Business Analytics

Digital marketing is a discipline that is rapidly evolving; that’s because the Web itself is changing faster than ever. We’re nearing the realization of Web 3.0 – The Semantic/Intelligent Web – thanks to the mountains of data pouring out of new devices, products, and social platforms every second of every day.

As a result, marketers need to understand how this deluge of data impacts content & community marketing strategies.

So far this holiday season, consumers are turning to their desktop PCs for shopping more than ever before.

In-store analytics solutions continue to gain momentum as retailers analyze a variety of store performance measures such as shopper activity maps, display effectiveness, and customer dwell time. These analytics have provided incredible insight for corporate and store management.

Women’s lifestyle brand and retailer Vera Bradley is the latest company to feel the negative sales effects of weaning shoppers off promotions, but the strategic shift has done wonders for the company’s bottom line.

The Children’s Place blamed unseasonably warm weather for its weak third quarter results and plans to close 200 stores by 2017 as part of its turnaround strategy.

For the third quarter ended Oct. 31, the retailer said same store sales fell 3%. The Children’s Place reported a profit of $38.5 million, or $1.88 a share, compared with a profit of $36.9 million, or $1.70 a share, in the prior year quarter. EPS was $1.93, up from $1.82. Sales rose 6.4% to $455.9 million.

[Editor's note: This article is based on a discussion moderated by Shah Karim with Myron E. Ullman, executive chairman of J.C. Penney, held at the Executive + Scholar lecture at the University of North Texas on October 8, 2015.]

Barnes & Noble posted disappoint results for its second quarter, but sounded a positive note about holiday sales.

The company posted a wider-than-expected loss of $39.2 million, or 52 cents per share, for the quarter ended October 31, compared to a profit of $12.3 million, or 12 cents per share, a year ago.

Losses, adjusted to account for discontinued operations and severance costs related to the spinoff of its college bookstore division, were 28 cents per share.

Big Lots narrowed its loss in the third quarter as the retailer attracted more shoppers to its stores with new merchandising and marketing strategies.

For the period ended Oct. 31, Big Lots reported a loss of $1.5 million, or 3 cents a share, compared with a loss of $3.4 million, or 6 cents, a year earlier. Same-store sales increased 2.6% Revenue edged up less than a percentage point to $1.12 billion.

Strong same-store sales in the third quarter did not keep Genesco Inc. from lowering its guidance, as the company takes steps to reduce inventory through promotions and discounts.

The specialty retailer of hats and accessories said that for the third quarter ended Oct. 31, same-store sales increased 7%. Income was $32.9 million, or $1.43 per diluted share, compared to earnings from continuing operations of $28.8 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, for the prior year quarter. Revenue was $774 million from $723 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2015.

Dollar General Corp. missed Wall Street projections for sales in its third quarter, but the chain came out on top again in its earnings. It also named a permanent CFO.

The discounter on Thursday posted its fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit earnings growth. It was the third consecutive quarter that Dollar General beat the Street's projection for earnings.