Consumer Analytics

While Tractor Supply Co. broadly applies advanced analytics across the enterprise, BJ’s Wholesale Club is using analytics as a point solution.

Looking to offer a more targeted and competitively priced assortment, BJ’s is rolling out the price suite from merchandise optimization technology provider Revionics. The technology will help improve customer-centric prices while taking the competitive landscape into account.

With 15 regional stores, New York-based Fairway Market needs to compete with larger rivals on quality of experience.   To that end, Fairway has deployed the omnichannel retail platform from Index to help better communicate with customers and provide an optimal experience across various touchpoints. The platform includes secure in-store payment solutions that offer processing flexibility and are compliant with EMV and P2PE protocols. Fairway can also accept a variety of tender types, including Apple Pay and Android Pay.  

Parents are increasing their back-to-school budgets, although overall spending is stagnant compared to recent years.   According to a new survey of 1,830 U.S. parents of elementary through college students by Mintel, 52% of respondents plan to spend more on back-to-school (BTS) shopping than in 2015. Only 4% plan to spend less, with 44% planning to spend the same. However, overall planned BTS spending dropped to $68 billion in 2015 after ranging from $73 - $76 billion annually from 2010-2014.  

Home décor retailer Pier 1 Imports swung to a loss in its first quarter amid heavy promotions caused by weak sales.   The chain reported a loss of $6 million for the quarter ended May 28, compared to net income of $6.9 million in the year-ago period.   Revenue fell 4.2% to $418.4 million in the quarter, also less than expected. Same-store sales were down 2.5%.  

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” has been the theme song of U.S. consumers for the past two years, but they may need to look for a new anthem.  

You only get one chance to make a first impression, and retailers are applying this truism to their email marketing efforts.   According to a survey of 150 retail clients by email marketing technology provider Campaigner, 39% of respondents say that the first email content new subscribers see from their brand is a thank-you-for-subscribing message. This approach seems to be working, as almost 50% of respondents report that 21% or more of new subscribers engage with such welcome emails.  

Retailers like to promote and capture impulse purchases, but need to think longer-term for e-commerce.  

Although Amazon poses a major holiday sales threat, there are steps retailers can take to produce a merry season.   According to a new survey of 1,500 U.S. consumers by marketing platform provider Signal, 42% of respondents said Amazon will be their primary holiday gift destination. Consumers who use Amazon do so because it is easy (50%), because they are Prime members (36%), and because they like the product reviews and recommendations (29%).