Data & Analytics

Study: Marketing execs have IT purchase power
Vendors are leaving billions on the table because they forget to market to the chief marketing officer (CMO) rather than just the CIO and IT department.

According to a new study from IHL Group called “Hidden Treasure – The CMO’s Budget in Retail,” in 2015, the amount of IT purchased through the CMO’s budget will amount to $7.5 billion in North America. This figure is nearly as much as will be spent on core POS for 2015, or 12% of all North American IT spend for retail and hospitality in North America.
Walgreens' vital signs good in Q1
Walgreens said stronger sales from established stores helped it trump analyst expectations for the first quarter, even as the company's acquisition of European retailer Alliance Boots remains on track to close this month.

Walgreens reported a 16.4% lift in quarterly profit to $809 million that was credited to the 222 million prescriptions filled for the first quarter ended Nov. 30.

Five Below names Walmart’s Anderson president

Teen and pre-teen retailer Five Below landed two senior executives from Walmart.com and Ascena Retail Group for key roles as it looks to accelerate an already rapid pace of growth.

Walmart.com president and CEO Joel Anderson will join Five Below as president in July to oversee all aspects of merchandising, stores and marketing. Eric Specter, most recently EVP and chief integration officer for Ascena, will serve as Five Below’s chief administrative officer and oversee supply chain, information technology and real estate.
Barnes & Noble elevates Huseby as CEO

Michael Huseby was named CEO at Barnes and Noble after previously serving briefly as the retailer’s CFO and then president.

Huseby will also serve on the company’s board and oversee the 673 store retail group led by CEO Mitchell Klipper and the 695 store college group led by CEO Max Roberts. Huseby joined Barnes & Noble in March 2012 as CFO and was named president in July 2013.
Five Trends That Will Impact Supermarket Retailers in 2015

Mark Dunson, Emerson Climate Technologies Supermarkets are utilizing data-driven approaches to offset a moderate economy, varying consumer behavior and the continued rise of online competitors. Achievement often depends on reacting well to difficult issues or, better, getting ahead of the next obstacles. There's no telling how the year will develop, but there are several clear challenges and opportunities for savvy supermarkets in 2015.
Epicor partners with AJB for electronic payment

Austin, Texas - Epicor Software Corp. is launching a strategic partnership with integrated payment solutions provider AJB Software Design, Inc. to simplify and secure electronic payment acceptance at the point-of-purchase, enabling retailers to accommodate new and emerging methods of payment and comply with security best practices such as the forthcoming Europay, MasterCard and Visa (“EMV”) initiative.
Tech Guest Viewpoint - Why the Holidays are a Shipping Nightmare

By Fabrizio Brasca, JDA Software
U.K. retailer Poundworld launching IT overhaul with PCMS

Normanton, U.K. – U.K.-based discount retailer Poundworld is embarking on an IT overhaul with global retail IT services provider PCMS to support its long-term growth plans. The 10-month project will see Poundworld implement a range of new IT systems to improve customer experience, efficiency and store management.
Looking for a product? Try the mobile Yellow Pages

Orem, Utah – Checking the Yellow Pages for various types of information is a time-honored tradition, but now consumers can use the mobile version to find products. App developer Avantar is releasing a feature in the Yellow Pages app that lets shoppers pinpoint locations of products.
Appliance Recycling Centers names new CFO

Minneapolis – Appliance Recycling Centers of America Inc. (ARCA) has named Jeffery Ostapeic as the company's CFO. Ostapeic is a certified public accountant and served most recently as an audit partner with Grant Thornton LLP, an international accounting firm.
Belk renews EBay Enterprise omnichannel customer service deal

Charlotte, N.C. - Belk Inc. has renewed an agreement with EBay Enterprise to provide multi-site customer support to scale with Belk’s continual growth. Belk first partnered with EBay Enterprise in 2008 with the launch of Belk.com.
Staples breach may have exposed more than 1 million cards

Framingham, Mass. – About 1.16 million customer payment cards may have been exposed in a security breach at Staples Inc. earlier this year. In an update on the breach situation, Staples said that criminals deployed malware to some POS systems at 115 of its more than 1,400 U.S. retail stores, providing access to data from purchases made from July 20 through Sept. 16, 2014.