Data & Analytics

Analyst: Nook division is ’festering sore’ for Barnes & Noble
While the pace of decline at B&N has eased, the company remains firmly in decline with sales down across the board. The saving grace is that a firm grip on costs, which were slashed by $137 million over the year, allowed the group to reduce losses for the quarter, and to post a $22 million net profit for the full fiscal.
Barnes & Noble surprises in Q4
Ongoing cost reductions helped the nation's largest bookstore retailer narrow its loss in its fourth quarter even as its sales continued to slide. Barnes & Noble posted a net loss of $13.4 million, or $0.19 per share, for the quarter, compared to a loss of $30.6 million, or $0.42 per share, in the prior year. For the quarter, the company's retail division generated an operating loss of $15.9 million, while Nook incurred an operating loss of $7.9 million, for a total operating loss of $23.8 million.

Report: Department stores missing the mark in key digital area

When it comes to mobile, department stores have a ways to go. That's according to an annual report by L2's annual L2 Digital IQ Index: Department Stores 2017, which benchmarks the digital performance of 64 department stores operating in 14 markets globally. The report examines a brand's strengths and weaknesses across the four digital dimensions of site and e-commerce, digital marketing, mobile, and social.
Apparel retailer using social media to enhance product development

When Chico’s FAS wanted to put the “customer’s voice” into the merchandise it designs, it took a bold step — and tapped social media.
Study: The missing link in omnichannel success is....

Retailers can gain huge competitive advantages in an increasingly digital marketplace by leveraging consumer insights. That's according to “The JDA Voice of the Category Manager.” The report, from JDA Software Group, tapped nearly 100 professionals responsible for category management and merchandising activity in North America.
Social network giant improves visual search engine

Pinterest is giving its image-based search engine an upgrade. Pinterest introduced Lens in February. Since then, users have been pointing their mobile cameras at objects they see out in the real world, from apparel and accessories to decor, and Lens serves up similar styles or related information on their mobile device’s screen.
Retailers losing billions to inventory shrink

The nation's retailers lost a staggering amount of money in 2016 due to shoplifting, organized crime, internal theft and other types of inventory shrink. Inventory shrink totaled $48.9 billion in 2016, up from $45.2 billion the year before, as budget constraints left retail security budgets flat or declining, according to the annual National Retail Security Survey by the National Retail Federation and the University of Florida. The thefts amounted to 1.44% of sales, up from 1.38%.
CSA Q&A: Walgreens talks about frictionless retailing

In an era when shoppers want a seamless shopping experience, Walgreens is pulling out the stops to deliver on their expectation.
Deloitte: Retailers have false sense of cyber-security

A majority of companies, including retailers, are confident about cyber-security, but their confidence may not be justified. That’s according to “Cyber Risk in Consumer Business,” a report from Deloitte. The report is based on input from more than 400 CIOs, CISOs, CTOs and other senior executives.
Subway digital chief heading to discount giant

Dollar General has tapped a fast-casual restaurant executive to lead its technology and fledgling online operations. Dollar General Corp. announced that Carman Wenkoff will join the company as executive VP and CIO, effective July 10. He replaces current CIO Ryan Boone, who recently announced his retirement.
Juniper: Retailers brace for $71 billion card-not-present fraud loss

With fraudulent card-not-present (CNP) transactions on the rise, losses will become staggering over the next five years. Retailers stand to lose $71 billion globally by 2022, driven by a number of factors, such as the United States' shift to Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV) chip cards, delays in 3DS 2.0 (3D-Secure) and click-and-collect fraud. This was according to “Online Payment Fraud: Emerging Threats, Key Vertical Strategies & Market Forecasts 2017-2022,” a report from Juniper Research.
Washington Spotlight: Amazon and the Politics of Retail

The recent announcement that Amazon intends to purchase Whole Foods Market has the retail and grocery store industry reeling as traditional grocers assess the near and long-term impact that the online giant’s much larger position in the marketplace may have. And with good reason. Amazon is the classic “disruptor” and has changed the face of every industry it touches. But aside from the competitive aspects, this move potentially has significant political and policy impacts as well.