Mass Merchant

Chicago -- While retailers have collected years of customer data, only 9% are leveraging the information in a structured, usable way, according to HRC Advisory, a leading strategic retail advisory firm and unit of Hilco Global. The finding is part of HRC’s latest retail industry study, which found that outdated organizational structures and processes, non-integrated IT platforms and a lack of a clear roadmap are major barriers preventing customer data in enabling a retailer’s omnichannel efforts.

By Matthew K. Harding, president, Levine Management

Moving into the final months of 2014, the outlook for retail in the Northeast remains quite positive. We are seeing demand from national, local and franchise companies across a broad range of categories.
 

As part of its new ad match campaign, Family Dollar plans to match the price on any local competitors' printed advertisement starting tomorrow.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores has appointed Kevin Systrom, CEO and co-founder of photo-sharing service Instagram, as a new member of the company’s board, effective Sept. 26. Systrom will also serve as a member of the retailer’s technology and e-commerce committee and its compensation, nominating and governance committee (CNGC).

Increasingly, people are endlessly fascinated by the traits, values, work habits and shopping patterns of millennials, also called Generation Y. Why is all this attention being paid to people born between the early 1980s and 2000s? It’s quite simple: They are a generation of influence, in numbers similar to that of baby boomers, but with an outlook unlike one we have ever seen.

According to Javelin Strategy & Research, by 2015, Gen Y income is projected to exceed that of boomers.

Dublin, Calif. - Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in Southern California, on Oct. 11. The store is located in the La Mesa Center in the city of La Mesa, a suburb of San Diego.  

This new opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year. 

By Bill Davis, Director, MB&G Consulting

Belk’s fall charity sale of the year will take place Saturday, Nov. 8 from 6–10 a.m. at all Belk stores, helping thousands of participating charities across the retailer’s 16-state footprint.

The four-hour, in-store shopping event is an excellent fund-raising tool for participating organizations that sell $5 tickets to their supporters. It’s also an opportunity for customers to give back to local nonprofits while taking advantage of special in-store discounts on purchases during the event.