Predictive Analytics

One key area of the supply chain is an area of concern for almost three-quarters of North American retailers.

Energy that comes from an unlikely source will help power a distributed center operated by Stop & Shop Supermarket Company.

The retailer has opened a “Green Energy Facility,” in Freetown, Massachusetts, that will convert inedible food from Stop & Shop’s 212 New England stores into energy that will help power the company's distribution center in Freetown.

While high bounce and exit rates can be frustrating to online retailers, nothing irks them more than seeing a high percentage of abandoned carts.

You were “this close” to making the sale. But somewhere along the sales journey, the shopper got frustrated or lost interest and left. Why? Chances are it was because you, the retailer, didn’t do enough to keep the customer engaged and motivated to complete the sale.

‘But people love our website!’ you say. ‘Shoppers adore our clothes!’ ‘What more do we need to do?’

Office Depot Inc. is turning to virtual reality (VR) to enhance how products are displayed and merchandised in its stores.

The retailer is leveraging the ShopperMX online 3D VR platform from InContext Solutions to create engaging in-store experiences that provide customers with hyper-realistic virtual simulations. This may include virtually enhanced signage and product displays, as well as entirely new store concepts.

Yes, but only if you listen — to both of them

In the early days of retail, the store proprietor knew customers by sight. As mostly mom-and-pop businesses, they naturally spent time getting to know their customers, who probably were also neighbors and friends. They knew from experience and immediate feedback what merchandise would or wouldn’t sell. It was the ultimate in customer intimacy.

Michaels Companies Inc. is tailoring its promotions, markdowns and prices to current customer demand.

The arts and crafts retailer is deploying Revionics merchandising solutions including the vendor’s promotions, markdown and price suites.

A very real challenge for retailers — who now market to the most technology-enabled, in-control shoppers ever — is to avoid the promotional downward spiral vortex and sidestep the vicious “race to the bottom” on competitive pricing. These traps severely erode margins, profits and brand image.

Facebook has been getting a lot of attention for recent updates which make it more of a direct customer engagement tool. The attention is deserved, because Facebook is on its way to becoming a vitally important CRM platform. Here are five reasons why.

Everyone is doing it

Increased customer expectations for a seamless front-end experience, as well as the “Amazon effect,” are having a significant influence on retailers’ back-end systems and operations.

According to a new study of 24 senior retail supply chain executives from Auburn University’s Center for Supply Chain Innovation, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and Checkpoint Systems, “The State of the Retail Supply Chain,” 81% of respondents are either using, developing or investigating integrated demand planning.

Increased customer expectations for a seamless front-end experience, as well as the “Amazon effect,” are having a significant influence on retailers’ back-end systems and operations.

According to a new study of 24 senior retail supply chain executives from Auburn University’s Center for Supply Chain Innovation, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and Checkpoint Systems, “The State of the Retail Supply Chain,” 81% of respondents are either using, developing or investigating integrated demand planning.

Both the volume of and monetary losses caused by fraudulent transactions have sharply increased in the past year.   According to the “2016 True Cost of Fraud Report” from LexisNexis Risk Solutions, the monthly average of fraudulent transactions has increased 32% to 206 from 156 in 2015. In addition, the monthly average of prevented fraudulent transactions has risen 33% to 236 from 177.