Data & Analytics

Moki, a leading mobile software platform, has appointed Chander Chawla VP of marketing and product strategy. With Chawla on board, Moki said it plans to open an office in Palo Alto, California, to better serve its growing customer base.

Chawla, who has been in the mobile industry for 15 years, has been credited with leading the growth of public Wi-Fi and wearable devices at T-Mobile and National Semiconductor.

The recently released 2014 Food, Drink, and Consumer Goods Outlook Survey from audit, tax and advisory firm KPMG is highlighting some key initiatives that consumer goods executives are focusing on to transform their businesses. The goals range from updating operational efficiencies and technology to making a push for product innovation, according to survey results.
 

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 late this week by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

Scottsdale, Ariz. -- GoDaddy and Spree Commerce announced the launch of the GoDaddy Online Store for small businesses.

With Spree technology supporting the backend, this new GoDaddy offering will make it truly simple for small businesses worldwide to start selling online using e-commerce.

The companies first announced collaboration in February of this year. The GoDaddy Online Store has been available in beta since. More than 5,000 merchants have opened stores and sold millions of dollars of products and services, all over the world.

New York -- One-quarter (25%) of U.S. consumers plans to spend more on holiday shopping this year up from 20% in 2013, and spending on holiday gifts is expected to average $718, according to Accenture’s annual holiday shopping survey.

The survey also found consumer enthusiasm for Black Friday shopping has reached its highest level in eight years. Two-thirds of respondents (66%) said they are likely to shop on Black Friday, compared to 55% who planned to do so in 2013.

By Jeremy Geiger, Retailigence

The headline is bold, but yes, 2014 is the year of hyperlocal mobile advertising, and there are three very important trends converging today to make this happen. The first is smartphone proliferation; according to eMarketer, smartphone users worldwide will total a record-breaking two billion in 2014. Now billions of people around the world have the devices needed to make hyperlocal ads possible.

Morrisville. N.C. – Same-store sales soared at Amazon.com and EBay during September 2014. According to e-commerce technology provider ChannelAdvisor, Amazon's September same-store sales growth came in at 37.9%, a decrease compared to August's 45.1%.  

Even with a decrease from August to September, 37.9% is more than twice the growth rate of e-commerce.

Philadelphia – Net sales at Destination Maternity Corp. dropped 5% to $122 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, from $128.3 million the same quarter a year earlier. Same-store sales, including Internet sales, declined 5%.

Net sales declined primarily from the decrease in same-store sales and decreased sales related to the company's continued efforts to close underperforming stores. Sales results were below previously released guidance.

Dallas -- EnTouch Controls awarded Corner Bakery Cafe the company’s annual Environmental Sustainability Award for its commitment to energy efficiency. The award is given to businesses that have made a significant positive impact on the environment.

Seattle - Blue Nile Inc. has launched a new mobile shopping app available in Apple's App Store, which now includes augmented reality on the app's "Dream Box" feature, allowing consumers to virtually "try on" a Blue Nile engagement ring from an iPhone.