Data & Analytics

Leading mall-based denim retailer The Buckle said its third quarter profits fell after strengthening online sales couldn’t overcome in store weakness.

Profits at the operator of 469 stores, billed as a denim destination, declined to $35.9 million, or 74 cents a share, during the third quarter ended Oct. 31, compared to $40.6 million, or 84 cents a share, during the third quarter the prior year. The profit decline was expected as The Buckle had previously reported that same-store sales had declined 5.2% and total sales had declined 4.1% to $280.2 million.

An analysis of Amazon.com’s holiday pricing for its best-selling items reveals two key strategic trends.

According to research from product intelligence technology provider 360pi, Amazon’s top two price dynamic categories: were best-selling office/school products (55% repriced one day to the next) and best-selling toys/games (45%).

Other categories that saw a high level of price dynamism were electronics and clothing, which are both highly contested gift categories.

The Bon-Ton says it is focusing on reducing expenses after a third quarter in which the retailer tripled its net loss and decreased same-store sales.

For the quarter ended Oct. 31, the Pa.-based retailer had a net loss of $34 million ($1.72 a share), compared to a net loss of $11 million (57 cents a share) in the 2014 quarter. Revenue totaled $623.4 million, down from $642.7 million in third quarter 2014. Same-store sales declined 2.6%.

Stein Mart says warm weather is to blame for its lackluster performance in the third quarter as the company makes plans to increase promotions to improve its top-line growth.

The off-price retailer said that for the third quarter ended Oct. 31, same-store sales fell 2.3%. Total sales also dropped 1% to $300.7 million during the same time period. Profits dipped to $82.2 million, or 27.3% of sales compared to $84.6 million or 27.8% of sales during the same time period in 2014.

After reporting a sales decline and third quarter loss, Stage Stores offered a unique explanation due the location of its 847 stores.

The company’s sales and same store sales both declined 3.5% and a net loss of $9.4 million equated to an earnings per share loss of 29 cents, compared to a prior year earnings per share loss of 16 cents.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday may still be cool, after all.

A new study on the holiday shopping habits of almost 7,000 millennials by product discovery platform Influenster shows that 93% of respondents plan on shopping Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday this year.

Digital gift cards are less risky than retailers think, and that’s not the only common piece of online fraud “wisdom” that is false.

The Technology Fraud Lab at eBay Enterprise has released a list of five online fraud myths. These include:

• Myth #1: Digital gift cards are too risky to sell.

Retailers looking to satisfy customers this holiday season need to be sure all channels are aligned and working properly.

The new "2015 Connected Shoppers Report” of more than 2,000 adults commissioned by Salesforce and conducted by Harris Poll demonstrates that in order to succeed, retailers need to accelerate digital transformations to provide personalized, one-to-one customer journeys.

Bristol Farms, a 13-store specialty grocery chain, is making food safety a priority.

The Carson, California-based retailer has selected technology from ReposiTrak Inc. to manage regulatory and business documentation compliance within its supply chain.

A specialty retailer that is defined by consistent same-store increases for the past three quarters, an over-the-top televised fashion show and loyal customers who still love its in-store experience has chalked up another record quarter.

L Brands, the parent company of Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body Works, kept its winning streak going in the third quarter ended Oct. 31. Same-store sales increased 7%. Net sales rose 7% to $2.48 billion.

Net income rose 24.4% to a better-than-expected $164 million, compared to $131.8 million last year.