Data & Analytics

San Francisco – Cato Bakery is utilizing a new iPad POS solution from Revel Systems and Index that provides customers with personalized recommendations and service. Customers can pay for their purchases and redeem personalized incentives with Index mobile technology, which is integrated directly with the Revel Systems point of sale.

The partnership between Revel Systems and Index offers retailers with an integrated mobile payments, loyalty, and POS solution.

A slowdown in firearms and ammunition sales as well as severe winter weather affected Big 5 Sporting Goods’ fourth quarter same-store sales.

Net sales increased about 2% to $248 million from $243.6 million, while same-store sales declined 0.5%. During the quarter, net income rose 30% to $5.2 million from $4 million compared to the same period in the prior year.

During the fiscal year, net income almost doubled, rising 87% to $27.9 million from $14.9 million. Net sales improved 6% to $993.3 million from $940.5 million and same-store sales rose 3.9%.

Tampa, Fla. -- The global market for advanced services based on mobile context insights could be worth as much as $44 billion annually. A research report for Syniverse from economists at the Surrey Energy Economics Center (SEEC) values the market for operators providing services to brands based on end-user context data and proposes a sustainable long-term market structure with balanced, mutual benefit between operators, brands and consumers.

El Segundo, Calif. – Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. released mostly positive financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013. During the fourth quarter, net income rose 30% to $5.2 million from $4 million compared to the same period in the prior year.

Mooresville, N.C. – Customer interest in core home improvement categories helped lift profits at Lowe’s Companies Inc. during the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013.

Lowe’s fourth quarter earnings rose 6% to $306 million from $282 million in the year-ago period. Full year net earnings climbed 17% to $2.29 billion from $1.96 billion.

In a sign of some progress in its turnaround efforts, J.C. Penney reported a net profit of $35 million for the fourth quarter ended Feb. 1, compared to a loss of $552 million a year ago. Excluding a tax benefit and other items, Penney had a loss of $206 million for the quarter.

Looking forward, the company expects same-store sales to increase approximately 3% to 5% for the first quarter and to increase mid-single digits for the full year 2014.

By Richard P. Fennelly, director of product development, Coilpod

It’s a well-known industry fact that refrigeration and freezer appliances, which are no longer exclusive to supermarkets, are major electricity “hogs” in retail stores.  

Hispanic consumers are outpacing non-Hispanics in their adoption of mobile, social and online sources for local shopping, according to BIA/Kelsey's Consumer Commerce Monitor study released this week.