Data & Analytics

Study: Discounts are poor initial purchase incentive
Cambridge, Mass. — New customers whose first transaction involves a discount or special offer are 50% less likely to return to make a second purchase. According to a new study from loyalty technology provider Coherent Path Inc., customers who visit an e-commerce site for the first time and make a purchase at full-price are more than twice as likely to make a second visit.
J. Crew tops in online customer service
New York — J. Crew provided the best overall online customer service in October, marking the retailer’s third time topping the Stella Benchmarks rankings from StellaService in 2014. The retailer ranked 4th in phone, second in email, eighth in shipping and 17th in returns.
Stella Benchmarks includes 138 companies evaluated on a daily basis by StellaService. Customer care channels, phone, email and chat, are measured daily, while fulfillment metrics are measured across multiple orders each month.

Analysis: RadioShack pulls out the stops as it heads into holidays
Ugg’s new high-tech store includes RFID-enabled touchscreens

Goleta, Calif. — Ugg Australia, a division of Deckers Brands, has taken its omnichannel commitment to a new level with the opening of its store in Tysons Galleria, McLean, Va. The technology-driven, 2,110-sq.-ft. store features the latest in omnichannel solutions and RFID innovations that combine to make for a more seamless and connected customer experience.
KPMG: Cyber-security fears will affect holiday shopping

New York — More than half of consumers are either unsure or not confident at all in the security of their personal information when shopping both in-store (58%) and online (63%), which could impact holiday shopping, according to a new survey by KPMG. Twenty-seven percent of of respondents indicate they will only shop at a store that previously experienced a cyberattack if they cannot find the product elsewhere, with 8% refusing to shop at these stores all together.
Conference Board: Consumer confidence down unexpectedly in November

Washington - The Conference Board said Tuesday that consumer confidence in November fell to a reading of 88.7, down from a revised 94.1 in October. The drop, which surprised analysts, put the index at its lowest level since June. "Consumer confidence retreated in November, primarily due to reduced optimism in the short-term outlook,” said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators, Conference Board.
Top five priciest retail rents in the world go to…

New York - Manhattan’s high-profile Fifth Avenue, at a whopping $3,550 per sq. ft., and Hong Kong’s Queen’s Road Central, at $2,073 per sq. ft., stand out as the most expensive retail rents in the world, according to Colliers International. Rounding out the top five are Hong Kong’s Canton Road, Manhattan’s Madison Avenue and Paris’ Champs Elysees. (See end of story for a more complete list.)
Survey: Nordstrom, Amazon most engaged brands on Pinterest

New York - Nordstrom was the most engaged retail brand on Pinterest, followed by Amazon, according to Curalate, which collected more than 180,000 Pins and analyzed nearly five million interactions associated with the Top 100 brands from November 1st to November 21. Rounding out the top five:Urban Outfitters, American Eagle Outfitters and Zulily.
Insights: Five last-minute holiday tips for online merchants

By Christopher Birkholm, project manager, SEO and site optimization, at Digital River
DSW tops Q3 expectations

Columbus, Ohio – DSW Inc. exceeded Wall Street expectations for net income and sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2014. Net income fell a less than expected 10% to $49.55 million from $54.96 million the same quarter a year earlier, with higher operating expenses and lower pretax income contributing to the decline. Sales totaled $670 million compared to $633 million and same-store sales rose 2.6%.
Chico’s swings to loss in Q3

Fort Myers, Fla. – Chico’s FAS Inc. reported a net loss of $28.5 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to net income of $35.8 million in the third quarter of the previous fiscal year and below Wall Street predictions.
Fred’s turns red in Q3, will close 47 stores

Memphis, Tenn. – Fred’s Inc. swung to a net loss of $10.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to net income of $7.3 million in the same quarter a year earlier. Costs associated with closing five underperforming stores in the third quarter, and an anticipated 47 stores in the fourth quarter, contributed to the loss, which exceeded Wall Street projections. However Fred’s beat the Street with third quarter sales of$476.2 million, up 3% from $460.5 million. Same-store sales rose 0.3%.