a new monthly record in October as the holiday season approaches, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released late this week by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.