Retail

Lands' End is adding two highly regarded retail veterans to an executive team led by newly appointed CEO Federica Marchionni.

The company announced that Joseph Boitano is bringing his more than 30 years of retail and wholesale experience to a new role at Lands' End as executive vice president, chief merchandising and design officer and will lead all aspects of merchandising and design.

Deerfield, Ill. - Walgreens is collaborating with the new social competition app Challenged to challenge customers to bring their best summer beauty tip to life in a 12-second video using either Circa Beauty or Nonie Creme Colour Prevails products. Beauty expert Lauria Locsmondy of the Walgreens Social and Content creative team will judge the top 3 "viewed" Beauty Challenge videos submitted based on use of Circa and/or Colour Prevails items as primary component of the look, clear steps to achieve the look, and summer-relevant look.

We are in a golden age of big data and analytics in which technology enables retailers to be more lean, efficient and competitive than ever. There are companies with solutions that address everything from pricing optimization and marketing effectiveness to optimal modular assortments and cybersecurity threats.

Salisbury, N.C. – Food Lion has launched a new, enhanced website focused on easing the process of shopping for and preparing dinner. The new website, built on customer feedback, offers shoppers a personalized experience when they log in.

Burlington, N.J. – Aided by reductions in areas such as interest expense, debt extinguishment and stock option modification, Burlington Stores Inc. more than doubled its net income to $25.69 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 from $11.77 million the same period a year earlier. The company plans to open 25 stores during fiscal 2015.

Another retailer is embracing Apple Pay as an option for customers who want an easy, secure and private way to pay.

When Whole Foods Market announced in May that it planned to open a new chain of stores offering a lower price point and specifically targeting millennials, it’s safe to say that the reaction from industry analysts and observers was underwhelming. Responses have ranged from confusion to outright skepticism, and there is a general sense of uncertainty surrounding the whole enterprise.

State College, Pa. - Consumers are spending 5% less time in supermarkets, compared to the previous year. Concurrently, the sixth annual C-Store MegaStudy from VideoMining Corp. found that shoppers' time in convenience stores increased 6% from the previous year.

VideoMining integrates behavioral data with a range of other data sources, including transaction data and exit interviews. In the C-Store MegaStudy, for example, this integration showed a correlation between time in store and average dollar basket size, which grew by 9%.