Data & Analytics

New York -- Target Corp. has agreed to pay $2.8 million to resolve a hiring discrimination claim filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
 
The EEOC said three "employment assessments," which Target no longer uses, disproportionately screened out applicants based on race and gender, according to the Associated Press, and therefore violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

New York -- As if retailers didn’t have enough to worry about, teens are shopping more like their parents.

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Seattle – Consumers who want to open ads on one of the Web’s most important retailers soon won’t have to worry about seeing messages informing them they need to install or update Adobe Flash.

Louisville, Ky. -- Appriss Inc., a provider of data, risk assessment and analytic solutions for government, health information and consumer industries, has acquired The Retail Equation, Irvine, California, a provider of predictive analytics for retail businesses. The Retail Equation will become the retail division of Appriss and will operate as a separate company within the Appriss corporate structure.

Boston – Start-up retailer LeanBox is offering a novel, high-tech solution to the problem of office workers who are too busy to go out and purchase healthy food for lunch.

Fall inspections key to prepping HVAC systems for colder temps

It’s only September and still technically summer. But calendar aside, it is time to start prepping HVAC systems for the colder days ahead.

Oddly enough, most retailers start to prepare for the summer season months ahead of the first 95-degree day. Plans are developed to schedule the HVAC spring inspections well in advance, so when the first heat wave hits, stores will be ready to start pumping cold air to keep their customers very comfortable.

Comcast has unveiled a futuristic-looking, tech-savvy store prototype aimed at enhancing the cable giant’s brand reputation and service experience. Focused on the customer, the new Studio Xfinity in Chicago aims to entertain, engage and inform shoppers with hands-on experiences.

Comcast partnered with ESI Design, New York City, on the 9,000-sq.-ft. store, which is also serving as a showcase for the company to debut and test new service initiatives.

“Couldn’t find it” and “couldn’t find help,” are all-too-common shopping experiences that kill sales and erode shopper loyalty.  Retailers are seeking better ways to combat these in-store ills, and new indoor positioning and wayfinding solutions have emerged as powerful tools to engage and assist in-store customers, at the precise point-of-purchase decision — the aisle and shelf.

Interior build-outs in the retail sector can be some of the most expensive construction projects, with cost per unit area far exceeding that of an exterior build. They are also often more logistically complex. For example, coordination of all the different trades and the delivery of materials, fixtures, and products is key to ensuring quality, containing costs, and avoiding delays.

This year more than ever, holiday shoppers are coming to retailers across a variety of channels and touchpoints. Retailers need to provide a consistent and personalized experience for customers wherever they are.