Data & Analytics

Weak traffic trend hits Kirkland's
The CEO of Kirkland's blamed disappointing third quarter sales on traffic problems that he expects to persist into the fourth quarter despite the busy holiday season ahead.
Holidays not looking so happy for Best Buy
More robust omnichannel capabilities have Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly confident about his company’s ability to execute during the holidays, but his views on overall demand for consumer electronics are another matter.

Best Buy said it expects weak demand for consumer electronics in the fourth quarter and forecast flat same-store sales at domestic locations following a 0.5% third quarter comp increase that was aided by an 18% online increase.

Shoppers can't get enough of lotion and lingerie

How many retailers have boasted of record sales and earnings in the third quarter? So far the answer is only one (hint: It hosts a bra and panty show on national television every fall).
Holidays not look so happy for Best Buy

More robust omnichannel capabilities have Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly confident about his company’s ability to execute during the holidays, but his views on overall demand for consumer electronics are another matter.
5 myths about digital gift cards

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

Retailers looking to satisfy customers this holiday season need to be sure all channels are aligned and working properly.
Martha Stewart makes a move for Etsy's target market

Martha Stewart has taken her American Made store out of eBay and announced a new partnership with Amazon.com.
Sports Authority vet leaves for Ollie's Bargain Outlet

Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc. is looking to a Sports Authority executive to fill the newly created position of senior VP of finance and chief accounting officer.

The company has named Jay Stasz to the position, which will report to John Swygert, Ollie's executive VP and CFO.
Update on EMV migration

EMV adoption by consumers is on the rise, even as merchants are struggling to catch up.

Those are among the key findings of a survey by Ingenico Group, which found that 60% of U.S. cardholders have received EMV cards from their banks/card issuers.

Out of the U.S. cardholders who have both EMV and magstripe cards, 54% prefer magstripe cards over EMV cards, with 44% attributing their preference to habit.

For more, click on the infographic below:
Online retail fraud attempts up 30% in past year

Retailers are advised to brace for a higher level of fraud online and across all channels this holiday season.

That’s according to ACI Worldwide, which based its recommendation on new benchmark data from millions of transactions from large global retailers. The company noted that fraud rates by volume have increased by 30%, compared to 2014 as consumers shop with more devices online and card issuers are slower to shut down accounts after fraudulent activity.
Economic recovery driving Lowe's sales

Lowe's pointed to a favorable economy and improved productivity while reporting third-quarter results that beat expectations.

The company reported net earnings of $736 million for the quarter ended Oct. 30, up 25.8% from the same period a year ago. Sales for the quarter were up 5.0% to $14.4 billion.
Staples profits, sales still on the decline

Staples says its reinvention is on track despite a disappointing financial performance in the third quarter.

For the third quarter ended Oct. 31, Staples reported a profit of $198 million. Same-store sales decreased 2%. On a per-share basis, the Framingham, Massachusetts-based company said it had profit of 31 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 35 cents per share. The results matched Wall Street expectations. Revenue was $5.59 billion, which fell short of Street forecasts.