Consumer Analytics

Armonk, N.Y. – Back-to-school sales may have been stronger than anticipated this year, judging by online sales performance in July and August. According to the IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark, online sales saw substantial gains from July through the third week in August, fueled by double-digit growth in mobile buying.

Specific findings for online sales activity in each month include:

July

New York -- Improvements in housing and labor probably helped boost U.S. consumer spending last month. A Bloomberg survey of 59 economists in advance of the official Commerce Department July spending figures on Aug. 30 indicates purchases of goods and services increased 0.3% last month after a 0.5% increase in June.

New York -- Tommy Bahama has selected the Hybris commerce platform to improve its omni-channel commerce capabilities. The apparel retailer has seen growth in it online commerce throughout the past few years. Tommy Bahama also offers in-store kiosks, where shoppers can access a commerce channel that enables an "endless aisle" of available products — allowing shoppers to access out-of-stock or online-exclusive items directly in-store.

BOSTON — Brian Kilcourse, managing partner for Retail Systems Research, took some time out at the Orgill Fall Market Friday to deliver a primer on mobile technology as a driving force in the contemporary retail environment.

The seminar, titled "The New Rules of Retail: How Today's Consumer is Changing the Game," positioned mobile technology as a harbinger of a giant "reset" in retail comparable to the Industrial Revolution and onset of the Information Age. 

Redwood City, Calif. -- Sur La Table is deploying eCommera’s DynamicAction SaaS solution, which provides timely analysis of marketing, merchandising and inventory data, giving Sur La Table actionable insights and recommended business changes to improve omni-channel performance.
 

Kearney, Neb. -- The Buckle’s net income rose 8% in the second quarter on improved sales. The apparel retailer earned $25.1 million for the three months ended Aug. 3, compared to $23.2 million a year ago.

Revenue grew 8%, to $232.5 million from $215.5 million. Online sales rose 5.3%. Same-store increased 3.2%, short of analysts expectations.
 

New York -- A disconnect between chief marketing officers and chief information officers threatens the ability of companies to deliver effective customer experiences, according to a new study by Accenture. Only one-in-10 of executives believing collaboration between CMOs and CIOs is currently at the right level.

By John Bajorek, wdpartners.com

It’s easy to get sidetracked by tactics when rethinking retail design and conceptualizing the store of the future. It’s easier still to grow enamored of the potential of technology and consumer data to transform every aspect of the in-store experience.  

Heading into the 2013 holiday season, NPD is forecasting that full year consumer electronics sales will rise by 9%. According to NPD’s 2013 Household Penetration Study, nearly 72% of consumers expect to buy a consumer electronics product in the next 12 months.

The report found that big ticket items like flat-panel TVs and tablets are fueling the increase in spending. Throughout the next two years, 28% of consumers expect to buy a flat-panel TV while 20% intend to buy a tablet, representing the highest purchase intent levels of all devices measured. 

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