Data & Analytics

Walmart is making a bold move in the competitive on-demand digital content marketplace.   Leveraging its free, premium video streaming service called Vudu, the retail behemoth now features “Vudu Movies on Us,” a program that offers customers the ability to watch “thousands of movie and TV titles for free, and on-demand, with limited commercials,” according to a company statement.  

Legendary retailer Mickey Drexler, chairman and CEO of J. Crew, is working with McKinsey & Co. to develop a new business strategy for J.Crew, reported The New York Post.      J. Crew is looking to reverse a two-year slump. In its most recent second quarter, same-store sales fell 8%, the eight straight quarter of declines.   

Lidl, the German no-frills grocery chain, is shaping up as a potential retail powerhouse even before it opens its first U.S. store.   The company will generate $8.8 billion in sales by 2023, larger than Wegman’s 2016 value of $8.1 billion, according to a just-released forecast by Kantar Retail.  

Inefficient staffing processes and lack of adequate workforce engagement tools are causing retailers to leave money on the table.   That’s according to new survey by Workjam, which found that only 17% of retail managers feel their stores’ hourly associates are very motivated and engaged. As a result, 47% of the managers say at least 5% of their staff quit in an average three-month period.  

As omnichannel retailing becomes mission-critical, Performance Bicycle is making bold moves to merge its physical and digital experiences.  

Digital disruptors continue to impact the shopping experience, and augmented reality (AR) is no exception.   Specifically, 61% of customers reported that augmented reality has influenced where they decide to shop, according to “The Impact of Augmented Reality in Retail,” a report from Interactions, an experiential marketing firm and division on Daymon. The report, which is based on responses from more than 1,000 Americans, examines how AR has become a part of consumers’ shopping experiences.  

As the holiday shopping season “unofficially” gets underway, millennials are expected to lead the charge.   This early movement is also putting the season on pace to have the highest e-commerce sales revenue yet, according to the “2016 Holiday Initiative Summary Report,” from Criteo. The study reveals consumer holiday shopping behaviors, the role and impact of digital advertising, and e-commerce trends that retailers are urged to leverage in the upcoming months.   

The new retail is here and a sector that is definitely feeling the wave of this reality is the grocery industry. With the strong penetration of Aldi, Amazon’s move into online grocery, Wal-Mart’s purchase of Jet.com and the dreaded arrival in the U.S. of the highly competitive German grocery store Lidl, it’s no wonder grocers are fighting for survival in this ever-changing, highly saturated environment.   

The surge in home improvement projects is helping fuel sales at The Tile Shop.    Tile Shop Holdings Inc. on Tuesday reported third-quarter profit of $4.6 million for the third quarter, ended Sept. 30. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 10 cents per share.   The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 9 cents per share.  

Alliance Data’s card services business has renewed its agreement with Restoration Hardware.   Alliance signed a long-term renewal agreement to provide private label credit services for the luxury home furnishings retailer.