Data & Analytics

IBM has partnered with Tractor Supply Company to revamp and migrate the retailer’s online operation to provide Tractor Supply customers with an easier way to connect, browse and shop for goods and services online.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; max-height: 100000px; color: rgb(54, 54, 54); font-family: open_sansregular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-c

Concord, Calif. -- It’s changing of the guard time at the 157-store BevMo!.

BevMo! announced that Dimitri Haloulos has been appointed CEO, effective Sept. 1. Haloulos, who joined Albertsons Safeway in 2011 and most recently served as senior VP of Own Brands, has spent his career in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) and retail space as an executive in sales, marketing and research across a number of global brands

San Francisco -- Gensler announced that Jim Crawford has joined its lifestyle team as director of strategy and experience design. Crawford most recently served as chief experience officer at Chute Gerdeman, where he was responsible for integrating technology into award-winning store and experience design projects.

At Gensler, Crawford will utilize skills to enhance the firm’s practice and work with clients in multiple industries connecting digital and physical design with business and consumer objectives.
 

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot is accelerating its previously announced plan to close at least 400 stores as the retailer awaits its acquisition by Staples.

After shuttering a greater than expected 99 stores in the second quarter, Office Depot boosted its 2015 store closing target to 175 locations, with another 60 due to close in 2016. The closings are on top of 153 closings throughout 2014, including 108 stores in the fourth quarter of last year.

Hangzhou, China – Alibaba Holding Group Inc. is tapping a former longtime partner at Goldman Sachs to oversee the online giant’s international growth.

Michael Evans, who is also a member of the Alibaba board, has been named president of Alibaba Group, effective immediately.

Denver – Whatever the cool kids (and their families) are doing this summer, back-to-school shopping does not appear to be on the agenda.

An ongoing shopper behavior study conducted by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research shows that retailers will continue to see the number of back-to-school shoppers in their stores drop.

In 2014, the data showed 36% of shoppers would not be shopping back-to-school, and this year the study is showing a 7% increase in those not shopping for back-to-school.

Boston -- Online licensed-sports apparel retailer Fanatics has taken website testing and optimization to a whole new level.

Fanatics is using SiteSpect’s Origin Experiments to test more than site aesthetics, such as headlines and font color. The solution empowers Fanatics to execute a broad range of tests on new site features and functionality, such as on-site search and checkout flow.

Arlington, Va. – The nation’s leading retail associations have joined together supporting legislation to combat cyber threats.

Irvine, Calif. -- Billabong International has selected a retail suite from JustEnough’s retail suite of solutions to help transform its planning and replenishment processes across all its brands worldwide.

Green Bay, Wis. – Shopko Stores is looking more closely into how it uses store space. It’s also looking more deeply into customer’s market baskets.

The retailer has renewed its license of APT’s Test & Learn and Market Basket Analyzer software for another three years.