Data & Analytics

Study: Consumers want easy access to product, service information
Washington, D.C. -- An overwhelming majority (70%) of consumers around the globe say that the best way retailers can add value to their shopping experience is to provide easy access to information about their products and services, both online and in stores. That’s one of the key takeaways of a new consumer research study by Oracle.
Maxwell joins Orchestro in key role
Former Walmart executive Gary Maxwell has joined leading demand analytics provider Orchestro as the firm’s chief solutions officer.

Maxwell, a long-time member of Orchestro’s advisory board, retired from Walmart in 2013 after holding a variety of senior supply chain, replenishment and process improvement roles during a 14 year career. Prior to Walmart, Maxwell spent five years in a senior supply chain role with the now defunct Caldor chain.

King of the cloud, Amazon offers unlimited everything

In its quest to offer its customers everything from one-hour delivery of toilet paper to instant TV streaming, Amazon now wants to dominate the market in cloud storage with a dirt cheap new plan.

For $5 a month, customers can sign up for Amazon Cloud Drive and store as much digital content as they want. With the unlimited plans, customers no longer need to worry about how much storage is needed to keep their content safe and secure: they can choose either the Unlimited Photos Plan or Unlimited Everything Plan and only pay one flat fee per year.
C.H. Robinson named a Walmart logistics leader

Walmart recognized multimodal logistics provider C.H. Robinson with the retailer’s first-ever award for third party logistics providers.

C.H. Robinson said it received the Third Party Logistical (3PL) Carrier of the Year award for 2014 due to contributions for outstanding service, effective communication and providing solutions and innovations in a changing industry.
Sears outlets change appliance strategy

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores is rearranging its appliance retail strategy to better speak to customers and their changing priorities.
Walmart’s Foran and McKenna to offer views in NY

In a break from tradition, Walmart is hosting an investor meeting in New York on April 1 with the new team of top executives who are driving the latest round of changes at the retailer’s U.S. business.

A 90 minutes session scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. EST on April 1 at the New York Stock Exchange will be hosted by Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran.
Amazon expands 1-hour delivery to Dallas

Amazon is accelerating the expansion of its one-hour delivery servcie with a rollout of the program in Dallas.

The e-commerce giant started its Prime Now rapid delivery service in December in parts of Manhattan, and expanded to Baltimore and Miami this month.

The ultra-fast service initially launched as a benefit for Prime members.
Loyalty programs found to be lacking

Retailers are surely getting tired of hearing about how their digital capabilities fall short of customer expectations but that familiar drumbeat is contained in a new report from Capgemini Consulting called, “Fixing the Cracks: Reinventing Loyalty Programs for the Digital Age.”
He really did go to Jared

The parent company of Kay, Zale and Jared brand jewelry stores had a phenomenal holiday season with profits up more than 40% on solid same store sales growth.
Lululemon strikes a better pose in Q4

Shoppers had a hankering for more yogawear during the holidays, as retailer Lululemon saw better-than-expected traffic and results for the fourth quarter.

Net revenue for the quarter increased 16% to $602.5 million from $521 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. Same store sales increased by 8% for the fourth quarter.
PayPal to pay $7.7 million in U.S. Treasury sanctions case

New York -- PayPal Inc. has agreed to pay $7.7 million in a deal to settle charges by the U.S. Treasury Department that the electronic payments giant violated numerous sanctions programs against countries that include Iran, Cuba and Sudan, Reuters reported.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control, an agency of the Treasury Department, on Wednesday announced the civil settlement.
Pacific Sunwear reports Q4 loss

Anaheim, Calif. -- Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. on Wednesday reported a loss of $26 million in its fiscal fourth quarter.

The teen apparel retailer reported revenue of $231.6 million in the period, which topped Street forecasts. Same-store sales increased 6%.