Data & Analytics

Swiss Farms Stores has come a long way since it launched 50 years ago as an outlet for a local dairy to sell excess milk.

Today, the Broomall, Pennsylvania-based convenience retailer operates 13 stores on a drive-through model where customers place orders from their cars in an express lane and have items quickly delivered to them at the window. And it isn’t done growing.

Regional department store retailer Belk Inc. is using social media to make the holidays a little more fun and rewarding for its shoppers.

O’Reilly Automotive plans to accelerate its expansion plans in 2016 following record revenue and profit in the third quarter.

The auto parts retailer now plans to open 210 new stores next year. The company is also on track to open 205 new stores by the end of 2015.

Baseball’s great accidental philosopher Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” In the retail business, knowing where you’re going means understanding sales, inventory, promotions, pricing, and assortment.

Sporting goods retailer Gander Mountain has installed a new president to lead the company through its next phase of growth.

The company announced that Derek Siddons, executive VP and COO, will assume the role of president on the retirement of current president Michael J. Owens on Oct. 31.

Southeastern Grocers on Thursday announced a significant pricing initiative that addresses exactly what customers need: a $40 million investment into permanent lower prices on the products Winn-Dixie customers buy the most.

Customers stated in a recent survey that “affordable prices” was the most important requirement from a grocery store, so Winn-Dixie is introducing a New Regular Pricing Program that will permanently reduce the prices on more than 1,500 grocery items at all 518 Winn-Dixie stores.

Mobile will drive more than half of Thanksgiving Day online shopping visits (51%) for the first time in 2015.

That is just one mobile-friendly statistic from the new Adobe 2015 Digital Index Online Shopping Predictions. The Index also forecasts mobile will account for close to a third (29%) of all holiday sales, a 12% increase from 2014. iOS will drive 22% of sales, Android just 7%.

Looking at another emerging customer engagement channel, Adobe predicts social media will drive 2% of referred visits (flat growth), with revenue per visit highest on Facebook ($1.24).

Regional department store retailer Belk Inc. is using social media to make the holidays a little more fun and rewarding for its shoppers.

North Carolina-based Belk, which operates about 300 stores, has teamed up with digital marketing solutions provider HelloWorld for the return of the Santa Baby sweepstakes, now in its second year. In an effort to increase mobile opt-ins and ultimately boost brand awareness and consumer engagement, Belk and HelloWorld are allowing customers to create personalized e-cards, gifs, and TV spots.