Data & Analytics

Atlanta – More than 50% of brands don’t have a strategy in place to manage responses to social media complaints from customers. Results of a recent survey conducted by Social Media Marketing University (SMMU) shows that 58.2% of brands receive customer complaints via social media “occasionally,” 10.9% receive them “somewhat often” and 4.9% receive them “very often.”

In total, almost 75% of brands receive social media complaints. In addition, survey results show:

Rapid expansion of Nordstrom Rack stores and strong sales at the off price division enabled the department store retailer to exceed its fourth quarter profit forecast.

The company said same store sales at Rack increased 3.6% on top of a price year increase of 7.1% while sales at full line stores declined 3.3% after increasing 2.2% last year.

Pleasanton, Calif. – Safeway Inc. is exploring a sale of the company as it reports substantial increases in net income due to its exit from the Canadian market, and smaller increases in net sales for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014. Although the discussions for a sale are ongoing, the company said it has not reached an agreement on a transaction, and there can be no assurance that these discussions will lead to an agreement or a completed transaction.  

One of the bright spots in Walmart’s otherwise dismal fourth quarter was an online business that grew 30% to $10 billion and is forecast to exceed $13 billion this year.

Every executive participating in the company’s prerecorded earnings call Thursday morning spoke in some form or fashion about key digital initiatives and Walmart’s unique capabilities in the area of e-commerce. For example, Walmart president and CEO Doug McMillon sees an environment in which the company has the potential to create transformative growth in global e-commerce and mobile commerce.

San Jose, Calif. – Sales for Valentine’s Day this year fell prior to the holiday compared to the same period in 2013, but rose on the actual holiday itself, Feb. 14. According to new figures from site analytics provider RetailNext, men’s stores (that have gifts for men) saw decreased (-13.8%) sales the day before Valentine’s, but an increase of +22.2% in sales on Valentine's Day itself in 2014.

HSNi ended 2013 with record customer levels at its HSN and Cornerstone brands, which bolstered the company’s fourth-quarter results.

The company’s total net sales grew 4% over the prior year to $1 billion.

Walmart knew fourth quarter results announced Thursday morning were going to be bad and its outlook weak so it gave investors something more substantial to digest by announcing plans to double the number of small format stores it will open this year and an increased omnichannel focus.

The Woodlands, Texas – Conn’s Inc. released preliminary fourth quarter net sales and same-store sales results for its retail segment that suggest strong financial performance. On a year-over-year basis, Conn’s net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 were an estimated $301.6 million, increasing $93.3 million, or 44.8%, from the same period last year.