Data & Analytics

Nordstrom beat the Street on earnings in its first quarter amid strong sales in its off-price division.     Nordstrom said it earned $63 million in the first quarter, compared with $46 million, in the year-ago period. The company earned an adjusted $0.43 a share, beating the $0.27 that analysts were expecting.   Total company net sales increased 2.7% to $3.3 billion. Same-store sales fell 0.8%, worse than expected.  Online sales accounted for 24% of total net sales.  

Target Corp. is taking a cue from Hollywood to help shoppers create the living room of their dreams.   The discounter is using the same type of computer generated imagery that figures in movie blockbusters to create a 360-degree, virtual reality-like experience on its website. And it’s shoppable.   

Ever since the announcement of Amazon Go and its promised checkout-free shopping experience, retailers have been left wondering, “what does Amazon Go mean for the rest of retail?”   

The nation's largest rent-to-own operator has a new chief operating officer.     Rent-A-Center appointed Joel M. Mussat as executive VP, COO, effective May 5, 2017. He brings more than 20 years of experience in operations, retail strategy and the rent-to-own industry.  

Amazon leads the way in the retail industry when it comes to creating an emotional bond with customers, but the industry as a whole lags behind two other categories.    That’s according to MBLM’s Brand Intimacy 2017 Report, in which Amazon placed first in the retail category. followed by Whole Foods Market and Target Corp. The remaining brands in the top 10 for the retail industry are: H&M, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Sephora, Ikea, The Home Depot and eBay.  

Greg Portell, lead partner in the retail practice of global strategy and management consultant A.T. Kearney, discusses Target’s plan to test next-day delivery of online orders of household essentials. The new service, called Target Restock, is open to shoppers of the chain’s REDcard loyalty program.    What influenced Target’s decision to launch the program? 

Retailers looking for dramatic energy savings at the lowest cost should think radical – and that means using an integrated design process right from the start.

“Radically efficient buildings are, among other things, 75% more energy efficient than typical construction” said Paul Westbrook, president of RE:source consulting, at the SPECS session, “An Improved Road to Energy Savings.”

Retailers continue their efforts to step up design investments to improve the customer experience, but they should also focus on investing in customer safety.

That message was driven home during the SPECS session, “Safe Stores: Design Ideas to Help Customers Feel Safer” Speaker Andrew McQuilkin, retail leader at BHDP Architecture, explained that recent “active” shootings — when individuals actively attempt to harm people in confined, populated areas — have targeted formerly “safe areas,” including malls.

What will the stores of the future be like? It’s certainly not a new question, but it’s one that seems to have taken on increased urgency as the shift to digital continues and retailers, some of them under siege from more nimble online competitors, wrestle with how to ensure their stores remain relevant going forward. It’s also a question that is sure to be top of mind for the shopping center owners and brokers who gather at the end of May in Las Vegas for RECon, the annual retail real estate confab.

Chain Store Age recently spoke with Goro Yumiba, chairman and CEO of SATO Global Solutions, and learned how retailers can leverage Internet of Things solutions, including RFID, to bolster in-store experiences.

How can embracing the power of data improve retailers’ business processes, growth and results?

In today’s fast paced dynamic business environment, successful retailers must be responsive to the market and make decisions promptly. Enter the power of data.