Data & Analytics

New York -- For the second year in a row, Apple ranks as the most valuable brand in the world, followed by Google, on Interbrand’s 15th annual Best Global Brands Report. Apple was valued at $118.9 billion, up 21% over last year, while Google was valued at $107.43 billion, up 15%. Rounding out the top five were Coca-Cola, IBM and Microsoft. It was the first time in the history of the Best Global Brands report that two global brands – not just one – had a brand value that exceeded $100 billion.

Emeryville, Calif. – E-commerce technology provider Sellpoints has developed "Natural Selection," a natural language product selector. The solution uses the IBM Watson artificial intelligence platform to understand a shopper's intent, so instead of guiding shoppers through a series of complicated questions and checkboxes, Natural Selection allows them to type in phrases or questions in natural language.    

Salt Lake City – Overstock.com is building a new corporate campus, referred to as the "Peace Coliseum," which is anticipated to open during summer 2016. Overstock officials have said that from the ground level, the building will look like a corporate glass-and-concrete version of the Roman Coliseum, but from the air, the three-story building will appear as a peace sign.  

London - Online retailers provide delivery options shoppers don’t want, and don’t offer the ones they do. According to new research from software company OrderDynamics and Opinion Matters, more than half of online shoppers (54%) want a named delivery date, but only 15% of retailers currently offer it.  

Edina, Minn. – Payment systems at 395 Dairy Queen stores and one Orange Julius store across the U.S. have been hit by a cyber attack that exposed payment card customer names, numbers and expiration dates. The company has no evidence that other customer personal information, such as Social Security numbers, PINs or email addresses, was compromised as a result of this malware infection.   

Washington, D.C. - Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to see a final surge and set a new monthly record in October as the holiday season approaches. According to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates, import volume at U.S. ports covered by the Global Port Tracker report is expected to total 1.53 million containers in October, topping the 1.52 million monthly record set in August.   

Armonk, N.Y. – IBM is introducing new partners developing apps based on its Watson artificial intelligence platform and world headquarters for its Watson Group, as well as new cognitive services that will be available on IBM Bluemix, IBM's cloud-based platform for mobile and Web app development.

Overstock plans to break ground on its new corporate campus, which is called the "Peace Coliseum" and is scheduled to open summer 2016.

Overstock officials have said that from the ground level, the building will look like a corporate glass-and-concrete version of the Roman Coliseum, but from the air, the three-story building will appear as a peace sign.

The groundbreaking coincides with Overstock's 15th anniversary.