Retail

Survey: Retailer use of social media for product development grows 550%
Boston -- The current use of social media data by retailers for merchandise planning is limited, with only 39% using it for product development and only 35% using it for promotional planning.
Big Lots is mom’s new best friend
Big Lots celebrates families and mothers in particular through its national holiday television and online campaign launched on Nov. 1.

The campaign features four original songs - one in Spanish - which are intended to inspire sing-alongs. The spots feature a singing trio that includes "America's Got Talent" finalist Deanna DellaCioppa, a Boston native who has performed with Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross.

In this campaign, Big Lots emphasizes a special role mothers play in celebrating the holidays.

Gap Raises Bar on Digital With New CEO

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Survey: Breaches don’t change consumer behavior

Bedford, Mass. -- Almost 50% of consumers have fallen victim to at least one data breach and 45% say they are not confident they know all instances of when their personal information has been leaked. However, according to a survey conducted by RSA, the security division of EMC, in conjunction with the Ponemon Institute of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, in many cases behaviors toward security have not changed.
Retail in Motion

Mobile technology is increasingly being used in all areas of the enterprise to create a truly seamless customer experience that starts in the back office and extends across all touchpoints. Samuel Mueller, CEO of Scandit, developer of a software-based barcode scanning solution and suite of mobile apps, recently discussed with Chain Store Age how mobile solutions are affecting every part of the retail enterprise.
Paul Frank to open omnichannel holiday pop-up store

Los Angeles -- Lifestyle brand Paul Frank is launching a pop-up shop at the Paramount Hotel in New York City, now through Jan. 30, 2015, with omnichannel features. Customers can participate in two digital activations featuring the face of Paul Frank, Julius the monkey.
Best Buy names Domino’s CEO Doyle to board

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. Inc. has appointed J. Patrick Doyle, president and CEO of Domino’s Pizza, to its board of directors. Doyle, 51, joined Domino’s Pizza in 1997, serving in a variety of leadership roles across its domestic and international businesses, and has been president and chief executive officer of Domino’s since March 2010.
Boost Holiday Sales With a Strong Supply Chain: Last-Minute Tips

Last year, 37.3% of “Black Friday” consumers began shopping between 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Shopper traffic over the two-day Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday period at retail outlets totaled more than 1.07 billion store visits. Sales during the two-day period were $12.3 billion, and online sales grew an explosive 18.5%.

After seeing the financial benefits of opening earlier, more retailers are expected to open their doors on Thanksgiving Day to get a jump on their holiday sales.
Eddie Bauer opening holiday pop-up with Twitter-activated vending machine

Seattle -- Eddie Bauer is opening a pop-up store in New York City on Thursday, Nov. 6. The pop-up will be open through Feb. 14, 2015 and transform into a permanent flagship store to reopen in spring 2015. The store is located in the Union Square area of Manhattan.
MarineMax Q4 net income slightly falls

Clearwater, Fla. - Net income at MarineMax Inc. fell 2% to $5.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 from $5.2 million in the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal year. Damages received in connection to the 2010 Deepwater oil spill during the fourth quarter of 2013 helped produce a year-over-year decline in MarineMax’s net income. Revenue grew 10% to $164.1 million from $149.7 million. Same-store sales increased approximately 10%.