Data & Analytics

With the retail environment changing so rapidly today, and technology impacting everything a store does, the role of the chief financial officer has become more important than ever.

When I started recruiting in 1990, the business was much simpler — we hired retail executives based on a linear skillset, and departments operated in individual silos. Today, it is much more complex, as the C-suite works in collaboration to keep up with an increasingly savvy consumer.

So, what then do you look for in a CFO today?

There are a lot of options in decorating a home, and Los Angeles-based Z Gallerie wants to match its offerings to customer tastes.

“We’ve been known for one particular style, which our customers love and that we’ve done quite well with,” said Chris Nicklo, VP customer and chief marketing officer of Z Gallerie. “But to grow, we knew we would need to appeal to a broader spectrum of customers.”

One of my favorite times of the year is teaching at the ICSC University of Shopping Centers. I co-teach “Marketing & Social Media: Shopping Centers in the Digital Age” with Tim O’Connell, assistant VP, director of digital marketing and communications, at RPAI. While we present stats, trends and case studies, what energizes me most are the collaborative class discussions on how other shopping centers owners are progressing with their social media efforts.

ADA lawsuits against retailers are on the rise — and even though many suits may be without merit, a retailer still has to defend/answer the allegations.

That was the message Joan Stein, one of the nation’s leading authorities on ADA, brought to the SPECS session, “ADA Non-Compliance: Can You Afford It?” at SPECS.

Haverty Furniture Company has been around since the late 19th century, but the specialty furniture retailer has a decidedly 21st-century approach to energy management.

“We want Havertys to be the company everyone wants to come work for,” said Rawson Haverty Jr., senior VP real estate and development, Havertys, during a session at Chain Store Age’s SPECS 2016 Conference, March 13-15, in Dallas.

Environmental stewardship, and thus energy conservation, is on the Atlanta-based furniture retailer’s list of 10 core values, Haverty explained.

While several highly publicized emerging technologies are poised to have a major effect on retail by 2026, another touted bleeding-edge solution may fall short of expectations.

Fully interactive, cloud-based digital displays help enhance the customer experience and give businesses a boost at TurnStyle, the new retail/dining center at the Columbus Circle subway station in Manhattan.

The installation marks the first retail application of the On Smart Media platform, from Outfront Media. The platform allows retailers and advertising partners to deliver contextual messages in real-time.

The North Face has unveiled a new store pilot — complete with a Redwood tree — at Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, California.

The 6,500-sq.-ft. store, which is located just across the street from the retailer’s previous location of 24 years, combines the best of digital in-store technology, including virtual reality, with features that speak to the locale and the brand’s DNA.