Predictive Analytics

New York -- Specialty retailer Vera Bradley has helped boost the revenue and margins generated by its recently launched line of baby accessories by obtaining advance insight from consumers about what they would pay for certain products and also what features most interested them.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens reported sales of $18.3 billion for the third quarter, up 3.3%. Same-store sales increased 1.3%, with front-end comparable store sales up by 0.3% and pharmacy comp sales up 2%. Prescriptions filled were up 7% for the quarter.

Sales of Walgreens' shares were up $1 to $49.03 in early-morning trading.

Walgreens reported that more than 72 million Walgreens faithful have signed on for the company's Balance Rewards loyalty program through May. 

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General reported record net income and sales during for the first quarter, but still reduced the top end of its profit forecast due to moderating same-store sales.

The discounter reported net income of $220 million, up 3% from $213 million in the first quarter of 2012. Net sales totaled $4.23 billion, up 8.5% from $3.9 billion.

NEW YORK — Sociomantic Labs, digital advertising solutions provider for e-commerce marketers, has hired Charles Pitzer as the company’s VP of sales for North America.  

Pitzer has more than 25 years of sales experience, 14 of which have been concentrated in media with a focus on online advertising. He joins Sociomantic from Criteo. Previously Pitzer held positions at Specific Media, Advertising.com and IDG Communications.

Chicago -- Online shopping cart recovery provider SeeWhy announced that The Land of Nod – a Crate & Barrel multichannel banner that sells children’s furniture, bedding, and accessories – has deployed SeeWhy’s Conversion Manager Software as a Service (SaaS).  

The turnkey e-commerce solution automates remarketing, boosts conversion and maximizes ROI by triggering personal marketing campaigns in real time based on a shopper’s everyday website browsing behavior.

Chicago -- ShopperTrak announced Monday the acquisition of interior analytics provider RapidBlue Solutions Oy, based in Helsinki.

RapidBlue uses radio frequency technology to collect shopper movement information, then transforms the anonymous data into information and insights that retailers can use to manage the marketing, merchandising and operations of their businesses.

BURLINGTON, Mass. — Ikea and 89 Degrees, a marketing solutions provider, will give a presentation on the company’s loyalty program at this years’ Customer Relationship Management Conference Tuesday, June 18, at the Hilton, Chicago.

89 Degrees helped the company leverage Big Data to drive its omnichannel marketing, 

CHICAGO — Retail technology company ShopperTrak has acquired RapidBlue Solutions Oy, a leading European provider of retail data and analytics. 

Redmond, Wash. -- Nearly half of employees report that social tools at work help increase their productivity, but more than 30% of companies underestimate the value of these tools and often restrict their use, according to a study by Microsoft Corp.

WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer spending dropped 0.2% in April 2013, according to the Commerce Department.

It was the first monthly decline since May of last year and follows increases of 0.1% in March and 0.8% in February. Falling gas prices in April were part of the reason for the drop in spending, with purchases of gas, electricity and other energy goods and services down 4.4%.

In addition, increased Social Security deductions in consumer paychecks may have also contributed to the decline in spending.