Supply Chain & Merchandising

As more shoppers become victims of “porch piracy,” they are changing they way they shop — and receive — online orders.   This message was delivered in a new study from Vivint Smart Home, a smart home services provider in North America. The study, which is based on 2,000 people, explores the far-reaching impact of the porch piracy phenomenon — an issue that has affected 23 million Americans, according to a separate study from Princeton Survey Research Associates International.  

Improving traffic and sales, particularly in the digital channel, helped Target Corp. easily beat third-quarter profit expectations as the discounter raised its year-end outlook.    Target’s profit increased 10.7% to $608 million, or $1.07 cents a share, up from $549 million, or 88 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Adjusted for one-time expenses, it earned $1.04 cents a share, which was better than the 83 cents analysts had expected.  

Absolunet has released its list of the top 10 e-commerce trends that will impact North American retailers in 2017. The e-commerce agency noted that the impact of the trends will be felt online and in stores, and by retailers and consumers alike.     Here is Absolunet’s top 10 list:    1. The end of Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Tech–savvy merchants are replacing Black Friday and Cyber Monday with Cyber November;

The Home Depot on Tuesday reported sales and earnings for its third quarter that exceeded forecasts.    The world’s largest home improvement retailer posted a double-digit increase in earnings during the quarter, which it characterized as a balanced across-the-board period of growth.    Net sales jumped 6.1% to $23.2 billion, compared to $21.8 billion in the same quarter last year.   Comparable-store sales in the U.S. increased 5.9%. 

There was a lot for Home Depot executives to like about the company’s third-quarter performance. The company reported sales growth of 6.1% and net earnings growth of 14.1%.   Beyond the numbers, here are some of the key takeaways form the company’s presentation to investors.   • Digital growth

Ikea continues to expand its use of renewable energy.   The retailer plans to install the largest rooftop solar array in the state on Illinois on its distribution center in Joliet.   

It’s official: The Finish Line considering selling its specialty running store chain.   The company announced that it is currently exploring strategic alternatives for its JackRabbit division (previously known as Running Specialty Group). The segment includes 70 specialty running stores in 17 states, such as Brooks, ASICS and Hoka One One.  

Here’s a daunting statistic: The value of merchandise ordered via same-day delivery is expected to exceed $4 billion by 2018 — it was $100 million in 2014. The big reason for this jump is the grueling pace set by Amazon Prime Now, which offers two-hour delivery for consumers in 27 US markets and counting.