Retail

Schaumburg, Ill. — Motorola Solutions Inc. has released a personal shopping device designed to enable customers to quickly scan items with faster checkouts. The MC18 Personal Shopper is Motorola’s fifth generation personal shopping device and provides shoppers with real-time discount coupons for items they are purchasing and suggestions for complementary merchandise.

Hilo, Hawaii — KTA Super Stores, a six-store supermarket chain serving the main island of Hawaii, has finalized upgrading Symphony EYC G.O.L.D. to the latest software version. The new capabilities including direct store delivery (DSD) and invoice reconciliation are the first step in KTA’s incorporation of the latest enhanced version of Symphony EYC’s merchandise management system, which is planned to be implemented across all of its island stores.  

Lowe's continues making advances in retail innovation with its new Innovation Labs and the first concept to come out of the lab — the Lowe's Holoroom.

Lowe's created the lab to build new technology to solve common consumer frustrations while working alongside startups, universities, specialized professionals and other companies.

Midvale, Utah — Increased selling, general and administrative expenses were a key factor in Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Inc. swinging to a net loss of $3.37 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to net profit of $4.46 million in the same period a year earlier. The retailer plans to open eight new stores during the fiscal year, including four in the second quarter.

Net sales dropped 3% to $132.4 million from $136.5 million. Same store sales decreased by 18.1%, primarily as a result of the decline in demand for firearms and ammunition.

Consumer spending in May increased 4.2%, according to the latest SpendTrend report from First Data Corporation, with the retail sector enjoying renewed vigor.

First Data’s SpendTrend tracks same-store point-of-sale data by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT, closed-loop prepaid cards and checks from nearly four million merchant locations serviced by First Data. The spending increase of 4.2%, compared to 4.1% in April.

New York — Steve Sadove, former chairman and CEO of Saks Inc., has asked consulting firm Marvin Traub Associates to launch a new division focused on  innovative technologies, concepts and platforms in the retail and consumer industries. Sadove is heading up the new Traub Accelerator division as co-founder, and will also advise Traub’s traditional clients and join the board of directors.

With coupons for anywhere from J.C. Penney to Jos. A. Bank, instant savings are now in people’s pockets with the addition of Groupon Freebies to the coupon giant’s mobile app.

The feature, which was launched late in 2013 on Groupon’s website, was added to its mobile app on Tuesday. With Freebies now available to deal seekers on the go, some 30,000 coupons, discount codes and other deals that it features will be at customers’ fingertips.

Chicago — Retail category planning solutions provider Galleria has entered a partnership with Displaydata, a provider of digital display solutions.

The partnership is intended to create a solution that will reduce operational costs while still enabling the delivery of a customer-centric in-store experience, by connecting electronic shelf label (ESL) technology from Displaydata with category management solutions from Galleria.