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Consumer Electronics

  • Target bringing in startups to find innovative products

    Target Corp. is tapping into the startup community in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley to gain a merchandising edge.

    The retailer is launching a series of “Demo Days” aimed at discovering interesting new “smart” products from startup companies. The program kicked off on Feb. 23, with Target inviting 12 startups to its office near Silicon Valley to pitch “smart baby” products. Each company had 20 minutes to showcase its products and receive real-time feedback from Target.

  • Target is winning back shoppers, especially online

    Brian Cornell says Target's fifth consecutive quarter of traffic growth is evidence that the retailer is making good progress on itsomnichannel capacity improvements.

    For the fourth quarter ended Jan. 30, same-store sales at Target increased 1.9%, driven by traffic growth of 1.3%. This is Target's sixth consecutive quarter of rising same store sales.

  • Study: Digital influences U.S. consumers

    Consumers in the U.S. are definitely relying on digital tools to aid their shopping activities.

    According to a new study of 2,000 consumers in nine countries including the U.S. from Deloitte, “Navigating the New Digital Divide,” 49% of purchases made in the U.S. are digitally influenced, and 28% are influenced by mobile.

  • Build-A-Bear Workshop adds toy, social media expertise to board

    Build-A-Bear is adding two new board members whose backgrounds should serve the company well as it moves forward with its transformation plan.

    Build-A-Bear announcedthat Tim Kilpin and Sarah Personette have been appointed to the company’s board of directors.

  • Store design competition finalists revealed

    The Retail Design Institute has revealed the finalists for its 45th Annual International Store Design Awards Program.

    All the awards, including the highly anticipated Store of the Year Award, will be revealed, and bestowed on the honorees, at the Institute’s annual Awards Gala on March 12, 2016, at the Hilton Anatole, Dallas. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

    Here are the finalists (in alphabetical order):

  • Macy’s closes books on ‘challenging’ 2015; will expand beauty, off-price chains

    Cold weather in January helped Macy’s report a decline in same-store sales for the fourth quarter that was less than analysts had expected. In other news, the chain announced plans to expand its off-price and specialty beauty formats.

    For the period ended Jan. 30, Macy's net income fell 31% to $543 million, dragged down by store closings and other costs.

    Adjusted profits were $2.09 per share, better than the $1.86 per share estimate from analysts, according to Zacks Investment Research,

  • What retailer has the best online customer experience?

    When it comes to providing a positive environment for online shoppers, one retailer stands above the rest.

    In conjunction with its 18th Annual Mystery Shopping Study conducted in the fourth quarter of 2015, the e-tailing group has released its ninth annual Customer Experience Index. Nordstrom.com received a top score of 86.75. Websites are scored on a 100-point scale based on an assessment of metrics from five key pages, presence and execution of vital merchandising tactics, and exemplary customer service.

  • MasterCard, Visa bring payment to the consumer

    MasterCard and Visa are both intent on letting customers pay anyway, anyhow anywhere they choose.

    Both of the major financial services providers are releasing new Internet of Things (IoT)- and mobile-enabled payment solutions that will allow consumers to shop from an increasing number of locations, using a variety of touchpoints, with greater security.

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