Data & Analytics

Austin, Texas -- The importance of technology is highlighted in a promotion at Whole Foods Market.

Whole Foods has promoted Jason Buechel from global VP to executive VP and CIO. As an executive VP, he is now a member of the executive management team at the company.

Menlo Park, Calif. – Facebook is preparing a move from Instagram advertising to actual Instagram commerce.

In a call with investors, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said that the social media giant would roll out the ability to purchase items directly from Instagram ads as part of an expansion of Instagram ad formats.

As more retailers embrace the reverse trajectory of opening an online store first and a physical store second, the beauty industry is leading the way.

E-commerce has been the fastest-growing retail channel in the U.S. beauty market, with a compound annual growth rate of 24% since 2009, the Kline Group reported on Tuesday. And more of these online retailers are opening physical stores.

For the first time in history, business and consumers can be robbed and conned by strangers who are thousands of miles away and nearly impossible to catch. The e-commerce ecosystem is clearly struggling to cope with all the new and multiplying forms of fraud.

O'Reilly Automotive reported another record-breaking quarter of financial results as the retailer revs up plans to expand its distribution network and store footprint.

The auto parts retailer reported that sales for the second quarter ended June 30 increased $188 million, or 10%, to $2.04 billion from $1.85 billion for the same period one year ago. Same store sales increased 7.2%.

This year, O’Reilly plans to add a net 205 stores, compared with 200 stores in 2014. In the latest period, it opened 34 stores.

Pittsburgh – GNC Holdings Inc. missed Wall Street expectations for profit and revenue in a generally disappointing second quarter of fiscal 2015. GNC reported net income of $67.4 million, a decrease of 4% from $69.9 million for second quarter 2014.

Cost of sales increases were a key factor in reduced net income. GNC reported consolidated revenue of $678.5 million, an increase of 0.5% as compared with $675.2 million. Revenue growth was limited by a 2.8% same-store sales drop in company-owned stores, including GNC.com.

Watsonville, Calif. – West Marine's renewed focus on omnichannel growth seems to be paying off as the specialty retailer reported a big spike in same-store sales in the second quarter.

The California-based retailer reported net income of $20.9 million, up 14% from $18.3 million the same period a year earlier.

Net revenues were $253.2 million in the second quarter ended July 4, an increase of 7.1% compared to last year. Same-store sales increased by 7%.

The company also gave an update on its growth efforts:

New York -- The big spenders are at Costco.

People spent 149% more at Costco than at other retailers, according to mobile-location firm Placed, which linked store spending to tracked locations. Best Buy BJs, Sam's Club and Ikea also ranked high, Advertising Age reported.