Data & Analytics

Report: Millennials find a new use for retail-specific gift cards
A majority of millennials are purchasing gift cards, but not for the obvious reasons. According to a new report from analyst firm Mercator Advisory Group, nearly three-in-five young adults said they bought refillable retailer-specific gift cards during the previous year, up from less than half of shoppers who reported making these purchases in the 2015 study. The biggest jump was among 18- to 24-year-olds, which climbed from 44% to 53%; followed by those aged 25 to 34, which increased from 48% to 57%.
PayPal in deal with MasterCard for store payments
PayPal Holdings has expanded its growing foothold in physical retail. The payments services company has entered into a partnership with MasterCard that will allow shoppers to use PayPal’s services in stores. In July, PayPal signed a similar agreement with Visa.

State of the Industry Report 2016

This special report by WD Partners focuses on the new wave of shoppers that is poised to deliver more disruption to the retail industry—and how retailers can embrace that disruption to innovate and thrive in the evolving marketplace.

To download the report, click here.
Former Amazon and J Crew execs join fast-growing plus-size brand

Eloquii, a fast-growing, plus-size women’s fashion apparel manufacturer and online-only player, has expanded its executive team with two experienced retailers. The retailer named Michael Concannon as chief technology officer. He most recently served as CTO of Quidsi, an Amazon-owned e-commerce company where he oversaw long-term technical strategy and maintained technical leadership for the entire platform of six sites including diapers.com.
U.K. supermarket giant expands self-scanning service

Tesco wants to help its customers check out faster. The retailer has expanded its “Scan as you Shop” self-scanning program to 20 new locations — a move that makes the service available in a total of 350 stores.
Johnson Controls and Tyco are now one

Johnson Controls has completed its merger with Tyco. By uniting Johnson Controls, a leading provider of building efficiency solutions with Tyco, a leading provider of fire and security solutions, the new company is positioned as a leader in products, technologies and integrated solutions for the buildings and energy sectors.
Walmart, MoneyGram partner on new online money transfer platform

MoneyGram and Walmart on Tuesday announced the launch of a new state-of-the-art online money transfer platform that offers customers new features and a streamlined experience when sending money through <a href="http://walmart.moneygram.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; max-height: 100000px; color: rgb(0, 83, 160); text-decoration: none; border: 0px; outline: none; font-family: open_sansregular, Arial, Helvetica, sans
Whole Foods taps former Walmart exec to head up marketing

Photo: Sonya Gafsi Oblisk Whole Foods Market named the former VP of marketing for Walmart’s Sam’s Club division as global VP of marketing.
Well-known retail analyst joins Shoptalk team

Shoptalk, the nex-gen retail and e-commerce event, has named Sucharita Mulpuru, as chief retail strategist. The company is also expanding with a new networking program.
Don’t Ignore These Holiday Security Issues

In the lead-up to this year’s holiday season, retailers across the country are already making important preparations in the hopes of increasing sales, improving customer service, and preventing data breaches. This last concern carries with it a heavy price tag; according to a survey from the Ponemon Institute, the average cost of holiday season cyber attacks is $8,000 per minute or nearly half-a-million dollars per hour.
Tech Guest Viewpoint: E-commerce Content: Emerging Trends
Genesco cuts outlook

Changing footwear trends took a bite out of Genesco Inc.’s sales in the second quarter. The company reported net income of $14.6 million, up from a year-earlier profit of $7.5 million. Genesco’s revenue for the second quarter, ended on July 30, fell 4.6% to a less-than-expected $625.6 million. Total same-store sales fell 1%, with a 4% decline at the Journeys Group.