Data & Analytics

Available space in strip centers dipped to 11% in the second quarter, the lowest rate for these neighborhood venues since 2008. The reason: omnichannel growth and format experimentation, according to CBRE, which tracked availability across 62 U.S. markets.  

Augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go has given a big sales boost to GameStop.  

Even geeks appreciate the convenience and hands-on experience of visiting a physical store.   Recognizing the continuing popularity of brick-and-mortar, specialty video game retailer GameStop Corp. has been extending its pure-play ThinkGeek banner into physical stores. GameStop purchased ThinkGeek parent company GeekNet Inc. in 2015. ThinkGeek specializes in selling “loot,” or collectible items and memorabilia, rather than video games.  

The Unilever-Dollar Shave Club deal reflects the growing importance of emerging brands, vertical integration, and the consumer direct route to market favored by new CPG market entrants such as Dollar Shave Club, Honest Co., and NatureBox.

There are a limited number of retail apps a customer will use, and an app that is siloed has no chance of being one of them.   Cognizant of the need to ensure a shopping app is part of a larger, streamlined omnichannel environment, specialty online fashion retailer Bluefly is releasing a new app built on the Mozu commerce platform. With nearly 42% of its sales coming from mobile, Bluefly is offering several features designed to put the customer in the center of the shopping experience.  

The customer journey for The Yankee Candle Company Inc. has many potential steps, and the company is ensuring they are all connected and help bring shoppers closer to making a purchase.  

When it comes to shopping via mobile app, consumers favor one retailer above all others.   Not too surprisingly, Amazon.com’s general dominance of digital retailing extends to the mobile app arena. According to new data from SurveyMonkey Intelligence, Amazon has more than 30 million monthly active users (MAU) of its mobile app in the U.S. This means about one in 10 Americans uses the Amazon app every month.  

Dick’s Sporting Goods is building a new $100 million regional distribution center that will service more than 200 stores throughout the Northeast.   The 650,000-sq.-ft. facility will be located at Broome County Corporate Park in Conklin, New York. Construction will begin in August 2016 and is scheduled for completion in early 2018. Dick’s expects to create 466 full-time jobs at the center during the next five years.