Data & Analytics

Teen retailer’s profit plunges in Q2
Lynnwood, Wash. -- It was tough going for Zumiez Inc. in the second quarter as its profit fell 57% amid increased promotional activity.

The skate and surf apparel retailer reported net income of $3.2 million in the quarter, compared to net income of $7.5 million in the year-ago period. The results included include costs of approximately $0.4 million, for charges associated with the acquisition of Blue Tomato.

Total net sales for the quarter increased 1.8% to $179.8 million, from $176.7 million a year ago.
Merchandising miss hits Christopher & Banks in Q2
Minneapolis – A “merchandising misstep” took its toll on Christopher & Banks in its second quarter as sales decreased more than expected.

The company posted a net loss of $710,000 in the quarter, compared to earnings of $3.36 million in the year-ago period.

Dollarama in the money during Q2

Montreal - Dollarama Inc. is reporting a significant increase net earnings and sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2016.

Gross margin improvements and a reduction in selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses as a percentage of sales drove net earnings to $95.5 million, up 39% from $68.9 million.
Retailers getting ready for EMV shift, but what about consumers?

Arlington, Va. -- A report says that only one in five debit and credit cards are ready for the EMV shift.

As retailers spend billions to upgrade their point of sale terminals to accept new chip cards before the Oct. 1 liability shift deadline, the nation’s largest card network acknowledged that a staggering number of magnetic “swipe” cards have not been replaced with new cards.
City Sports on the move

Boston -- Boston-based City Sports has entered a new state.

The specialty store retailer announced the opening a 10,000-sq.-ft. store at Mosaic District, a mixed-use lifestyle center located in Merrifield, Virginia.
Staples takes printing to new level

Framingham,, Mass. – Staples Inc. has been a place to get printing done since it opened in the 1980s, but now the retailer is taking printing to a whole new level.

Starting Sept. 14, Staples, is offering a new online 3D printing platform, which will let small businesses and consumers upload their own 3D designs or select from a curated assortment of models.
Whole Foods and Instacart move a whole lotta groceries

Austin, Texas – Whole Foods Market and Instacart have officially been partnering for online grocery deliveries for one year, and have moved an impressive amount of merchandise in that time.
The Shopper ‘Journey’ is Actually a Minefield

The more we learn about real-world customer experiences, the more we see that we've been horribly naive about the role that mobile devices play in shoppers' lives.
Kroger makes four big senior leadership changes

Cincinnati — Kroger on Thursday announced the appointment of four executive VPs to lead key lines of business.
Study: Online shopping crosses channels

Teaneck, N.J. – Online shopping is here to stay and increasingly occurring across a variety of channels.

According to the sixth annual Shopping Experience Study of more than 5,000 consumers by Cognizant, 64% of respondents said they buy online at least once a month, and 13% make weekly purchases.
NRF: Retail imports on the rise

Washington, D.C. – Retail imports appear to be climbing as the holidays approach.
Report: Amazon Prime Day impacts back-to-school

Chicago – The introduction of Amazon Prime Day on July 15 created a new mid-summer e-commerce event that had a profound impact on back-to-school shopping.

According to a new study from Market Track, Prime Day and the resulting widespread competitive response created a brand new shopping event only two weeks before the peak back-to-school shopping period.