Data & Analytics

North Face enhancing in-store experience with virtual reality
New York -- Outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear retailer The North Face has collaborated with Jaunt, which provides virtual reality (VF) hardware and software, on an immersive VR in-store experience designed to boost customers’ connection to the outdoors.

The attraction arrived in select North Face locations beginning in March in Chicago, and is now being rolled out to the company’s store in Manhattan. It transports viewers to Yosemite National Park and Moab, Utah, alongside North Face global athletes Cedar Wright and Sam Elias.
True Religion opens digitally enhanced flagship in Manhattan
Vernon, Calif. -- True Religion Apparel Inc. has opened its first global flagship, at 513 Broadway in downtown Manhattan. The 3,000-sq.-ft. space is the brand’s largest and most digitally-savvy store to date, starting with storefront windows that display a continuous stream of video content. The windows are also able to showcase style statements from shoppers themselves.

Inside the store, digital kiosks and iPads provide product-on-demand by offering the entire True Religion collection through an endless digital aisle.

Chuck E. Cheese rolling out EnTouch energy management solution to over 300 units

Richardson, Texas -- EnTouch Controls announced that Chuck E. Cheese’s has ramped up its commitment to EnTouch 360° as its official energy management solution for corporate stores in North America.

Chuck E. Cheese’s store environment includes a playground and a host of video games for teens and adults. The energy costs for these video games, along with the energy needed to maintain comfortable temperatures for patrons, quickly adds up.
Lowe's introduces 3D printing at Orchard Supply

Lowe's Innovation Labs has come up with a way to allow shoppers to customize every knob, door and handle in their home.
Big ski season lifts Big 5 Sporting Goods

The cold hard winter may have been taxing for some but it was certainly profitable for Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp., which reported an increase in profit in the first quarter.
WMT exec to offer Savings Catcher insight

With the one year anniversary of Walmart’s Saving Catcher app approaching, the executive who led its development is slated to give an update on what’s next for the price comparison app at a May 14 event in Bentonville.

Greg Chandler, senior marketing director of customer engagement at Walmart, is the featured speaker at an upcoming meeting of Doing Business in Bentonville. Chandler is scheduled to speak on the topic of “Walmart mobile retail – how Savings Catcher is changing the way Walmart things about digital retail.”
Amazon hashtag tops in social shopping

Amazon has climbed to the top of the social shopping ranks, thanks in part to the introduction of #AmazonCart and #AmazonBasket.
Bi-Lo strategy gets a digital makeover

Bi-Lo Holdings wants to tap into its shoppers’ digital lifestyles with a 360-degree mobile app and website experience that delivers personalized coupons based customer shopping habits.
Walmart offers education in low prices

Walmart is schooling students in Virginia on savings with the latest iteration of its on campus concept store first introduced in 2011.

The new 4,100-sq.-ft. Walmart on Campus is located at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. The store opened April 29 and is part of an ongoing pilot program at Walmart to designed to provide VCU students and faculty, as well as the surrounding neighborhood, more convenient access to affordable products.
Report: Target tests targeted video tool

Minneapolis – Target Corp. is reportedly testing a solution that automatically recommends sponsored videos to Web users based on the content they are reading. According to Advertising Age, Target is piloting the Kargo Kapsule application, which recommends sponsored videos that relate to the content displayed on a consumer’s Web screen.
Lowe’s Innovation Labs offers 3D printing at Orchard Supply
Big 5 kicks off year with big Q1; plans 10 new stores

El Segundo, Calif. – Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. kicked off fiscal 2015 with a strong performance in the first quarter. Net income grew 6% year-over-year to $2.3 million from $2.1 million, and would have grown more if not for increased expenses relating to wages and benefits, new stores, and a legal settlement.

Big 5 plans to open approximately 10 net new stores in fiscal 2015, including three in the second quarter.

Net sales climbed 5% to $243.6 million from $231.3 million, aided by a 3.9% increase in same-store sales.