Data & Analytics

Chinese Laundry cleans up omnichannel inventory
Los Angeles – Accepting an online order and then cancelling it due to inventory shortages is probably the most damaging customer interaction an omnichannel retailer can have. Vertical specialty footwear retailer Chinese Laundry, which operates a direct-to-consumer website as well as two stores in Las Vegas and one in Canoga Park, California, is well aware of this problem.
Riddle’s Group automates enterprise management
Montreal - Luxury jewelry retailer Riddle’s Group Inc. has selected the ChainDrive Fully-Integrated Retail Management platform from Multidev Technologies Inc. to improve store operations and to automate processes throughout.

Riddle’s Group sought out an end-to-end solution, and selected ChainDrive because of its extensive Jewelry Module which provides jewelry retailers with system features and functions that are tailored exclusively for the jewelry business.

Ace Hardware names new IT chief

Ace Hardware Corp. has promoted a 25-year employee to the position of vice president of information technology.
Sam's Club lending center opens for business

Sam’s Club members are in for a slew of new services when the retailer launches its lending center this week.

SmartBiz, the exclusive platform for SBA-guaranteed loans for the Sam’s Club Business Lending Center, will provide qualifying Sam’s Club business members with SBA loans with low monthly payments, single digit interest rates, and a simple, streamlined application process.

In addition, SmartBiz developed and runs the technology platform that drives the Sam’s Club Business Lending Center, now available at SamsClub.com/services.
Kroger recognized for food safety technology

The Kroger Co. has earned more recognition for its investments in food safety innovation.

The company's innovative electronic temperature monitoring project has been named a winner of the 2015 CIO 100 Award by International Data Group's CIO Magazine.
Five Below still poised for expansion

Five Below reported an increase in same store sales and profit for the first quarter in the same week the company opened a new distribution center to support its expansion plans.
Neiman Marcus to be shoppable on Pinterest

Neiman Marcus customers will soon be able to purchase their favorite finds via Buyable Pins on Pinterest.

The retailer announced that millions of pins on Pinterest later this month will become buyable, offering a simple and secure way for customers to buy their favorite finds. In just a few taps, on any iOS enabled device, a customer can buy the products he or she has Pinned or discovered. This service will be solely offered in the U.S. at this time.
Neiman Marcus appoints Wolverine exec as COO/CFO

Dallas - Donald T. Grimes will be joining Neiman Marcus Group as executive VP, COO and CFO. Grimes will succeed Jim Skinner, who will continue to be part of the company’s management team in the newly created role of vice chairman, Neiman Marcus Group.
Dollar General beats Q1 profits, misses sales; on track to open 730 stores

Goodlettsville, Tenn. – Dollar General Corp. beat Wall Street expectations for profit but missed on sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2015. Net income totaled $253 million, up 14% from $222 million the same period the prior year.

Higher initial inventory markups, improved inventory shrink rate and lower transportation costs helped boost net income. Net sales increased 9% to $4.92 billion, compared to $4.52 billion. Same-store sales increased 3.7%, resulting from increases in both customer traffic and average transaction amount.
NRF hires VP of research

Washington, D.C. - The National Retail Federation (NRF) is hiring Mark Mathews as VP of research development and industry analysis. Mathews will develop, evaluate and direct research initiatives for NRF’s Retail Research and Analysis Center, which was announced in April.

Mathews brings more than two decades of research strategy and management experience to his new post.
Conn’s beats Street with Q1 profit; will open 15-18 stores

The Woodlands, Texas – Conn’s Inc. managed to beat Wall Street expectations with a 44% net income slide in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Net income fell to $15.7 million from $28.5 million the same quarter a year earlier, with costs related to store closures, relocations and legal and professional fees contributing.
Verizon stresses supply chain IT security

New York – When it comes to supply chain security, most retailers are diligent about things like locking up warehouses and vehicles. But when it comes to securing technology used to manage supply chain operations, retailer diligence often trails off.