Data & Analytics

SPS Commerce Inc., a provider of cloud-based retail supply chain management solutions, is recognizing the need for back-end unification of supply chain and store.

SPS has acquired ToolBox Solutions, a Toronto-based provider of POS analytics and category management services to retailers and CPG suppliers in North America.

One trend that will likely become more prevalent in 2016 is visual search, the ability to click on an image of a product and obtain information or even make a purchase, without typing in any words.

Urban Outfitters and other select retailers are offering visual search capabilities, and the failed Amazon Fire smartphone essentially made the world into an Amazon showroom with an advanced virtual search tool.

Retailers seeking to make the holiday return process as pleasant as possible need to offer a few specific features.

According to a new post-holiday study of 500 adult U.S. consumers from location-based mobile platform provider Retale, 24% of those surveyed stated that they are likely to return or exchange at least one of the presents that they received this holiday season.

In 2016, retail chains will continue to face increasing competition and high consumer expectations. Changing regulations will also impact retail businesses. We see the regulatory issues below as the most critical for the retail industry this year and beyond.

At some of the most innovative commercial landscapes around the country, new technologies are becoming an important piece of the visual and experiential fabric. From signage to celebrations, technology is an integral part of many retail and mixed-use centers.

Macy’s said warm weather took a huge toll on holiday sales, which were much worse than expected, prompting the company to announce major cost-cutting moves.

Starwood Retail Partners debuted Oh, So Simple, a first-of-its-kind rewards program that offers consumers a revolutionary way to earn credit for their purchases at stores across an entire mall. The program piloted at four properties in 2015 and will roll out to all 29 Starwood centers this year. The one-step process links an existing Visa, MasterCard, or personal American Express credit or debit card to an Oh, So Simple Rewards account. Members can connect as many of their cards to the account as they wish.

Same-store sales declined 11% at Hhgregg during the company’s third quarter ended Dec. 31 with the retailer of appliances, electronics and furniture citing competitive pressures as the source of weakness.