Data & Analytics

When shoppers talk about brands, they usually do it offline.   That’s according to a study by Engagement Labs that measured the performance of 60 brands with respect to social media and word of mouth conversations. Amazon came out on top in the retail and apparel category, followed by Nike and Nordstrom.   

Watch out Walmart — discount grocer Aldi is beating you in one crucial area.    Aldi’s prices are 21% lower than its lowest-priced rivals, including Walmart, CEO Jason Hart told Reuters. And he plans to maintain that gap going forward.   The fast-growing Aldi, which recently entered California, operates some 1,600 stores in the United States, with 400 new locations planned by the end of 2018.  

Samsonite has selected a cloud-based solution to enhance its omnichan-nel operations and improve order visibility, flexibility, profitability and speed.   The luggage company will deploy the Aptos Enterprise Order Management solution. The tool will serve as a central commerce hub and manage all orders throughout their lifecycle, from initiation to fulfillment and delivery.   

Macy’s reported disappointing earnings for its first quarter, as its sale continued to slide.    Macy's posted a first quarter profit of $71 million, or 23 cents a share, down from $116 million, or 37 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding some costs, Macy's adjusted per-share profit fell to 24 cents from 40 cents, below analysts' expectations for 35 cents.   

New e-commerce platform helps retailer better serve shoppers

Ulta Beauty is on a roll — offline and on. It’s growing in the physical space, with 100 new stores on tap for 2017, and is also expanding its capabilities in the digital space.

Ulta’s e-commerce sales hit $345.3 million in 2016, and online traffic continues to climb. For its most recently completed quarter, e-commerce sales grew 63.4%, and mobile volume rose more than 90%.

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.

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.”

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.