Data & Analytics

  Photo: Matt Middlebrook   Heralding it as first for real estate development companies, Caruso Affiliated CEO Rick Caruso announced the formation of a Strategic Development and Innovations division focused on helping retailers harness new technologies serve a complex and fluid customer base.  

Joel Alden, partner in the retail practice at A.T. Kearney, said that investments in technology and physical stores mainly fall into two distinct categories: maintenance investments or growth investments.

“For maintenance investments — replacing a degrading building infrastructure, for example — the cost of not making the investment is critically important,” Alden said.

While Tractor Supply Co. broadly applies advanced analytics across the enterprise, BJ’s Wholesale Club is using analytics as a point solution.

Looking to offer a more targeted and competitively priced assortment, BJ’s is rolling out the price suite from merchandise optimization technology provider Revionics. The technology will help improve customer-centric prices while taking the competitive landscape into account.

The online space doesn’t have a lock on new retail concepts, but with its lower start-up costs and potential audience reach it has proved itself a great breeding ground for disruptive retailers.   Here’s a look at four innovative e-tailers that are generating buzz and revenue increases — enough to place them among the top 15 fastest-growing e-retailers in a recent study.*   Casper

About two-thirds (64%) of the United States is covered by prescriptive lighting rebates, according to BriteSwitch, a rebate fulfillment company. These rebates can significantly reduce the installed cost of new lighting in existing buildings and improve payback by 20% to 25%, which would reduce a two-year payback to about 1.5 years.

Retailers should do their homework now and make a plan for the future

Today, retailers and end-users face many changes in regard to refrigerants, including technology options and efficiency regulations. In the past, choices were made and remained applicable for a year or more.

That’s one of the key findings of The 2016 Johnson Controls Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI) survey of more than 1,200 facility and energy management executives.  

Mom’s Organic Market is extending its renewable energy portfolio.    The family owned and operated Maryland-based chain has begun purchasing all power from a designated solar farm in Kingsville, Maryland., bundled with national solar renewable energy credits.   This 1.5-megawatt DC system is projected to output 2,124,000 kilowatts per year. Mom’s will purchase the entire system's output for the next 20 years.